NEW YORK—The Broadcasters Foundation of America is seeking donations that will help offset what it says was a major loss of funds from 2020 fundraising events having to be cancelled because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

BFA is a charity organization that provides financial aid to broadcasters and their families in the event of debilitating illness, accident or catastrophe. Over the past 20 years, BFA has distributed more than $13 million to broadcasters in need.

In 2020, BFA saw its Celebrity Golf Tournament, the Golden Mike Award and the Philip J. Lombardo Charity Golf Tournament cancelled as a result of the pandemic.

“In its more than 70 years of existence, the Broadcasters Foundation has provided financial assistance to every broadcaster who qualified, and we want to continue that track record,” said Scott Herman, chairman of the BFA. “These men and women are our colleagues, and unthinkable tragedy has left them unable to work. We cannot turn our backs on them.”

To make personal or corporate donations, visit www.broadcastersfoundation.org/donate.  

NEW YORK—Like many, 2020 has been a tough year for broadcasters, and the Broadcasters Foundation of America hopes to help those in need with the launch of its annual year-end giving campaign.

The campaign seeks tax-deductible personal donations from those in the broadcast industry to support the Guardian Fund, as well as corporate contributions to the Angel Initiative. These contributions will provide aid to broadcasters and their families “whose lives have been upended by tragic illness, accident or catastrophe,” BFA says.

BFA expects to award more than $1.7 million in monthly and one-time emergency grants this year. Over the past 20 years, BFA has distributed more than $13 million to broadcasters in need.

“Our only goal at the Broadcasters Foundation is to provide aid to those in our industry who need it most,” stated Scott Herman, chairman of the BFA. “Our grant recipients are hard-working broadcasters from across the country, who have been hit by challenging, often life-altering circumstances. Together, we can help them get through the toughest times.”

For more information, or to make a donation, visit www.broadcastersfoundation.org/donate.  

NEW YORK—The Broadcasters Foundation of America’s Celebrity Golf Tournament won’t be teeing it up this year because of the ongoing safety concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. 

This is the second golf tournament fundraiser that BFA has cancelled this year, following the Philip J. Lombardo Golf Tournament that traditionally takes place during the NAB Show in Las Vegas; the in-person NAB convention was cancelled in April because of the pandemic. The two annual fundraisers, along with smaller events, generate more than $450,000 a year, according to BFA.

In an effort to counter the losses of these events, BFA is launching a plea for donations.

“I ask everyone whose career is built on broadcasting to consider donating to help offset the losses of our cancelled fundraising events,” said Jim Thompson, president of the BFA.

“Our colleagues who find themselves in acute need due to a debilitating illness or accident need our help,” said Scott Herman, Broadcast Foundation chair. “This year, we are helping more broadcasters than ever before, and it’s imperative that we continue to do so. We cannot turn our backs on our colleagues.”

For more information, or to make a donation, visit www.broadcastersfoundation.org.  

NEW YORK—The Broadcasters Foundation of America Board of Directors have elected Scott Herman, former CBS Radio and Group W executive and current CEO of SHH Media Management, as its new chair, replacing Dan Mason.

Other results of the election included re-electing Jordan Wertlieb, the president of Hearst Television, as the board’s vice chair and voting Steve Jones, president and COO of Skyview Networks, to the board. In addition, Mason will remain on the board.

Herman has been a longtime member of BFA’s board and had been serving as a vice chair since 2017. He spent nearly 40 years at CBS Radio and  its predecessor companies before launching the executive advisory firm SHH Media Management.

Herman said that he was grateful for the opportunity to give back to the broadcast industry, as providing financial support to broadcast professionals who are in acute need has been the mission of BFA.

For more information, visit www.broadcastersfoundation.org.  

NEW YORK—Because of the impact of the coronavirus, the Broadcasters Foundation of America has updated its emergency grant qualifications to include broadcasters that have been infected with the coronavirus.

The decision was made during an emergency meeting of the BFA Executive Committee and Board of Directors.

“Never in our history as broadcasters have we experienced an event that has caused this much hardship,” said Dan Mason, chairman of the BFA. “Thus, we have revised our provisions to our emergency grant eligibility guidelines.”

For more information, broadcasters can email grants@thebfoa.org or by visiting www.broadcastersfoundation.org/coronavirus.  

NEW YORK—The Broadcasters Foundation of America has announced that FCC Chairman Ajit Pai will be presented with the Lowry Mays Excellence in Broadcasting Award.

The award, given out annually, recognizes an individual in broadcasting whose work “exemplifies innovation, community service, advocacy and entrepreneurship,” per BFA. 

Pai was appointed to the position of chairman for the FCC by President Donald Trump in January 2017, after having served as an FCC commissioner since May 2012 following an appointment from then-President Barack Obama. In his time at the FCC, Pai has focused on issues that include ATSC 3.0, media ownership regulation and modernization, First Amendment freedoms and public safety.

Pai joins past Lowry May recipients that includes Bill Clark, Eddie Fritts, Cathy Hughes, Mel Karmazin, Jeff Smulyan and Dick Wiley.

BFA will present that award to Pai on April 22 at 7 a.m. during the Broadcasters Foundation Annual Breakfast at the 2020 NAB Show. The breakfast will take place at the Encore Hotel in Las Vegas.

The breakfast is complimentary to all in broadcasting, but registration is required. 

NEW YORK—The Broadcasters Foundation of America, the charity devoted exclusively to helping broadcasters in acute need, has announced the recipients of the 2020 Leadership Awards.

The 2020 recipients include: Marci Burdick, senior advisor to Schurz Communications, retired; Kim Guthrie, president and CEO, Cox Media Group; Kraig Kitchin, partner, Sound Mind; Weezie Kramer, COO, Entercom Communications; Barbara Kreisman, chief, Video Division, FCC; and Leo MacCourtney, president, Katz Television Group. 

The foundation will also present the Lowry Mays Excellence in Broadcasting Award during the Breakfast. The group has not yet made public the name of that honoree.

The awards, to be presented Wednesday, April 22, at the Broadcasters Foundation Annual Breakfast, are presented annually in recognition of career contributions to the broadcast industry and the community at-large. This year’s awards breakfast will be in the Brahms Room of the Encore Hotel in Las Vegas during the 2020 NAB Show.

The breakfast is complimentary to all in broadcasting, but pre-registration is required. (Register online or via phone at 212-373-8250.)

This year’s sponsors are: AccuRadio, National Association of Broadcasters, National Association of Media Brokers (NAMB), Nielsen, Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB), Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB), USTrust and vCreative.

More information is available online. 

NEW YORK—Launching on Giving Tuesday, Dec. 3, the Broadcasters Foundation of America has announced the start to its annual year-end Giving Campaign.

BFA is asking for tax-deductible personal donations to its Guardian Fund and corporate contributions to its Angel Initiative. These funds are used to provide aid to broadcasters and their families who have been impacted by tragic illness, accident or catastrophe.

BFA says that it is receiving higher demand for monthly or emergency relief, as such it plans to aware more than $1.3 million in aid this year.

“Requests for assistance have escalated at an alarming rate over the past several years,” noted Jim Thompson, president of the BFA. “At this giving time of year, we ask every broadcaster to give thanks for their success and good fortune with a tax-deductible contribution that will help us continue our mission of providing aid to those in our business who need it most.”

Over the last 19 years, BFA says it has distributed more than $11 million to broadcasters in need.

For more information, visit www.broadcastersfoundation.org.

NEW YORK—The recipient of the 2020 Golden Mike Award will be Tegna President and CEO Dave Lougee, the Broadcasters Foundation of America have announced. In the press release for the announcement, BFA Chairman Dan Mason called Lougee “an exemplary broadcaster, who leads his team in serving their local markets with journalistic integrity.”

The award will be presented to Lougee at BFA’s annual black-tie gala on March 4, 2020, which also serves as a fundraiser to support BFA’s mission to provide aid to broadcasters in acute need. The gala will be held at the Plaza Hotel in New York City.

“When devastation strikes one of our colleagues, it’s good to know the Foundation is there to help,” said Lougee. “I’m so very proud of the generosity of the many broadcasters who support and donate to the Broadcasters Foundation, and I’m honored to receive thri Golden Mike Award.”

In addition to his role as president and CEO, Lougee also serves on the board of directors for Tegna. He also serves on the board of directors for Broadcast Music Inc. and BFA, and is the immediate past chairman of the NBC Affiliates Board and past chairman of the NAB and Television Bureau of Advertising board of directors.

Past winners of the Golden Mike Award have included Perry Sook, Emily Barr, David Barrett, Michael Bloomberg, Bob Pittman, Gordon Smith and Jeff Smulyan.

NEW YORK—While celebrities were sinking pars—and hopefully a few birdies—on the golf course, the Broadcasters Foundation of America’s 2019 Celebrity Golf Tournament helped to raise more than $250,000 for broadcasters in need. More than 175 broadcasters and celebrities teed off for the tournament, which will use the funds raised to support broadcasters that have experienced illness or unforeseen disasters.

The Celebrity Golf Tournament is annually one of the biggest fundraisers for the BFA, the organization says, with it having raised more than $5 million since its inception. The money raised from this year’s tournament will be part of $1.5 million in aid money distributed to individuals and families throughout the industry.

Among the celebrities in attendance for the event were "SportsCenter" anchor John Anderson; NBC TV Sports anchor Bruce Beck; Dick Brennan, CBS TV news anchor; Scott Brunner of the New York Giants; Stanley Cup champion Bobby Carpenter; Chad Cascadden of the New York Jets; Ron Claiborne of “Good Morning America”; U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist Mike Eruzione; actress Rachel Grant; ESPN announcer Sean McDonough; CJ Papa, SNY Sports Anchor; NFL Hall of Famer Sterling Sharpe; Jeremy Schapp of ESPN’s “E60”; LPGA pros Sarah Stone and Liz Caron; and more.

LAS VEGAS—During the festivities on and off the floor of the Las Vegas Convention Center during last week’s NAB Show, the Broadcasters Foundation of America took time for a pair of events that honored and supported many in the industry.

On Sunday, April 7, BFA hosted the Philip J. Lombardo Charity Golf Tournament at the Bali Hai Golf Club. The tournament was able to raise $100,000, a record, that will go to support BFA’s mission of helping broadcasters in need.

Later in the week, the 24th Annual Leadership Award Breakfast took place, with six Leadership Awards presented to individuals for their impact on the broadcasting industry and in their local communities, as well as the Lowry Mays Award for Excellence in Broadcasting. The Leadership Award winners included Bobby Caldwell, owner and CEO, East Arkansas Broadcasters Inc.; Jean Dietze, president, affiliate relations, NBC Broadcasting; Richard Foreman, president, Richard A. Foreman Associates Inc.; Mark Gray, CEO, Katz Media Group; Paul McTear, former president and CEO, Raycom Media; and David Poltrack, chief research officer, CBS Corporation, and president, CBS Vision.

The Lowry Mays Award, which recognizes a broadcaster who has made an impact on the industry through innovation, entrepreneurship, issue advocacy, community service and philanthropy, was presented to Bill Clark, the previous president of Shamrock Broadcasting.

Requests for emergency aid are still coming in to the Broadcasters Foundation of America after Hurricane Florence, but now the organization says it’s preparing for a possible influx from the pending Hurricane Michael.

“Broadcasters whose personal lives or property are acutely affected by Hurricanes Michael or Florence are encouraged to find out if they qualify for an emergency grant” by BFA’s hurricane relief page, it stated. “State broadcast associations in affected areas are working with the Broadcasters Foundation to alert members that they can apply for aid.”

The foundation also has an Emergency Grant Relief Program with an expedited application process to deliver funds as quickly as possible to individuals who work or have worked in broadcasting and meet its qualification guidelines. Grants are based on financial need and are now available up to $2,000 after the board recently raised the limit.

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NEW YORK—The Broadcasters Foundation of America has elected Wendy McMahon, president of the ABC Owned Television Stations Group, and Charlie Weiss, Vice President, Broadcast, Cable, and Broadband Television Group for Future PLC, to its Board of Directors, and named Dennis Lyle, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Illinois Broadcasters Association, an Officer and Vice President. The new Directors and Lyle were voted in during the Board meeting that took place in New York City last week.

“We’re delighted to welcome Wendy, Charlie, and Dennis to the Board,” said Dan Mason, Chairman of the Broadcasters Foundation of America. “Their continued support of the Foundation’s mission and their leadership in our industry is commendable.”

[Read: BFA Launches “Broadcasting Hope” Campaign]

McMahon has oversight of ABC’s eight local TV stations and their digital assets in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Houston, Raleigh-Durham, and Fresno. As Vice President - Broadcast, Cable, and Broadband Television Group, Weiss oversees industry-leading titles, such as Broadcasting & Cable and Multichannel News, and Next TV. A lifelong broadcaster, Lyle has been at the helm of the Illinois Broadcasters Association for nearly 20 years,

The Broadcasters Foundation’s Board of Directors is comprised of highly respected broadcast executives who are committed to “giving back” through the Broadcasters Foundation. The members of the Board represent a wide array of broadcast and broadcast-related companies.

For more than 70 years, the Broadcasters Foundation has distributed millions of dollars to thousands of needy broadcasters and their families. Individual donations can be made to the Guardian Fund, corporate contributions are accepted through the Angel Initiative, and bequests can be arranged through the Legacy Society. To learn more or to donate, please contact the Broadcasters Foundation at 212-373-8250 or info@thebfoa.org or visit www.broadcastersfoundation.org.

The Broadcasters Foundation of America has established the Joseph M. Bilotta Memorial Fund in honor of the veteran broadcaster who died in Connecticut on Friday, May 29, from pancreatic cancer at the age of 69, the foundation said. The memorial fund will support the foundation’s mission of providing aid to past and present members of the broadcasting profession who have fallen on hard times. The Broadcasters Foundation is the only charity exclusively devoted to helping broadcasters in acute need.

“Joe was a friend and champion of the Broadcasters Foundation and our industry,” Jim Thompson, president of the Broadcasters Foundation of America, said in a statement. “He devoted time and energy to advancing broadcasting and to helping colleagues in need. He will be missed by many, personally and professionally.”

Bilotta spent more than 40 years at Buckley Broadcasting where he helped build the group’s standing through such radio stations as WOR(AM) in New York and WDRC(AM/FM) in Hartford, Conn. Following his 10-year stint as chief operating officer, he became president and CEO in 2011, following the sudden death of company founder Rick Buckley. Bilotta celebrated his 45th anniversary with Buckley Broadcasting in July 2014. Upon the conclusion of the sale of Buckley Broadcasting’s assets in 2015, Bilotta formed JMB Solutions.

[Read: BFA Launches “Broadcasting Hope” Campaign]

Bilotta was saluted by his colleagues in April with the coveted Ward L. Quaal Leadership Award, given by the Broadcasters Foundation of America at a breakfast ceremony held during the 2018 NAB Show. He chaired the Radio Advertising Bureau’s board of directors, served a six-year term on the National Association of Broadcasters board, was a lifetime member of the New Jersey Broadcasters Association Board, and an officer on the Broadcasters Foundation of America Board.

Calling hours for Bilotta will be Wednesday, June 6, from 4-8 p.m. in the Lesko & Polke Funeral Home, 1209 Post Road in Fairfield Center, Conn. Funeral services will take place on Thursday at 9:15 a.m. in the funeral home and at 10:30 a.m. in Saint Thomas Church, 1719 Post Road, Fairfield, Conn. To order flowers online, for travel directions, or to sign his guest register, please visit www.LeskoPolkeFuneralHome.com, which includes a link to Bilotta’s obituary.

To donate to the Joseph M. Bilotta Memorial Fund, please visit www.broadcastersfoundation.org, call 212-373-8250 or email info@thebfoa.org. 

NEW YORK—With attendees dressed to the nine, the Broadcasters Foundation of America honored Emily Barr and Ed McLaughlin, and raised funds for broadcasters in need during its annual Golden Mike Award gala.

Emily Barr, president and CEO of Graham Media Group, was honored during the event at this year’s Golden Mike Award recipient. In addition, the organization recognized the late Ed McLaughlin with the 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award. The broadcaster previously served as chairman of the BFA. McLaughlin’s widow accepted the award on his behalf.

In addition to the awards handed out, BFA reports that it raised $250,000 during the event to help broadcasters in need, as part of its mission to support broadcasters and their families affected by events or disasters throughout the year.

NEW YORK—The Broadcasters Foundation of America has announced the six winners of the 2018 Ward L. Quaal Leadership Awards. BFA hands out the Leadership Awards annually to recognize career contributions to the broadcast industry and the community at-large, per the organization’s press release.

Here are the 2018 recipients:

· Marcellus Alexander, president, NAB Education Foundation

· Joe Bilotta, president and CEO, JMB Solution, LLC

· Richard Bodorff, partner, Wiley Rein LLP

· Steve Jones, vice president and general manager, ABC Radio

· Patrick Maines, former president and CEO, The Media Institute

· Bill McElveen, executive vice president, Alpha Media

The Awards will be presented during the Broadcasters Foundation annual breakfast at the NAB Show, which this year will take place on April 11 at 7 a.m. To register for the breakfast or find out additional information, contact the BFA at info@thebfoa.org.

NEW YORK—The Broadcasters Foundation of America has set a record in 2017 in grants, as the organization has distributed more than $1 million in aid to broadcasters across the country. That figure is the most ever in a single year, according to a BFA press release.

BFA will look to add to that total figure, as it is launching its year-end appeal for personal donations to the Guardian Fund and corporate contributions to the Angel Initiative.

More than $200,000 in emergency aid was distributed to broadcasters who were impacted by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, the California wildfires and other disasters.

“Requests for aid have multiplied over the past several years, and we have been able to help every qualifying broadcaster who sought assistance from us,” said Jim Thompson, president of the BFA. “As we enter the season of giving, I ask every broadcaster to review any good fortune that our business has bestowed upon them and consider donating to help our colleagues in need.”

“It is incumbent on everyone in our industry to help ensure that the Broadcasters Foundation can continue to provide this much-needed financial assistance to our colleagues,” said Dan Mason, chairman of the BFA.

To learn more or to donate to the BFA, visit www.broadcastersfoundation.org.

NEW YORK—The score under par wasn’t the important number at the recent Broadcasters Foundation of America’s annual Celebrity Golf Tournament, as the organization announced it raised $250,000 to help broadcasters in need. The funds come in handy particularly after many broadcasters have been impacted by Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma in recent weeks.

BFA has already provided $50,000 in emergency aid to 50 broadcasters affected by Hurricane Harvey. Another $100,000 in emergency grants is expected to be provided in response to the damage done by Hurricane Irma. Jim Thompson, president of BFA, estimates that the organization will distribute more than $1 million in monthly and emergency grants over the next 12 months.

Some of the celebrities in attendance at this year’s golf tournament, which was held at the Sleepy Hollow Country Club in Briarcliff Manor, N.Y., were Bruce Beck, WNBC-TV; Tina Cervasio, CBS Sports; Rachel Grant, actress and philanthropist; Jay Harris, ESPN; Otis Livingston, WCBS-TV; Karl Nelson, New York Giants; Lee Saltz, New England Patriots; Bill Smitrovich, actor; John Starks, New York Knicks; and Bob Wischusen, voice of the New York Jets.

Sponsors of the event included Evercore Wealth Management, ABC Channel 7, CBS Television, CBS Radio, NBC-Owned TV stations and Telemundo Station Group, Eileen & Jack Connors, Jr., ESPN Radio, Empire Merchants, Flexjet, Norman Knight Charitable Foundation, Marketron, Nielsen, Putnam Investments and Tito’s Handmade Vodka.

NEW YORK—The Broadcasters Foundation of America is offering a helping hand to broadcasters that have been hit by Hurricane Harvey. Broadcasters looking for relief can apply for an emergency grant of $1,000 on BFA’s website.

The BFA’s emergency relief program distributes one-time grants of $1,000 to broadcast stations after events like hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, floods or other disasters. The emergency grant application process is streamlined to provide assistance as quickly as possible.

The Texas and Louisiana Broadcasters Associations have already been contacted and are working with BFA to inform broadcasters about the process.

NEW YORK—The Broadcasters Foundation of America voted on some new additions to its board of directors during a recent board meeting. Kim Guthrie, president of Cox Media Group, and DuJuan McCoy, president, CEO and founder of Bayou City Broadcasting, were elected to the board of directors, while Julie Talbott, president of Premiere Networks, was named an officer and vice president of the board.

The BFA board of directors is made up of broadcast executives, representing a range of broadcast and broadcast-related companies. They board helps the organization in its duty to support needy broadcasters and their families.

“The addition of these highly respected industry leaders to our board and executive ranks will further enhance awareness of our mission to provide assistance to broadcasters in need,” said Dan Mason, chairman of the BFA. “Their dedication to helping our colleagues who need it most is an inspiration that I hope will reverberate across our industry so that we can help more broadcasters in need.”

NEW YORK—The Broadcasters Foundation of America has made its decision on who will be the recipient for the 2017 Lowry Mays Excellence in Broadcasting Award, tapping Jeffrey H. Smulyan, founder and chairman of the board of Emmis Communications Corporation, for the honor.

The Lowry Mays Excellence in Broadcasting Award is awarded annually in recognition of an individual’s work that exemplifies innovation, community service, advocacy and entrepreneurship.

Smulyan formed Emmis back in 1980, which owns and operates 16 FM and three AM stations across the U.S. He has also been a leading advocate of getting FM-enabled wireless devices in smartphones. Smulyan has previously served as director of the NAB and a former chairman of the Radio Advertising Bureau. He is also a member of the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame.

BFA will bestow the award on Shulyman during its annual breakfast on April 26 during the NAB Show in Las Vegas.

NEW YORK—Six individuals have been recognized with the Broadcasters Foundation of America’s 2017 Ward L. Quaal Leadership Awards, the organization announced via a press release. In addition, the BFA has also rewarded its Chairman’s Award to William Duhamel.

The winners of the Quaal Leadership Awards are Harry Jessell, editor and co-publisher of TVNewscheck and NetNewscheck; David Lougee, president of Tegna Media; Diane Sutter, Shooting Star Broadcasting’s president and CEO; the National Association of Broadcasters’s Executive Vice President of Radio John David; Scott Knight, president and CEO of Knight Media Group, and the Knight family; and Larry Patrick, managing partner for Patrick Communications. The Leadership Awards are said to recognize career contributions to the broadcast industry and the community at large.

Williams Duhamel, president of Duhamel Broadcasting Enterprises, has also be tapped to receive the 2017 BFA Chairman’s Award for his contributions to the broadcast industry and community.

All of the award recipients will be honored at the Foundation’s annual breakfast, which will be held April 26 at the Encore Hotel in Las Vegas during the 2017 NAB Show. Pre-registration is required to attend the breakfast. For more information, contact info@thebfoa.org. 

NEW YORK—There will be a spot reserved for Bill Hoffman, Cox Media Group president, at the Golden Mike Award dinner in February, as the Broadcasters Foundation of America will award him with its 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award.

Bill Hoffman

As the president of Cox Media Group, Hoffman heads up 14 television stations, more than 60 radio stations, six daily newspapers, more than a dozen non-daily publications, and more than 100 digital services, according to CoxReps. Hoffman has been with Cox since 1979 when he served as an account executive in Detroit. He also worked in local radio and TV stations and sales management and served as executive vice president of broadcast before being promoted to president.

Hoffman also serves on the boards of the BMI, the Associated Press, NAB, BFA, and the ABC Board of Governors, where he also previously served as Chairman.

“Bill is a respected leader in broadcasting, and we are proud to recognize his accomplishments at Cox and his contributions to our industry,” said Dan Mason, chairman of the BFA. “As a member of our Board for several years, Bill has helped us advance our mission of helping every broadcaster who qualifies for help.”

Hoffman joins previous Lifetime Achievement Award honorees, Dick Clark and Charles Osgood.

BFA will recognize Hoffman at the Golden Mike Award dinner on Feb. 27, 2017, at the Plaza Hotel in New York.

NEW YORK—The Broadcasters Foundation of America is ready to show off its new look, unveiling its new logo, redesigned website and new social media sites. All of these new offerings were part of a redesign campaign that the organization launched in what they call an effort to make it easier for broadcasters to find help and give back, according to its press release.

The goal of the redesigned website was to provide more user-friendly and intuitive navigation, while the new social media sites are geared to generate broader awareness among broadcasters. The new logo is pictured on the right.

The Broadcasters Foundation of America provides aid to men and women in radio and television broadcast who are in need.

NEW YORK—The Broadcasters Foundation of America has named Paul Karpowicz, president of Meredith Corporation’s Local Media Group, as the 2017 recipient of its Golden Mike Award, which is presented annually during the organizations black-tie fundraiser for providing aid to broadcasters in need.

Paul Karpowicz

Karpowicz has been the head of Meredith’s Local media Group since 2005 and has overseen its growth to now have 17 owned or operated television stations that reach more than 11 percent of U.S. households. He also serves as the chairman of the Board of Directors for Broadcast Music, Inc., and as a board member for the BFA and Television Board of the NAB. Karpowicz is also an inductee into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame.

“Paul is an industry leader who has given back to the broadcast community through his dedication and service,” said Dan Mason, chairman of the BFA. “A tireless champion of the Broadcasters Foundation of America, Paul’s contributions have advanced our goal of providing important aid to our colleagues. We are proud to recognize him.”

Karpowicz will receive the 2017 Golden Mike Award during the black-tie gala on Feb. 27, 2017 in New York City.

NEW YORK—With many broadcasters affected by the recent floods in Louisiana, the Broadcasters Foundation of America has taken action to support those affected with emergency grants. With the Emergency and Disaster Grant Program, BFA offers an abbreviated vetting process to deliver emergency funds to victims within a week. BFA says it is also providing this help to those dealing with damages from the California wildfires.

Applications for emergency grants were handed out last week, with grants already having been awarded to Cumulus Media, Guaranty Broadcasting, Nextstar Broadcasting, Raycom Media, Townsquare Media and more in Louisiana.

BFA’s requirements for applicants looking for emergency grant relief must have worked in radio or television broadcasting and be facing extreme financial hardship due to a natural or environmental disaster, according to the organization’s press release.

For more information, please visit www.broadcastersfoundation.org.

NEW YORK—Founder of the Fritts Group, Eddie Fritts has been named the recipient of the 2016 Lowrey Mays Excellence in Broadcasting Award by the Broadcasters Foundation of America.

Eddie Fritts

Prior to forming the Fritts Group in March 2006, Fritts served as president and chief executive officer for the National Association of Broadcasters for 23 years. The BFA has previously honored Fritts with its Golden Mike and Chairman’s Awards. In addition, he is a member of the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame and in 2011 received the Distinguished Service Award from the NAB.

The Lowry Mays Excellence in Broadcasting Award is awarded to an individual in broadcasting who “exemplifies innovation, community service, advocacy and entrepreneurship.”

The awards was created in 2010 and previous winners of the Lowry Mays Award include Mel Karmazin and Stanley Hubbard.

The BFA will present the award to Fritts during the annual BFA Breakfast on April 20, during the 2016 NAB Show in Las Vegas.