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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
House Resolution 1
A resolution recognizing Beth Switzer for her 2
dedicated service as the Executive Director of the 3
Florida Channel. 4
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WHEREAS, Beth Switzer began working at WFSU -TV in 1984 and 6
continued working as a reporter and producer at the station 7
until 1997, producing and hosting a variety of programs, 8
including arts and public affairs programs and Florida Face to 9
Face, a long-running statewide interview program, and 10
WHEREAS, in 1997, Beth Switzer accepted the position of 11
Executive Director at WFSU -TV to oversee a new contract 12
overseeing management of the Florida Channel, which has grown 13
into one of the most comprehensive public affairs programming 14
service operations in the na tion, and 15
WHEREAS, the Florida Channel now provides coverage of all 16
three branches of state government and produces over 2,500 hours 17
of coverage a year, and a statewide documentary series, Florida 18
Crossroads, and 19
WHEREAS, within that coverage, the Florid a Channel provides 20
gavel-to-gavel coverage of all Organization, Regular, and 21
Special Legislative Sessions, including committee meetings, 22
opening day, and Sine Die; countless briefings during state 23
emergencies from the State Emergency Operations Center; 24
inaugurations, including swearing -in ceremonies of the Governor 25
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
and statewide elected Cabinet members; the annual State of the 26
State Address; meetings of the Governor and Cabinet; Florida 27
Supreme Court oral arguments; and various news conferences with 28
Florida's statewide elected leaders, and 29
WHEREAS, in 2002, the Florida Channel's reach expanded 30
again with the creation and deployment of a remote events team, 31
the channel's first team of reporters and staff to cover state 32
government meetings held outside of Tal lahassee to be aired at a 33
later date, an effort that has since grown into several teams 34
that crisscross the state to ensure comprehensive coverage from 35
Pensacola to Key West, and 36
WHEREAS, through her leadership, Beth Switzer helped create 37
a state-of-the-art public affairs programming service that 38
serves as Florida's primary source for live, unedited coverage 39
of our state government, providing real -time access for those 40
tuning in, and 41
WHEREAS, throughout the years, Beth Switzer has ensured 42
that the Florida Channel continues to evolve to suit the 43
technology of the time, installing robotic cameras in many 44
Capitol meeting rooms and, in 2014, streaming its content 45
online, providing both Florida residents and others around the 46
world with instant access to the st ate's business, and 47
WHEREAS, the Florida Channel, as guided by Beth Switzer and 48
her team, has been an invaluable tool to those in a wide variety 49
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
of professions involved in the process of governing and to the 50
residents of the state, NOW, THEREFORE, 51
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Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of 53
Florida: 54
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That Beth Switzer is recognized for decades of diligent 56
work as the Executive Director of the Florida Channel and is 57
sincerely thanked for her service to the residents of Florida. 58
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be 59
presented to Beth Switzer as a tangible token of the sentiments 60
expressed herein. 61