Potomac resident Steven J. Schupak was recently named the sixth president and chief executive office of Maryland Public Television, as of July 1.
He succeeds Larry D. Unger, who announced his retirement last December after serving as MPT’s president and CEO for 13 years.
Schupak is currently MPT’s executive vice president and station manager. He came to the PBS station in 2003 after a 20-year career in television and media.
He was named MPT’s executive vice president and chief operating officer in 2014 and station manager in 2021.
Schupak’s selection by the Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission came after a nationwide search led by Richard J. Bodorff, vice chair of the commission.
“It’s an honor to take the helm of Maryland Public Television, a remarkable organization with a rich history of engaging audiences through educational, documentary, natural history, arts, public affairs and community-based programming,” said Schupak. “Even though the media landscape is constantly evolving, the talented team here will keep our service-driven mission at the heart of everything we do, consistent with our promise to enrich lives and strengthen communities.”
During his MPT tenure, Schupak has overseen content creation, educational services and development activities, as well as the network’s finances and accounting operations.
In addition, he created in 2017 the station’s Maryland State Ad Agency to provide advertising and media buying opportunities for state agencies and other governmental clients.
Schupak also recently oversaw the launch of the Maryland Center for Media Literacy & Education, MPT’s education division that includes programming and services to enhance media literacy statewide, particularly among school-age children.
MPT is one of the nation’s top producing PBS stations and the sixth largest in total revenue among the 150 member stations. MPT is the largest in total revenue among the 18 state-licensed public TV stations in the United States.
A native of Brooklyn, New York, Schupak, 66, is an alumnus of the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, where he earned an undergraduate degree in film and television. He holds a master’s degree in marketing from the University of Maryland Global Campus and earned the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2019. He is also a 2019 graduate of the Leadership Maryland training program.
Schupak launched his career at ABC Television Network, initially as a production manager for projects including “World News Tonight,” “Monday Night Baseball” and “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.” He later served as production manager for the 1986 Liberty Weekend Statue of Liberty Celebration.
In addition, Schupak is a member of the board of directors of the National Educational Telecommunications Association. He also serves as vice chair and director on the board of the Olney Theatre Center.
In 2020, the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ National Capital Chesapeake Bay chapter inducted Schupak into its Silver Circle in recognition of his contributions to the broadcast industry. In 2023, he was given the Maryland International Film Festival’s Mendez Award for professional excellence and significant achievement in the TV industry.
The following year, the Maryland Daily Record recognized him as one of the 57 leading “Influential Marylanders.”
In addition, Schupak plays rhythm guitar in a Baltimore-D.C.-based party band called Capitol Groove.
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