LAS VEGAS—Jim Henson, the creator of some of the most beloved TV characters of all time, is being recognized by the NAB with its Distinguished Service Award at the 2020 NAB Show.

The Distinguished Service Award recognizes members of the broadcast community who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the industry and the American public. 

Henson, who passed away in 1990, was a puppeteer, animator, inventor, director and producer who is responsible for creating Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, Cookie Monster, Bert & Ernie for “Sesame Street” in 1969. In 1976, he created “The Muppet Show” and its iconic characters Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear and others. He also was behind the TV shows “Fraggle Rock,” “Jim Henson’s The Storyteller,” “The Jim Henson Hour” and “Jim Henson’s Muppet Babies.”

The children of the late Henson, Brian and Lisa Henson, will accept the award on their father’s behalf. Brian and Lisa continue to run The Jim Henson Company today, Brian as chairman of the Board and Lisa as its CEO and president. In addition, Brian will recreate a sketch from “Sam and Friends,” an early program that aired on WRC-TV in Washington, D.C., during the late Henson’s first year at the University of Maryland.

“At his core, my father was a pioneering, innovative artist with an insatiable curiosity,” said Lisa Henson. “In the earliest days of TV, he simply wanted to be part of this exciting technology that was the newest form of storytelling. Puppetry was his way in and he never looked back. We are grateful to the NAB for recognizing Jim Henson’s ongoing contributions to television.”

Past recipients of the Distinguished Service Award include Walter Cronkite, Bob Hope, Oprah Winfrey, Ronald Reagan, Cokie Roberts and last year’s winners Alan Alda. A full list of DSA winners is available online.

The NAB will present the Distinguished Service Award during the NAB Show Welcome on April 20. 

The 2020 NAB Show takes place from April 18-22 in Las Vegas.

WASHINGTON—Robin Roberts is the latest recipient of the NAB’s Distinguished Service Award, per a press release from the organization. The “Good Morning America” co-anchor will receive the award during the opening of the 2018 NAB Show.

The Distinguished Service Award recognizes members of the broadcast community who have made “significant and lasting contributions to the industry,” per NAB. Previous recipients include Bob Schieffer, Michael J. Fox, Mary Tyler Moore, Edward R. Murrow, Bob Hope, Walter Cronkite and Oprah Winfrey.

Roberts began contributing to “Good Morning America” in June 1995 and was named co-anchor in May 2005. In her career she has also worked on ESPN’s “SportsCenter” and “NFL PrimeTime.” She also heads her own production company, Rock’n Robin Productions, which creates original broadcast and digital programming for networks.

Roberts was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2007 and then myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) in 2012. After her diagnosis, she teamed up with Be the Match, the national marrow donor program, to inform the public about the need for more donors.

“Robin Roberts has shown incredible poise and strength throughout the course of her broadcasting career and subsequent illness,” said NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith. “As a prominent TV personality, she has become a household name while generously supporting important causes. We look forward to honoring her in April.”

The 2018 NAB Show will take place from April 7-12 in Las Vegas. Roberts will receiver her award during the NAB Show Opening on April 9.

WASHINGTON—Bob Woodruff, renowned ABC News television journalist, will receive the NAB Distinguished Service Award during the 2016 NAB Show in Las Vegas. Woodruff will accept the award at the NAB Show Opening, sponsored by Blackmagic Design, on Monday, April 18.

“Bob Woodruff is a shining example of excellence in television news reporting,” said NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith. “From Afghanistan to Iraq to North Korea, Bob has been on the front lines of the most important stories. The personal tragedy he has faced in pursuit of the news, in addition to his philanthropic efforts, make him more than qualified for NAB’s highest honor.”

Each year, the NAB DSA recognizes members of the broadcast community who have made significant and lasting contributions to the industry. Previous award recipients include Jerry Lewis, Jorge Ramos, Bob Schieffer, Michael J. Fox, Mary Tyler Moore, President Ronald Reagan, Edward R. Murrow, Bob Hope, Walter Cronkite and Oprah Winfrey, among others.

Woodruff has been covering major national and international stories for ABC News since 1996. In December 2005, he was named co-anchor of “ABC World News Tonight,” taking over for Peter Jennings. Woodruff has provided live coverage of critical world events, such as the 2004 Asian tsunami, the war in Afghanistan and North Korea’s denuclearization process. In January 2006, while reporting on U.S. and Iraqi security forces, he was seriously injured by a roadside bomb.

In February 2007, only 13 months after being wounded in Iraq, Woodruff returned to ABC News with “To Iraq and Back: Bob Woodruff Reports.” The primetime documentary chronicled his traumatic brain injury and the plight of thousands of service members who suffer from similar injuries. Woodruff was honored with a Peabody Award in 2008 for his reporting on the topic.

Other notable examples of Woodruff’s work includes the documentary “China Inside Out,” which examines the rapid rise of the Chinese economy and an exclusive 2008 “Nightline” interview with former presidential candidate John Edwards, who admitted to repeatedly lying about an extramarital affair. His coverage of the fallout of the September 11 attacks helped ABC News earn an Alfred I. duPont Award and a George Foster Peabody Award, the highest in broadcast journalism. Additionally, he was part of the ABC News team recognized with a duPont Award for live coverage of the death of Pope John Paul II and the election of Pope Benedict XVI.

In 2007, Woodruff and his wife co-wrote a bestselling memoir, titled “In an Instant,” which chronicles his injuries in Iraq and how their family persevered in such a difficult time. Their family also established the Bob Woodruff Foundation, which raises money for injured service members, veterans and their families. To date, the BWF has raised $30 million for hundreds of military and veterans programs and nearly two million service members.

Also from ABC, Ben Sherwood, Disney|ABC Television Group President and Disney Media Networks Co-Chairman, will deliver opening remarks and participate in a fireside chat with NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith at the NAB Show Opening. Smith will also provide the “State of the Broadcast Industry” Address.