The Alabama ETV Commission is trying to end the controversy over the firing of Executive Director Alan Pizzato in June. The firings took place during a June 12th meeting to discuss the airing of controversial religious based programming on Alabama PTV.
In addition to Pizzato, APTV CFO, Pauline Howland was also dismissed at the June 12 meeting.
Following the firings, protests against the firings and the interference in APT programming decisions were from a group of ministers and several out-of-state groups. APT COO Charles Grantham received the petitions and wrote a letter to Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley about the morale problems caused by the Commission's decision. Grantham later resigned after being told by a commission member not to talk to the press.
Pizatto has filed suit against the Commission saying his firing was unlawful due to the procedures used by the board and members of the board activities in other state offices. No date has been set for a hearing on the suit.
The AETC has hired a replacement for Pizzato as his suit and others are pending. On Aug. 18 the board selected Roy Clem as its new executive director. Clem is the former general manager of a commercial station in Birmingham AL. Clem has also been part of the University of Alabama's Department of Communication.
At the same meeting the board appointed APT chief engineer Windell Wood as the new COO. Wood will replace Charles Grantham when his resignation takes affect August 31.
AETC is hoping to put the controversy behind it and APT, but with lawsuits and a new reputation for interfering in programming decisions and changing the mission of APT to not include diversity, the chilling affect of AETC will be felt throughout public media for years to come.
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