Olivia Wong Named American Public Television’s New Vice President of Marketing & Communications

American Public Television (APT), the leading syndicator of content to U.S. public TV stations nationwide, today announced that public media veteran Olivia Wong has been named Vice President of Marketing & Communications effective January 25, 2021. She succeeds Jamie Haines, who will retire in March after leading communications efforts at APT since 2007. Reporting to Cynthia Fenneman, President and CEO of American Public Television, Wong will oversee a team of experienced professionals, and lead APT’s brand and content marketing strategies to support growth, enhance station success, and spotlight new initiatives.

“Olivia’s strategic strengths, combined with her impressive relationships in print, television, radio and online media, and her experience in promoting content across multiple platforms, will be essential as APT’s content increases prominence in public media and channels around the world,” said Fenneman.

“Elevating the profile of content and initiatives is more important than ever in today’s media landscape,” Wong noted. “As a Massachusetts native, I look forward to joining APT in Boston as the organization celebrates 60 years of success in bringing high-quality, top-rated programming to the nation's public television stations.”

“Olivia brings so much to APT,” added Haines. “Not only has she worked on landmark content, she knows the system, the people and the media, and brings great ideas and experience as a collaborator and terrific colleague.”

Wong joins APT after nearly 20 years at public media flagship stations GBH Boston and WETA Washington, D.C. Most recently, she served as Senior Director, Strategic Communications at WETA, responsible for a wide range of activities for the WETA brand, national and local productions, television channels and the Classical WETA radio station. Wong also led promotion efforts for PBS series and programs Korea: The Never-Ending War, Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and Asian Americans.

At GBH, Wong worked on several of public media’s best known signature series and educational resources including American Experience and NOVA. During her tenure, she spent nearly a decade at PBS primetime series Masterpiece conducting strategic publicity and launching social media initiatives for the brand and hallmark programs including Downton Abbey and Sherlock. These efforts earned Wong a 2012 PR News Digital PR Award for Downton Abbey’s Digital PR Campaign.

Active in a number of organizations across public media, Wong is the immediate past chair of the National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA) Marketing and Communications Peer Learning Community Executive Council, and participates as a member and mentor in the popular Public Media Women in Leadership program. In addition, she currently serves on the Executive Board of the Mines Advisory Group (MAG) America. Wong is a graduate of Brown University, double concentrating in Psychology and Modern Culture and Media.

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About American Public Television
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 more than one-third of the top 100 highest-rated public television titles in the U.S. APT’s diverse catalog includes prominent documentaries, performance, dramas, how-to programs, classic movies, children’s series and news and current affairs programs. Doc Martin, Midsomer Murders, America’s Test Kitchen From Cook’s Illustrated, AfroPoP, Rick Steves’ Europe, Pacific Heartbeat, Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Television, Front and Center, Lidia’s Kitchen, Kevin Belton’s New Orleans Kitchen, Simply Ming, The Best of the Joy of Painting with Bob Ross, James Patterson’s Kid Stew and NHK Newsline are a sampling of APT’s programs, considered some of the most popular on public television. 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.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Jamie Haines, APR; APT VP of Communications
Jamie_Haines@APTonline.org 617-962-5604

FOR ADDITIONAL PHOTOS:
Hunter Kossodo, Public Relations Associate
Hunter_Kossodo@APTonline.org