APT PitchFest 2019: Producers Compete for Production Funds to Create Innovative On-Air Fundraising Content for Nation's Public Television Stations

Finalists present pitches to public television panel of industry experts at APT PitchFest Live! event at APT Fall Marketplace, November 14 in Scottsdale, Arizona to compete for a Grand Prize ranging up to $75,000 in production funds

BOSTON (August 20, 2019) -- American Public Television (APT), the leading syndicator of content to U.S. public television stations, today announced the opening of the APT PitchFest 2019, an initiative designed to find promising fundraising programs for local public TV station membership drives.

The competition seeks outstanding pledge television content proposals, pledge pilots, or pledge programs in production needing finishing funds or co-production money.

Finalists will vie for the Grand Prize at APT PitchFest 2019 Live! on Thursday, November 14 during APT’s Fall Marketplace, the annual conference that showcases up to 100 new content offers to public television stations. The finalists will be judged on multiple points, including the quality of their content, chance of success, innovative aspect, and the execution of their pitch.

The winner of APT PitchFest 2019 Live! will receive the Grand Prize ranging up to $75,000 in production funds, plus assistance in bringing the content to fruition, anticipated distribution access to the U.S. public media market via APT, a free registration to APT Fall Marketplace 2020, and additional production benefits. The winner will be announced on November 14, 2019, at the close of the pitch session.

The submission period opened August 16, 2019 and will close September 30, 2019. Entrants are encouraged to submit at any time during this period.

“APT is committed to developing outstanding original content for television and online platforms, and APT PitchFest 2019 is one of several initiatives to increase our compelling co-production and other content investments. In future years, APT PitchFest will broaden to include other genres of content for broadcast and digital first,” said APT President and CEO Cynthia Fenneman.

Last year’s APT PitchFest 2018 winner, Marc Middleton, executive producer of public TV series Growing Bolder, will present at this year’s APT Fall Marketplace. His submission, Growing Bolder’s Launch Pad to What’s Next, received the Grand Prize of $75,000. Clips from the recently completed TV show will be shared at this year’s event. The new program will premiere on public television stations nationwide during November/December 2019 pledge drives.

Full information for this year’s competition, plus guidelines (including APT’s underwriting guidelines) and the online entry form for this open call can be found at https://APTonline.org/PitchFest/Entry.

About APT:
American Public Television (APT) is the leading syndicator of high-quality, top-rated programming to the nation’s public television stations. Founded in 1961, APT distributes 250 new program titles per year and one-fourth of the top 100 highest-rated public television titles in the U.S. APT’s diverse catalog includes prominent documentaries, performance, news and current affairs programs, dramas, how-to programs, children’s series and classic movies. America’s Test Kitchen From Cook’s Illustrated, Cook’s Country, AfroPoP, Rick Steves’ Europe, Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Television, Front and Center, Doc Martin, Nightly Business Report, Midsomer Murders, Lidia’s Kitchen, Kevin Belton’s New Orleans Kitchen, Simply Ming, The Best of the Joy of Painting with Bob Ross, and P. Allen Smith’s Garden Home are a sampling of APT’s programs, considered some of the most popular on public television. Current pledge (fundraising) program successes from APT include Mel Brooks & Carl Reiner Salute Sid Caesar, Leonard Cohen – Tower of Song, Frank Sinatra: The Voice of Our Time, Steven Page Trio – Live in Concert, and Great Scenic Railway Journeys: 150 Years on the Right Track. APT also licenses programs internationally through its APT Worldwide service and distributes Create®TV — featuring the best of public television's lifestyle programming — and WORLD™, public television’s premier news, science and documentary channel. To find out more about APT’s programs and services, visit APTonline.org.



CONTACT:
Jamie Haines
(617) 338-4455 ext.129
Jamie_Haines@APTonline.org

OR

Hunter Kossodo
(617)338-4455 ext.150
Hunter_Kossodo@APTonline.org