Robert De Niro won’t be receiving the Service to America Leadership Award from the NAB Leadership Foundation after all.

“While we strongly support the right of every American to exercise free speech and participate in civic engagement, it is clear that Mr. De Niro’s recent high-profile activities will create a distraction from the philanthropic work that we were hoping to recognize,” said NAB spokesman Alex Siciliano in a statement, confirming that the award has been rescinded.

“To maintain the focus on service of the award winners, Mr. De Niro will no longer be attending the event.”

The Celebration of Service to America Awards will be held at a venue in Washington next Tuesday.

The earlier announcement that the actor would be honored came on the same day that De Niro and two former Capitol police officers appeared outside the courthouse where Donald Trump’s hush money trial was finishing to voice support for the Biden campaign and criticize Trump’s record. De Niro was heckled by Trump supporters and engaged in a shouting match with them.

As reported by the Associated Press, a Biden adviser said De Niro and the officers were not there to talk about the Trump trial specifically but to exploit the media presence around the legal proceedings. AP also reported that Trump advisers said the Biden team’s presence validated Trump claims that his prosecutions are driven by politics.

Siciliano called the Service to America event “proudly bipartisan” and said “We look forward to a night of celebration honoring the exceptional work of broadcasters and our partners who make a difference in their communities every day.”

[Editor's note: This article originally appeared in our sister publication Radio World.]

NAB Show New York will feature media and entertainment industry decision-makers during several Core Keynote Sessions, which are open to all registered attendees. Featuring an array of speakers and sessions, the lineup includes the Opening General Session and NAB Show New York Impact Award. All keynotes are held in the exhibit hall on Stage 1.

NAB Show New York Opening Keynote

Wed., Oct. 17, 10:30–11:15 a.m.

The Opening Keynote is sponsored by AthenasOwl, and Co-Founders Vivek Khemani and Ritesh Patel will provide introductory remarks to keynotes. The 2018 NAB Show New York will open with a welcome from National Association of Broadcasters President and CEO Gordon H. Smith. While consumers’ ways of accessing content continues to evolve in a digital media landscape, Smith highlights how local radio and TV broadcasters' reliability as the most trusted source of information and dedication to innovating to better serve their communities remain constant.

A “Fireside Chat with Robert De Niro” follows. Actor, producer and director Robert De Niro will headline the Show Opening. In a Q&A with “Deadline Hollywood” Contributing Editor Dade Hayes, De Niro will discuss the future of film and entertainment, drawing on his four-decades in the entertainment business.

Sponsor Keynote: Are You Ready for the Software 2.0 Revolution in Media?

Wed. Oct. 17, 11:30 a.m.–12:15 p.m.

This session by AthenasOwl will focus on how software 2.0 is set to change the media business. The modern media enterprise is compelled to leverage AI-embedded applications and take a new approach to traditional business problems around content, targeting and production processes.

Featuring a panel of C-suite leaders from broadcasters and technology providers, the audience will get an inside look at companies that NAB says are shaping the global media business landscape and what's next for the broadcast and media industry.

Keynote Conversation With ABC News Chief Global Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz and NAB President and CEO Gordon H. Smith

Thurs., Oct. 18, 10–10:45 a.m.

ABC News Chief Global Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz and NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith headline this keynote session. The pair will discuss Raddatz’s experience as a war correspondent, White House reporter, moderator of both Presidential and Vice Presidential debates, and the importance of broadcast journalism in an era of social media unrest.

“How You Doin’?” Debmar-Mercury and Wendy Williams Celebrate Ten Years of Success Together

Thurs., Oct. 18, 1:45–2:30 p.m.

Wendy Williams, host of “The Wendy Williams Show,” will receive the NAB Show New York Impact Award. The NAB Show New York Impact Award honors the most innovative leaders in media and entertainment for their impact and influence on the overall industry, as well as in the city of New York.

Williams will be honored for her 10 years of success as host of “The Wendy Williams Show,” which attracts millions of viewers every day and is produced live in New York City. The award also honors Williams for her philanthropic work, notably with The Hunter Foundation and the newly announced Be Here Initiative. The initiative is a national awareness and call-to-action drug addiction and substance abuse campaign.

Following the award presentation, Wendy Williams and Debmar-Mercury’s Co-Presidents Mort Marcus and Ira Bernstein will participate in a main stage keynote session to discuss their decade-long partnership. The session will focus on Williams’ continued appeal to a large mainstream daytime audience; her unique ability to hold viewers’ interest live for an hour a day on her own; and the show's ability to attract top production talent and celebrity guests.

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