BEVERLY SILLS ELECTED TO PBS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Retired opera singer Beverly Sills, who has performed in numerous public television programs, has been elected to the Public Broadcasting Service board of directors, PBS said today.

She was elected unanimously to the three-year, unpaid post in a mail ballot by 31 representatives of public TV stations who serve on the board.

“We are enormously pleased by Miss Sills’ willingness to serve on the PBS board,” said board President Alfred R. Stern. “We could have no greater ally in our efforts to bring the best of television to the American viewers.”

He called Sills, who is general director of the New York City Opera, “a tireless arts advocate and a shrewd administrator.”

She has long been involved with public television programs, both as a performer in eight full-length operas and as hostess for other shows.

PBS is a private nonprofit corporation owned and operated by public television stations. It provides programming and related services to 314 non-commercial member stations in the United States.