James N. Morgese, president and general manager of Rocky Mountain PBS in Denver, has been awarded a national EDGE Award from The Association of Public Television Stations (APTS), based in Washington, D.C.
The award event took place earlier today (Feb. 14, 2006) at the APTS Capitol Hill Day in the nation's capital. Morgese was honored for his "tireless work and foresight that helps keep public television focused forward in the digital age." In particular, his award was for implementing datacasting in Colorado over the PBS network's digital broadcast signal in order to deliver educational services. Rocky Mountain PBS provides datacasting services to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, the Colorado Department of Adult Education, the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, among others. Datacasting combines data transmission with broadcast television. Information can be embedded within a digital television signal and sent to receiving devices connected to desktop computers and laptops. It provides a cost-effective method for delivering high-bandwidth, real-time video and audio to multiple locations in the television station's coverage area.
According to APTS, the EDGE Award is given to organizations or individuals who are recognized as leaders in building services and strategies that assist public television stations in managing change through extraordinary participation in long-range planning for the public television system; cooperation and collaboration with other public organizations and/or private institutions; experimentation with new technologies and management techniques; or creation of services that enhance local presence or meet the needs of underserved communities. Specifically, EDGE stands for Excellence in Digital transition, Groundbreaking partnerships, and Educational technologies. Award winners are considered on the cutting edge of public television innovation and services.
