National Association of Television Program Executives

The first formal meeting of the National Associates of Television Program Executives was held in May 1964 at the New York Hilton Hotel and drew 71 registrants.

NATPE has changed dramatically over the past 40 years–membership grew from 64 to 210 by 1970; up to 1,206 in 1980; 1,818 in 1990; and to a peak of 3,812 by in January 2000, although membership and conference attendance declined significantly from the "dot-com bust" of 2001.

Its mission is to reach out to students by providing hands-on opportunities for them and their teachers in order to help prepare them for a future in television.

NATPE’s Educational Foundation, underwritten by membership fees and the support of sponsors and special endowments, provides a number of annual fellowship, grants and prizes to the academic community.

[4] In 2011, NATPE acquired DISCOP EAST, which hosts an event covering and central and Eastern European media industry.