WASHINGTON—The National Association of Broadcasters said it will honor Ralph M. Oakley, former president and CEO of Quincy Media, with the Chuck Sherman Television Leadership Award.
Oakley, now owner of Sullivan’s Landing LLC, which owns WJMN-TV Marquette, Mich., will receive the award, which recognizes his distinguished career and enduring commitment to local television, at the NAB State Leadership Conference in Washington on March 3.
“Ralph Oakley exemplifies the spirit of local broadcasting through his steadfast leadership, deep community commitment and lifelong service to others,” NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt said. “His work inside and outside of our industry has strengthened local journalism, expanded access to educational opportunities and advanced the values that define our industry. Ralph has long been a trusted voice and guiding force for broadcasters nationwide, and we are proud to honor him with this well-deserved recognition at the NAB State Leadership Conference.”
Oakley started in broadcasting in 1977 with Quincy Newspapers, later known as Quincy Media, at WGEM AM-FM-TV in Quincy, Ill., moving on to roles at WSJV-TV South Bend, Elkhart, Ind., and WVWA-TV Bluefield-Beckley, W.Va., before joining the Quincy corporate office.
He was named president and CEO of Quincy Media, a sixth-generation, family-owned firm operating TV stations in 16 states, as well as two newspapers and two radio stations, in 2009. Quincy sold its TV stations to Gray Media and its newspapers to Phillips Media in 2021.
He currently owns Sullivan’s Landing and WJMN, which serves the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with local programming under a shared sales and services agreement with Morgan Murphy Media.
Oakley is a former member of the NAB board and served on its executive committee; was a trustee and co-chair of NAB’s Political Action Committee and served on the NAB Leadership Foundation board, as well as on the TVB Board of Directors and the ABC Affiliate Board of Governors. He is also a former chair of the NBC Affiliates Association and the Illinois Broadcasters Association. He has been honored as the IBA’s broadcaster of the year.
His civic leadership roles include serving as a member and former chair of the Quincy University board of trustees; founding chair of the Community Foundation of West Central Illinois and Northeast Missouri; chair of the United Way of Adams County annual campaign and as a board member of the Quincy Area Chamber of Commerce and the Quincy Public Schools Foundation.
For more on NAB and the State Leadership Conference, visit NAB’s website.
