Marty Ryall of Arkansas PBS has claimed a national award for effective lobbying on behalf of public television.
Ryall, director of external relations at Arkansas PBS, previously the Arkansas Educational Television Network, received the National Advocacy Award Feb. 25 from America’s Public Television Stations, a nonprofit organization supporting strong public media.
The award goes to public TV leaders for exemplary work in telling their stations’ stories, and Ryall was praised in particular for his work building relationships and support with the Arkansas congressional delegation in Washington and the state legislature.
“Marty Ryall is the gold standard of effective congressional outreach â — a tireless advocate for public broadcasting,” Patrick Butler, president and CEO of APTS, said in a statement. “Marty’s work ensures that key decision-makers about Arkansas PBS’ services, along with the recognition that federal and state funding are essential to this work.”
Ryall, in an Arkansas PBS news release, thanked APTS and his boss, Executive Director Courtney Pledger. “At Arkansas PBS we tell the local stories that no one else is telling,” Ryall said. “We are an essential resource in our communities, we are a megaphone to discuss and debate important issues, we help educate Arkansas’ children, and we help keep families safe with our early warning system.”
Ryall helped create AR-CAN, a web-based platform that live-streams state government meetings, giving Arkansas an opportunity to watch the State Medical Board, Health Board, Highway Commission, Natural Resources Commission and many other government panels.
Before joining the state public TV network in 2015, Ryall was a political consultant, campaign manager and executive director of the Arkansas Republican Party. He ran campaigns for Senator Elizabeth Dole in North Carolina, Gov. Ernie Fletcher of Kentucky, Senator Paul Coverdell of Georgia and former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in Virginia.
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