Public Media veteran honored at PBS Annual Meeting
Kathryn Larsen, VP of Content Distribution at Buffalo Toronto Public Media, was named Programmer of the Year at the PBS Annual Meeting in May. Larsen has been working in public media for almost four decades, including time at WNET (Thirteen) in NYC, Rhode Island PBS, and American Public Television (APT).
Each year, the Programmer of the Year award, presented by the Public Television Programmer’s Association (PTPA), honors someone whose creativity, dedication, and vision exemplify the very best of public broadcasting. The award criteria include local service and community engagement.
“We received quite a few nominations this year, after asking the station community to send in brief nomination letters for a programmer that they felt met the criteria for the award,” said PTPA CEO Kristen Kuebler. “Even though there were a number of qualified candidates, it was a unanimous decision that Kathryn was the winner!”
Larsen was honored for her career behind the scenes, taking pride in crafting a unique and creative schedule for viewers. She has spent years cultivating relationships with many local independent producers, in order to bring local voices to viewers and listeners. She has a gift for finding programs that connect deeply with viewers across communities and uses them to skillfully complement and supplement national content. She is always looking for opportunities to bring station staff into the community and bring viewers into the station. She’s known for opening the station doors to the public — hosting screenings, live performances, and community events that generate meaningful engagement.
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About Buffalo Toronto Public Media
Buffalo Toronto Public Media engages with our communities through exploration and entertainment –everywhere. Our member-supported services include BTPM PBS, BTPM NPR (88.7 in Buffalo, 91.3 in Olean, 88.1 in Jamestown), BTPM Classical (94.5 in Buffalo, 89.7 WNJA in Jamestown), BTPM The Bridge (88.7 HD2 and 94.5 HD2 in Buffalo), BTPM Create, and BTPM PBS KIDS. BTPM PBS is also a national producer of award-winning documentaries. Additional information about Buffalo Toronto Public Media can be found at btpm.org.