Maryland Public Television’s (MPT) Steven Schupak is being inducted into the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter’s (NATAS-NCCB) prestigious Silver Circle. Schupak, MPT’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, is one of eight television industry contributors who are entering the NATAS-NCCB Gold Circle and Silver Circle this fall. The complete list of new honorees is available at capitalemmys.tv/goldsilver/.

The Silver Circle recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the broadcast or cable industry for 25 years or more, while the organization’s Gold Circle honors individuals who have made significant industry contributions for 50 years or more. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, NATAS-NCCB will conduct an induction ceremony for the 2020 inductees next year.

A Potomac, Maryland, resident, Schupak oversees planning and operations at the statewide public TV network, including its content, creative services, programming, sales, finance, and business units. His MPT team includes producers, writers, graphic designers, sales representatives, plus on-air talent and freelance professionals whose combined efforts result in upwards of 300 local, regional, and national programs annually, delivered via traditional, online, mobile, and social media platforms.

During Schupak’s tenure, MPT has earned numerous Emmy® Awards and other industry honors for its productions including Chesapeake Bay Week®, Maryland Vietnam War Stories, Outdoors Maryland, Star-Spangled Spectacular: The Bicentennial of our National Anthem, Steven Raichlen’s Project Smoke, and MotorWeek. He recently launched, and now heads a new division at MPT dedicated to providing advertising services to state agencies called the Maryland State Ad Agency.

Prior to joining MPT, Schupak served as vice president at Henninger Media Services, a Virginia-based media company, running the firm's TV production and distribution group. He launched his television career in the 1980s as a member of the production staff at the ABC Television Network.

Schupak is an alumnus of the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in film and television. He also holds a master’s degree in marketing from the Graduate School of Management & Technology at the University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) and was honored with that school’s Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2019, the highest alumni award bestowed at UMGC.

Eight TV industry contributors with MPT affiliation have been inducted into the NATAS-NCCB’s Gold Circle and Silver Circle. In addition to Schupak, MPT four other employees have been honored with membership in the Silver Circle over the years: John Davis, Mike English, Rhea Feikin, and Sue Kopen Katcef. MPT’s Gold Circle honorees are George Beneman, Rhea Feikin, the late Lou Davis, and the late Zvi Shoubin.

Other notable members of the Silver Circle are broadcast icons Judy Woodruff, Sam Donaldson, Ted Koppel, Gordon Peterson, and Bob Schieffer.

About Maryland Public Television

Maryland Public Television (MPT) is a statewide, public-supported TV network and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) affiliate, offering entertaining, informative, educational, and inspiring content delivered by traditional broadcasting and streaming on TVs, computers, and mobile devices. A state agency, it operates under the auspices of the Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission. MPT creates and distributes local, regional, and national content and is a frequent winner of regional Emmy® Awards. MPT’s commitment to educators, parents, caregivers, and learners of all ages is delivered through instructional events and Thinkport.org. MPT’s year-round community engagement activities connect viewers with resources on a wide range of topics. For more information visit mpt.org.