Sidman Named President of the Association of Public Television Stations

The Association of Public Television Stations (APTS) has chosen long-time media advocate Lawrence R. Sidman as president and CEO. Sidman served as Chief Counsel and Staff Director of the House Telecommunications Subcommittee in the late 1980s. Currently, he is a partner and chair of the Government Affairs practise group at Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP. As the Obama Administration and the 111th Congress convene, public television faces serious funding challenges because of the broad and deep economic downturn. At the same time, this is a critical opportunity for public television stations to lay the foundation for public service media in the digital age. "Because of the new leadership in Washington and the economic and technological changes affecting all media providers, the 111th Congress is perhaps the most important Congress for us since the Corporation for Public Broadcasting was created," Sidman said.