on the air - broadcasters foundation of america · 2016-10-25 · tvb’s chris rohrs, kathleen...

On The AirKen Lowe &

The E.W. Scripps Company

2007 Golden Mike Award

The mission of the Broadcasters Foundation of America is to improve the quality of life and maintain the personal dignity of men and women in the radio and television broadcast profession who find themselves in acute need. The foundation reaches out across the country to identify and provide an anonymous safety net in cases of critical illness, advanced age, death of a spouse, accident and other serious misfortune.

The mission of the Broadcasters Foundation of America is to improve the quality of life and maintain the personal dignity of men and women in the radio and television broadcast profession who find themselves in acute need. The foundation reaches out across the country to identify and provide an anonymous safety net in cases of critical illness, advanced age, death of a spouse, accident and other serious misfortune.

© On the Air is a free news and feature publication, offered to Broadcasters Foundation of America members and friends and published three times a year by the :Broadcasters Foundation of America,Seven Lincoln AvenueSecond FloorGreenwich, CT 06830www.broadcastersfoundation.org

Gordon H. Hastings, PublisherJamie Russo, Creative Director

For feature story contributions or to request another copy of this publication, please call theBroadcasters Foundation of America at 203-862-8577, or you may email any questions and/or comments to Gordon H. Hastings at [email protected]

Volume 10 • Issue 3 • Fall 2006

Table Of Contents2006 Celebrity Golf ..... 3- 38

Ken Lowe, E.W. Scripps Golden Mike .............41-43

Le Cirque Board Dinner ............47-62

Tony Malara “21” Tribute .............65-76

2007 Offshore Challenge ................79-80

President’ Message ........85

On The Air

The 2006 Celebrity Golf Tournament atThe Stanwich ClubGreenwich, Connecticut.

2007 Golden Mike recipientKen Lowe & The E.W. Scripps Company

A Sensational Stanwich

September2006 Celebrity Golf Tournament

3 On The Air Fall 2006


The Stanwich Club in Greenwich, Connecticut provided a magnificent golf venue for the 2006 Broadcasters’ Foundation Celebrity Golf Tournament held there on September 26th. The eighth annual Broadcasters Foundation of America Celebrity Golf Tournament was played under perfect weather conditions and netted a quarter-million-dollars in support of the foundation’s mission of providing financial assistance to colleagues who are in acute need.

Thirty-two celebrities paired with 154 golfers on the magnificent Stanwich golf course to break all previous records for the prestigious golf event. The 2006 tournament was co-chaired by Lew Leone of Fox-5 and Tim McCarthy of ESPN-Radio. The tournament executive chair for the eighth year was N. Scott Knight, managing partner of The Connecticut School of Broadcasting. Jerry Levy of J.L. Media is the tournament’s founding chair.

The overall winners of the 2006 tournament with a low gross of 63 were the foursome from Arbitron and BMI coupled

with celebrity player Chris Wragge of WCBS-TV, New York. Jennifer DeCastro and Rich Tunkel of Arbitron and Michael O’Neill and Michael Steinberg of Arbitron rounded out the winning group.

The Radio Advertising Bureau Foursome paired with the New York Jets Greg Buttle turned in Low Net (48). Re-ceiving the low net honors with Buttle were retiring RAB President & CEO Gary Fries, Executive Vice-President Ron Ruth, Katz Television President Jim Beloyianis and Dan Savadove. Tied for second place low net were the foursomes of Atlantic Wines and Spirits and Maverick Media/GE Com-mercial Finance. Accepting awards for Atlantic Wines and Spirits were its President & CEO John Devin, Yoon Cha, Jeff Kim and Kevin Doolan. Accepting for Maverick Media and General Electric were celebrity Tim Fox, Maverick’s Gary Rozynek, Kirk Sonnefield and GE’s Robert Malone and Tim Huban. The women’s longest drive was won by Bonnie Verbitsky and the men’s longest drive by Macon Moye.


NFL Hall of Fame Super Bowl Champion Nick Buoniconti with U.S. Trust’s Paul Napoli

Broadcasters Foundation of America Chairman Phil Lombardo with Court TV’s Catherine Crier

Suzanne Ansilio and Jimmy Key

1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Captain Jim Craig


The incomparable tournament volunteers. Front: Mica Jean Pierre, Sheila Knight, Margaret Hughes Rear: Alissa Pollack, Alice Meisel, Wendy Sickinger, Peggy Stone, Diane Powell, Heidi Weaver. Not shown, Desmonique Bonet, Jordan Katz, Lisa Tesoro and Barry O’Brien

Desmonique Bonet and Gary Faccenda of New York Life

Mario Gabelli and Ray Cole

U.S. Trust’s Gina Costello and Bonnie Verbitsky

Katz Television’s Jim Beloyianis and Dan Savadove

Photos by Wendy Moger-Bross


Buckley Broadcasting’s Joe Bilotta


Jim Stagnitti of Cox Radio

Welcome to The Stanwich Club from Assistant Professional and tournament coordinator Mike Conway

Tournament Co-Chair Leo Leone of Fox 5 and Joe Coughlin

Peter Kauff and Ed McLaughlin


Paul Verbitsky

Catherine Crier of Court TV

LPGA guest professional Cindy Miller conducted the 20th Television Beat The Pro Competition.

20th Televisions. Ken Doyle, Neil Falco, Mike Breen, Kevin Walsh, Steve Mulderrig

Low Gross Champions Front row Arbitron’s Jennifer DeCastro and Rich Tunkel with WCBS-TV’s Chris Wragge. Rear, Michael Steinberg and Michael O’Neill.


Greater Media’s Rick Feinblatt

WCBS TV’s Chris Wragge

Celebrity Golf Tournament Founding Executive Chair

Scott Knight, managing partner

Connecticut School of Broadcasting

Andy Brickley


Jim Craig, Matt Mills and Scott Knight

Cigars for everyone. Wendy Sickinger and Mica Jean-Pierre serve up complimentary cigars from Cigar Aficionado magazine

Broadcasters Foundation of

America Director Deborah Norville

and WABC-TV’s Bill Evans. Bill

was the host member at The Stanwich Club

Regent’s Bill Stakelin

Ernie Anastos of Fox-5, Gina Costello of tournament signature sponsor U.S. Trust. Lynn Buoniconti, Bonnie Verbitsky and USO President Ned Powell



Greater Media’s Matt Mills and Gary Fries

M.L. Carr receives tournament gift bag

from Penny Stone

Contemplation! Bill Hogan

U.S. Olympic Hockey Gold

Medalist Colleen Coyne

Justin Lipton from Credit Suisse

Low Net Champions: Ron Ruth, Gary Fries, Steve Savadove, Jim Beloyianis


WNBC-TV’s Jane Hanson

Mike Mullen and Chuck Bolkcom of PricewaterhouseCoopers

Carl Gillman and J.L. Media’s Stan Gerber

The New York Jet’s Greg Buttle

Heineken’s John Guiou and Ernest Liebre of Cambridge Associates

Commerce Bank’s Hank Kush


Brad Park and CBS Radio’s Scott Herman

GE’s Dave Harrington The NAB’s Dennis Wharton, Clear Channel Television Chair Bill Moll and Inside Edition’s Deborah Norville

Desmonique Bonet

Katz Media President Stu Olds and CBS Radio’s Don Bouloukos


Sheila Knight and Sean McDonough U.S. Trust’s

Paul Napoli

Boston Celtic legend John Havlicek Ron Ruth and Gary Fries

The Stanwich Club General Manager Peter Tunley

Second Low Net Tie, Yoon Cha and Jeff Kim, Charmaine Castle of the Rye Town Hilton representing Celebrity Jim Craig with John Devin and Kevin Doolan.




Neil Falco and Ken

Doyle from 20th

Television

Ellen Schned

Phil Lombardo

Chris Wragge points to Low Gross champions!

Not to be outdone,

Greg Buttle, Low Net!


Volunteer Barry O’Brien

Tim Fox of the New England Patriots

The J.L. Media Foursome. Bob Harris, WNBC’s Jane Hanson, Jim Harris and Marc Gross

Diane Powell and Sheila Knight

Host of the 1998 Celebrity Golf Tournament at Ardsley Country Club, Gary Starr


Mike Thompson

Great shot! Yoon Cha and Jeff Kim of Atlantic Wines and Spirits

Gib Gibson and Jim Kavanagh of Tribune Broadcasting

Citigroup Private Bank foursome. Wayne Wang, Steve Fisher, Richard Risch, Bill Stakelin and John Havlicek

Jerry Crowley of WOR-Radio

Second Low Net Tie. The New England Patriot’s Tim Fox with Kirk Sonnefield, Robert Malone and Tim Huban. Gary Ro-zynek of Maverick media not shown.


Justin Lipton of Credit Suisse and N. Scott KnightEvan Jaffe, Lonnie Anger of Interep and Rich Russo of J.L. Media

U.S. Trust: Robert Lerman, Jim Dunne, Bill Porter, Nick Buoniconti and

Paul Napoli

Brad Jersey

of Pyramid

Radio

Golf Pride’s Marty Burke


Mike Craven

WCBS-TV’s Maurice Dubois

TVB’s Chris Rohrs, Kathleen Keefe of Hearst-Argyle and the TVB’s Joe Tirinato

Pittsburgh Steeler Super Bowl Champion Matt Bahr with Carter Broadcasting’s Mike Carter

The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankee Mike Torrez


Connecticut School of Broadcasting’s Brian Stone with Pyramid Radio’s Richie Balsbaugh

Bill Evans and Deborah Norville introduce celebrity guests

Peter Kauff, Ed McLaughlin and Howard Sontag

Alan Kalter of the David Letterman Show and Ray Cole of Citadel Communications

T.J. Lambert of ESPN Radio

with Bill Moll of Clear Channel Television and

Chair of the USO Board of

Directors


Nick Buoniconti

Paul and Nick Verbitsky

Chuck Bolkcom and Gordon Hastings

John Devin and Jim Craig

Women’s longest drive winner, Bonnie Verbitsky


The tournament’s super raffle ticket sales team. Wendy Sickinger and Alissa Pollack

Cindy Miller presents Beat The Pro Prize to Bryan Ellis of Arise Air. Arise Air sponsored the tournament’s Hole in One

John Guiou of Heineken/Amstel and Catherine Crier

Lynn Buoniconti

Tim Huban and Robert Malone of GE Capital, Kirk Sonnefeld, Gary Rozynek and Tim Fox


M.L. Carr and Ellen Schned

On The Air Creative Director Jamie Russo

Ernie Anastos and Gina Costello

Welcome! Phil Lombardo

Jane Hanson


WNBC-TV Foursome: Front: Peter Daniels and

Matt Bahr. Top: Denis Barry, Joe Frischer and Dennis Lauzon

WCBS-TV- Rick McGuire, Phil Lickman, Dave Cagianello, Tom Parsekian

Gordon Hastings and Ernie Anastos

Spencer Brown of Excelsior Radio Networks

Kathleen Keefe and Jim Beloyianis


Paul Napoli and Jim Dunne of U.S. Trust

ESPN-Radio: Keith Meyers, John Gilchrist, Sean McDonough, Pete Doherty and Bill Falvey

Macon Moye

Joe Coughlin

Jim Craig, Richie

Balsbaugh and Rich Doucette



Damian Reardon and Chuck Bolkcom

Credit Suisse: Justin Lipton, Bobby Kelly, Neal Pomroy, and Ryan Sprott

USO President Ned Powell

Buckley’s Joe Bilotta

Catherine Crier and Ellen Schned


Len Berman. Deborah Norville and Alan Kalter

Katz Media: Carl Butrum, Alan Dick, Dave Marr, Stu Olds, and Don Bouloukos

Gordon Hastings and Scott Knight

Tribune Broadcasting Gib Gibson, Bob Marra, Kevin Barth, Jim Kavanagh


BMI’s Mike Steinberg

Hank Kush and Jim Thompson

Joe Famulare


2006 Celebrity

Golf TournamentReception

The Savoy Family Cajun Band played honed down, hard-core Cajun music laced with an earthy sensuality. The old tunes were revived and returned to new life intensity in their hands. The musicians in the band, Marc and Ann Savoy and their sons Joel and Wilson, each hold their own as strong individual group members, making up a tight, intense sound.Marc and Ann, as the Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band,

have been performing and recording together since 1977, recording five CDs on the Arhoolie label. They have traveled all over the world, appearing in all the most prestigious venues, such as the Newport Folk Festival, the Berlin Jazz Festival, the Festival at the Smithsonian Institution, the National Geographic Concert Series, even the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, England.

Ann Savoy of the Savoy Family Band direct from Louisiana. Ann and Marc Savoy, friends of Carl and Susan Brazell were hosted by Carl and Susan especially for the tournament.


Marc Savoy on accordion

Raffle Winner Mike Ditzian with Alissa Pollack

Susan and Carl Brazell

Skip Finley and Mike Carter

Cox Radio’s Shawn Buford and Judy Sells


Mary Travers of Peter Paul and Mary with WNBC-TV’s Len Berman

Chris Rohrs and Kathleen Keefe

Nancy Lambert and Richard Risch of Citigroup Private Bank

Scott Herman and Stan Gerber

Peter Doyle and Connie Buckley

Brian Stone with reception

host John Devin of

Atlantic Winesand Spirits


John Havlicek, Dennis Wharton and M.L. Carr

Wendy Sickinger

Auctioneer Sean McDonough

Gary Faccenda and Greg Buttle

Nick Buoniconti, Rick Buckley and Dick Foreman


J.L. Media President and Celebrity Golf Founding Chair Jerry Levy with Ellen Schned

Rich Tunkel and Jennifer DeCastro of Arbitron show off their Low Gross Awards

Margaret Hughes, Wendy Sickinger, Alice Meisel and Alissa Pollack

Volunteers Jordan Katz and Lisa Tesoro from

Katz Media Corporation

Jim Stagnitti, John Shea, Ernie Canadeo


Carl Gilman and Len Berman

Catherine Crier and Phil Lombardo

Gina Costello and Bonnie VerbitskySuzanne

Ansilio and Ed

McLaughlin

Susan Brazell and Mary Travers

Bill Moll and Diane Powell



Scott Knight, Ryan Sprott, Bobby Kelly

Ray Cole and Nancy Lambert

Francia Alvarez and Lenore Palmer Senior Consultants, Cambridge Financial Group with Diane and Ned Powell

Jimmy Craig, Charmaine Castle, Alice Meisel and John Devin

Nick and Paul Verbitsky with Nick Buoniconti and Bill Hogan

Tim Fox, Scott Knight and Larry Bellorado from Foot Joy


Second Place Low Net: Tim Fox with Robert Malone, Tim Huban andKirk Sonnefeld. Not shown Gary Rozynek of Maverick Media

Pete Doherty of ESPN Radio, New York

Alissa Pollack and Cox Radio Long Island’s Shawn Buford, Julie Sells, Donovan Welsh and Adam Wolfson

Mario Gabelli and Catherine Crier

Ron Ruth and Ellen Schned

Lane Zwirn from

Grandstand Sports

Desmonique Bonet, 20th Television’s Kevin Walsh and Peter Doyle from Traffic.com

Ned and Diane Powell


See you next year at Weeburn Country Club...

19 On The Air Summer 2006


BroadcastersFoundationof America

Endowment Fund

The Broadcasters Foundation of America Endowment Fund was established in 1998 by a resolution of the Broadcasters’ Foundation Board of Directors.

The fund’s exclusive purpose is to ensure that financial assistance be available in perpetuity to fellow broadcasters who, through no fault of their own, are in acute personal financial need. The endowment is used exclusively to support the benevolent outreach of the Broadcasters Foundation of America.

To qualify for help, an individual must go through a detailed application process which includes a financial statement, income tax returns, reference checks, and a physician’s medical statement, when appropriate. Monthly grants vary in size depending on individual circumstances. All grants are approved and renewed annually by the Broadcasters Foundation of America Executive Committee. Grant recipients remain anonymous so as to preserve their dignity.

Endowment CommitteeWilliam O’Shaughnessy, Chair

Phil Beuth, ABC/CapCities (Ret.) Erica Farber, Publisher, Radio & RecordsDick Foreman, Richard A. Foreman Associates Ed McLaughlin, Foundation Chair Emeritus

Larry Oliver, VP & General Manager, Reed Television Group

Call (203) 862-8577 for more information

Your Opportunity To Give Back


Ken LoweThe E.W. Scripps Company

2007 Golden Mike RecipientsKenneth W. Lowe and The E.W. Scripps Company have been named the recipient of the 2007 Broadcasters Foundation of America Golden Mike Award. Lowe is president and chief executive officer of The E.W. Scripps Company based in Cincinnati, Ohio.

“Ken Lowe is a broadcaster through and through,” said Broadcasters Foundation of America Chair Phil Lombardo. “We are extremely proud to be honoring an individual who has spent his entire career in broadcasting beginning as a young man in radio and today operating one of the largest and finest diversified media companies in America.”

The coveted Golden Mike Award will be presented to Lowe and The E.W. Scripps Company at a black-tie dinner to be held at New York City’s Waldorf Astoria on Monday evening, February 26th, 2007.

Ken Lowe will join a distinguished group of broadcasters who have received this high honor. Recipients in the past decade were Jeff Smulyan (2006), Percy E. Sutton (2005), Frances Preston (2004), Bob Wright (2003), Catherine Hughes (2002), Lowry Mays (2001), Edward O. Fritts (2000), John Conomikes (1999), Ralph Guild (1998), The Hubbard Broadcasting Family (1997), Norman Knight (1996) and Tribune Broadcasting Company (1995).

Lowe was named president, chief operating officer and a director of The E. W. Scripps Company in January 2000. He was elected president and chief executive officer in October 2000.

Prior to rejoining the corporate office in Cincinnati, Ken was chair and CEO of Knoxville-based Scripps Networks. He built the company’s cable television

division into one of the nation’s fastest growing and most successful creators of unique brands for television and the Internet. He founded and launched Home & Garden Television (HGTV) in 1994; managed the acquisition and turnaround of Food Network, in which the company owns a majority interest; and oversaw the launch of DIY Network in 1999 and the Fine Living television network in 2002. He also oversaw the company’s purchase of Great American Country in 2004. Recently, he guided the creation of the company’s fast-growing Interactive Media division through the acquisitions, in

2005 and 2006, of leading online-specialized search services, Shopzilla and Switch.

Lowe joined Scripps in 1980 as general manager of the company’s radio properties. In 1988, he became vice president of programming, promotion and marketing for the company’s nine network-affiliated television stations.



Lowe began his career in radio with Southern Broadcasting in 1969 and continued with various management positions in radio and television with Harte-Hanks Broadcasting in the late 1970s.

Lowe earned a Bachelor of Arts in radio, television and motion pictures from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

He serves on the board of directors of the Associated Press, the board of directors of the Cincinnati Business Committee and is a trustee of the Cincinnati Fine Arts Fund. He is a former director of the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce and of the Newspaper Association of America.

In August 2002, he was honored with one of Pi Kappa Alpha’s highest alumni honors – induction into the Order of West Range. The Pi Kappa Alpha Educational Foundation established the Order of West Range in 1986 to recognize the Fraternity’s most outstanding alumni for achievement in their careers, service to society and/or service to Pi Kappa Alpha. In January 2004, Lowe was among the first Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award winners presented by the National Association of Television Programming Executives (NATPE).

Ken and his wife, Mary, reside in Cincinnati, Highlands, N.C., and Scottsdale Arizona.

The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE: SSP) is a diverse and growing media enterprise with interests in national cable networks, newspaper publishing, broadcast television stations, interactive media, and licensing and syndication.

In addition to its cable television networks and interactive media businesses, the company’s portfolio of media properties includes daily and community newspapers in 18 markets and the Washington-based Scripps Media Center, home to the Scripps Howard News Service; 10 broadcast TV stations, including six ABC-affiliated stations, three NBC affiliates and one independent; and United Media, a leading worldwide licensing and syndication company that is the home of PEANUTS, DILBERT and approximately 150 other features and comics.

A room block has been arranged at The Waldorf Astoria at a rate of $379 per night. For individual reservations, guests are to call

1-877-GROUP-WA (1-877-476-8792) and request a room for the

BROADCASTERS FOUNDATION 2007 no later than Tuesday, January 23, 2007.

For information on seating at the 2007 Golden Mike Award dinner contact Gordon Hastings at 203-862-8577 or [email protected]



77February 26, 2007 • The Waldorf Astoria

Call (203) 862-8577 For Ticket Information


sponsored by

Sunday April 15th, 8 A.M. Bali Hai Golf Club, Las Vegas NevadaFor More Information Call Gordon Hastings at (203) 862-8577

2007Broadcasters Foundation

of AmericaCharity Golf Tournament


Board of Directors Annual DinnerThe New

Le Cirque


Nancy and Bill O’Shaughnessy hosted the annual Broadcasters Foundation of America Board Dinner at the new Le Cirque restaurant in New York City. It was the first private party held at the establishment’s spectacular new East Side location. Le Cirque creator and owner Sirio Maccioni personally welcomed the dinner guests.

Among the honored guests were Kitty Carlisle Hart, Governor and Matilda Cuomo, New York Post columnist Cindy Adams, author Barbara Taylor Bradford, Ruby Dee, Dan and Jean Rather, Ambassador Ogden Reid and Mrs. Wellington (Ann) Mara.

The occasion was extremely special to so many because it was the last time Tony Malara attended a Broadcasters Foundation of America event before his untimely death in late August. We have

elected to use many of the photographs so typical of Tony and his fabulous

persona. A complete story of the memorial tribute for Tony

at the 21 Club appears elsewhere in this

issue.



Hosts Nancy and Bill O’Shaughnessy

Sirio Maccioni

Joe Reilly, Lydia Shermata and Phil Lombardo


Calla Guild and Pat McLaughlin

Bonnie Verbitsky and Dan Rather

Ruby Dee

Nancy Lambert of Citibank, Paul Napoliof U.S. Trust with Joe and Wini Amaturo


USO President Ned Powell and his wife Diane

FrederickFakki

and hiswife

Shirin

David Tucker O’Shaughnessy and Nancy O’Shaughnessy

Broadcasters Foundation of America Chair

Phil Lombardo, Dick Foreman

and Connie Buckley



Ed McLaughlinand the lateTony Malara

Ambassador Ogden Reid, Nancy O’Shaughnessy and Barbara Taylor Bradford

Interep ChairRalph Guild withUSO PresidentNed Powell

Kathleen and Paul Napoli with Matilda Cuomo

Foundation President

Gordon Hastings and Kitty

Carlisle Hart


Francesca Maccioni, daughter Stella and Nancy O’Shaughnessy

Governor Mario Cuomo

Ann Mara

Ralph Baruch with Dan and Jean Rather

Ruby Dee and her son Guy Davis

Marty and Tracy Weisberg with Pat McLaughlin


Dick Foreman with Sheila and John Shaker

Nick and Bonnie Verbitsky

Harry Jessell with Tony Malara

Dr. Ann Hero Foreman

Ed McLaughlin

with Jeanine

Pirro and Marty

Weisberg


Bill O’Shaughnessy introduces Kitty Carlisle Hart who sang I’ll Be Loving You Always

Governor Cuomo with Ed and Pat McLaughlin

Ernest Liebre and Colleen Galley

Skip and Karen Finley

Barbara Taylor Bradford with her husband Robert

56 On The Air Fall 2006“Bill”

Egidina Maccioni

Kitty Carlisle Hart at ninety years young. I’ll Be Loving You Always

Ralph and Calla Guild



Sirio, grand daughter Stella and Nancy O’Shaughnessy

Dan and Jean Rather with Tony

Rick Buckley, Ruby Dee and Matilda Cuomo

Nick Verbitsky, Tony Malara, Bonnie Verbitsky and Dan Rather

Mrs. Ann Mara and her daughter Susan McDonnell


Kitty Carlisle Hart. Joe Amaturo and Kim Lombardo

Mary and Tony Malara, Bill O’Shaughnessy with Ralph and Jean Baruch

Paul and Kathleen Napoli with host Bill “O”

Gordon Hastings and Dan Rather

Phil & Kim Lombardo


Cindy Adams

and Jeanine

Pirro

NYSBA President Joe Reilly and Lydia Shermata

Le Cirque created signature dish, “ Pasta Primavera.”

Nick Verbitsky, Tony Malara and

Dan Rather

Skip and Karen Finley with Ralph Baruch



Ralph Guild and Ned Powell

Ruby Dee, her son Guy and Governor Cuomo

Gina Costello and Dan Holtzman of U.S. Trust and Nancy Lambert of Citibank

William Mulrow of Bronxville, Chair of Fordham Prep and

his wife Teddi


Arthur Hill Deidrick and Tara Stacom Deidrick

Lee Elman

Mr. and Mrs. Maurray Richman

Francesca Maccioni


Dr. Bernard Kruger

Editor in Chief of Quest magazine David Patrick Columbia with Bill O’Shaughnessy

Mr. and Ms. Corey Kilgannon

Dr. and Mrs. Bernard Kruger

Joan Jodell, The Hampton Sheet


Call Us By Our New Name!The Broadcasters Foundation Of America

Broadcasters Foundation of America

BROADCASTERS FOUNDATION OF AMERICA

The board of directors at its September meeting elected to change the name of

the Broadcasters’ Foundation to the Broadcasters Foundation of America. The new

name more accurately reflects the national outreach of the organization.

The Broadcasters Foundation of America was founded in 1946 by legendary

newscaster H.V. Kaltenborn who was America’s first national news anchor. The

original name was The Twenty Year Club, an organization of broadcast journalism

professionals who had spent at least twenty years in radio. In the 1950s the name was

changed to the Broadcast Pioneers and operated under that appellation until 1994

when the Broadcast Pioneers was reorganized into the Broadcasters’ Foundation.

The 1994 name change was undertaken to place one-hundred percent emphasis

on the redefined exclusive mission of providing financial assistance to broadcast

colleagues who were in acute financial need.

The exclusive mission of outreach continues today as the

Broadcasters Foundation of America.

Broadcasters Foundation of America

BROADCASTERS FOUNDATION OF AMERICA

Tony at his most recent appearance in April 2006 as emcee of the annual Broadcasters Foundation of America Pioneer Awards at the NAB Convention in Las Vegas


A New York City Tribute To Tony Malara

“The Most Wonderful Man Many Of Us Have Ever Met”


Two hundred family members and friends gathered at the 21 Club in New York City on Tuesday morning, September 26th for a special Tribute to Tony Malara organized by the Broadcasters Foundation of America. Tony died following a heart attack in August while at his beloved summer home on Wellesley Island, New York. His funeral service was held in his hometown of Watertown, New York on August 30 at Saint Anthony’s Church.

The 21 Club was chosen because during Tony’s career at CBS it was his favorite location for meeting with clients and friends during lunch and dinner. It was also nearly next door to “Black Rock.”

Tony Malara was a personality as big as life itself. He was never without his signature red pocket square. As a remembrance, each guest was given a red silk pocket square upon his or her arrival at “21.” All of the members of Tony’s family including his wife Mary attended.

Guests at the tribute were welcomed by Broadcasters Foundation of America Chairman Phil Lombardo, followed by touching and personal remarks by retired CBS Television Network President Jim Rosenfield, former New York State Governor Mario Cuomo, CBS Television’s Charles Osgood, Dan Rather, New York State Broadcasters President Joe Reilly, and Tony’s son Toby Malara.

We are pleased to include excerpts from the remarks of Joe Reilly, Dan Rather and Governor Cuomo, all representative of the outpouring of love from all of the presenters for Tony.

Joe Reilly: “We are here to celebrate the life of our remarkable friend. Tony was extraordinary and it is a daunting task to adequately, appropriately and justifiably describe a legend. He is our legend … but a legend none the less.

Anthony C. Malara was a larger-than-life individual that you come across once in a lifetime … if you are lucky. He was someone who leaves an indelible imprint. He was our “BIG PAPI.”

Many times Upstate New York is overshadowed by the bright lights of New York City. I think only our beloved Tony Malara could have rocketed himself from Watertown to outshine them all in the great city. His gregarious personality put everyone at ease when he swam with those big fish. His great talent, as we know, was making people, anyone, everyone … feel like they alone were the center of his attention and caring.

No organization, no entity knows that better than the New York State Broadcasters Association, where he served as our president … and as MC of our annual Summer Conference dinners for over 30 years. His dazzling white smile, his perpetual tan, his folksy charm and delightful wit just drew you in … making you feel

– instantly - like “one of the gang.”

Make no mistake, Tony had a wonderful life. He enjoyed a superb and relentlessly loving family: Mary, Toby & Beth, Meg & Scott, Beth & Hammy, his sister Ann, his grandchildren and innumerable, countless friends.

But fully half the reason … indeed most of the reason … for Tony’s success is sitting here in the front row … Mary Frances Theresa Dacey. Mary kept Tony “real” … focused and even, at times, humble. She made sure Tony had both feet on the ground. Well, maybe at least one of them.

On so many occasions, across thousands of nights, Mary would accompany him when Tony would walk into a room as broadcasters and everyone rushed to his side to talk to him. Everybody wanted a piece of Tony. Mary saw this and understood.

But, you know what? Tony could have entered a room full of strangers and within minutes, he would have 20 new friends. Mark Russell, the famous humorist and satirist said at one of our dinners that he actually met Tony at a “home for the chronically adorable!”

Tony & Mary invited Carol & me up to Watertown for a weekend. Aside from having to sleep in a freshly painted guest room, (we could hardly breathe!) Carol & I had a ball.

Tony and Mary Malara


After everyone left and Mary & Carol went to bed, Tony & I stayed up until the dawn came talking about our futures. Tony was pretty much resigned to staying in Watertown. Johnny Johnson, the owner of the newspaper and WWNY-TV was Tony’s boss and was good to him. Therefore, Tony figured that was it … but I could see he also had a burning desire to be “tested.” Well, a few months later, my phone rang late on a Sunday night. It was Tony. He said CBS had offered him a job in Affiliate Relations. I said, “Wow … what’s Affiliate Relations?”

Tony accepted that position at CBS. Jim Rosenfield called me Friday. He was then the CBS president … the one who actually hired Tony at Bob Hoskings’ urging. To make life easier for Tony, Jim invited him to lunch every day for the first five days so he could get used to the Big Apple. Jim said he would have someone important join them each day. At the end of the week, Tony asked Jim “How’d I do, boss?” Jim responded, “Well, how do you think you did? I think pretty well.” Tony said, “Do you have any comments or suggestions?” Rosenfield said, “Yeah … do you have any jackets & slacks that match?”

He traveled with kings and was befriended by governors like Mario Cuomo. But after all of it…the high life…all the glitter…the fancy restaurants…the corporate jets…after traveling the world…he would always return and his neighbors in his beloved Watertown…to the beautiful river…and those fabled islands on the Canadian border. I guess we are all asking ourselves…what we do now.

How do we fill an unfillable void? Over time, I expect, the memory will dim, but our powerful bond with Tony will remain unbroken.

At the end of the day, broadcasting is about people, not the bottom line. No one understood this better than Tony did. In a high-stakes business like broadcasting, competition among colleagues is fierce. Our business has seen more than its share of scandals, backstabbing, busted marriages and life-long friends falling out with each other.

Tony, to his everlasting credit, never was caught up in any of that. He built bridges on the way to the top. However, and this, I think, was the secret to his remarkable success in life …he did not burn them.

Maybe, just maybe...when you think of it…it’s not at all surprising that his great heart finally gave out up

at Wellesley Island… because, you see, that was the part of Tony that got the most use.

His remarkable, loving heart, which embraced all of you, and all of us.

Peace, Tony.

Dan Rather:Good morning everybody. You know about

Tony’s famous red handkerchief…but let me tell you about the red tie.

When I came to the CBS anchor chair in 1981, Tony took me aside and said, “I’m going to tell you something and if you listen carefully, it may be the most important thing for you as you go into this new job.” Believe you me, I was all ears. Tony, so help me, had researched several focus groups in Australia, of all places, to find out why people watch certain anchor people and don’t watch others. One of the key things was: the anchor who wears the red tie usually gets the “eyeballs.” Tony told me that and I couldn’t believe it.

I had Toby Wertheim, the legendary researcher for CBS News, research it and found out it was true! Several focus groups had been run…so I have perhaps the world’s largest collection of red ties! Thanks to Tony. My wife Jean says Tony Malara was and remains the most wonderful man she ever met. You may wonder where

Guest Presenters at “21” during Tony Malara TributeCharlie Osgood, Dan Rather, Jim Rosenfield, Joe Reilly, Toby Malara,

Governor Cuomo and Phil Lombardo

that leaves me… and I often have! I know why she says that and so do you. So does anyone and everyone who ever met Tony. Here was this man… always smiling - very often with that infectious laugh - who had such a lust for life and genuine love of people that it radiated deep inside him. Tony was a nuclear power plant of energy, good humor, good will…and decency.

One of the many memories I can give you... not long after I became anchor and managing editor of CBS News… and Tony had become the executive in charge of affiliate relations, some years before, for the network… Syracuse University, from which Tony had graduated, invited a competing anchor to give the school graduation address in the spring. Tony swooped in on them, didn’t tell me anything about it. But he got on them like a “hawk on a rabbit.”

He beseeched, he heckled them, with a line that went, “Hey, next year you gotta invite my guy!” They wouldn’t budge. He finally got to them by saying, with a wink and a smile, “ F e l l o w s , confidentially just between you and me, if you don’t do it, I will lose my job!” It wasn’t true. A small thing, but one of the things one doesn’t forget.

Years, many years later, Tony called and said, “Dano, I need a favor.” Naturally I said, “Tony, you got it.” Well what it was… he was in charge of putting some program together for that years New York State Broadcasters dinner. He wanted me to MC it. It was to be somewhere far, far upstate. Tony always went… far upstate, up there in the badlands of the country. Unfortunately, this particular meeting was in the dead of winter. “Don’t worry, I’ll get us a helicopter... We’ll whirl you up there and back, we’ll have a good time, and it will be a breeze.”

Well don’t you know that when the scheduled night came, there was… over most, if not all, of New York State, a snowstorm of historic proportions! So no

helicopter. We are going to have to drive it. Tony got us the car, we were driven up there and back. It took hours and hours each way. We drove back well after midnight on frozen roads in driving snow. Tony broke out two cigars, we started puffing on them, nearly asphyxiated the driver. It also didn’t take long for Tony to break out a bottle of “adult beverage.” We were soon singing. We sang…all the way back. We sang everything either of us ever knew, everything from Me and Bobby McGee to Hello Dolly. When I dropped him off about 4am at his suburban home, before I was taken home to the city, Tony got out and turned, he might have “wobbled” just ever so slightly, winked and said “Debt paid, Dano.”

Then he went into the house laughing and singing. Now I don’t know what it was like in his house after

he got in. I do know what it was like inside mine, which can best be described as “frosty!”

This brings us to another central fact which marks Tony’s life. He had this almost unbelievably good wife Mary, and their except ional c h i l d r e n and their

grandchildren. How he loved them. A man’s family says so much about who and what he is… at his core. So it was with Tony.

Also, no person can know Tony and not know his honesty. I once told him, “Tony you’re so honest… I wouldn’t hesitate to shoot dice with you over the telephone!” And I meant it. He just laughed, that deep “within himself” laugh, and he said something like “Alright Dan, enough of that touchy feely wisdom.”

Then… and folks… sometimes I don’t like talking about this… there was Tony’s faith. Around and within him. In the words of the old hymn, “The fate of our fathers is with us still. We will be true till the end.” And he was true to it… till the end.

He was never showy about it. Didn’t wear it on his sleeve. Didn’t have to. Neither did he try to hide it. If you knew him, you knew, just knew, that he had it.


Toby Malara’s wife Beth, Toby Malara, Mary Malara, Tony’s daughters Beth Hamilton and Meg Wilmeth, Lloyd Hamilton and Scott Wilmeth

He was true to his friends too. Tony always flew under the flag of loyalty. To paraphrase the old saying, if you had Tony for a friend, you didn’t need any others.

He wasn’t a sunshine friend. Tony specialized in being a “I’m with you… and at your side, I got your back, my friend,” anytime stormy weather moved in.

I am here to personally bear witness and testify to that. Speaking of the dark clouds which come into every life at one time or another, in every storm of life, this man was oak and iron. When the going got the toughest, Tony was at his finest.

Exhibit A, is how he handled himself in the end. Never e x p l a i n e d , n e v e r complained, never backed up and never backed down. He faced a long series of bouts with health p r o b l e m s straight up, head on, eyes and nerves steady, l a u g h i n g all the way, spreading good cheer and decency to the end. He was, at the finish, as he’d been all his adult life: a man.

The last time I saw him was at the Broadcasters Foundation of America dinner here in the city not too far from where we are today. He’d been ill, had a lot of health problems… he knew it and he knew that I knew it.

In a quiet corner, I said to him, “How you doing, pal… how you really doing?” “I’m doing great, Dano… just great.” I gave him a long look. Finally, he added, “Let me tell ya something, Dano. Something I once heard an old priest say to an aging lady, “Don’t give up, dear… keep fighting, keep trying, and keep smiling, as long as you have life. After all… you are going to be dead a long time.” He laughed that huge enveloping laugh and moved back to the center of the party.

You know I thought about that last night as I often had before. The same thought came to mind in what Saint Paul wrote in a Letter, as he lay dying, to his adopted son Timothy.

That plea applies to Tony in that “He fought the good fight… he finished the race, and he kept the faith.

If every person for whom Tony Malara did some good deed were to have brought a flower to this gathering today, he would sleep tonight under a canopy of blossoms.

In his own quiet, good humored, decent way, there was, there is, no better man.

Come to think of it… the most w o n d e r f u l man many of us have ever met.

M a r i o C u o m o :I note that I’m batting ninth in this m o r n i n g ’ s lineup, which we all know is a position that’s not expected to produce many

hits. I suspect I will not disappoint that expectation.I hope Tony didn’t write out the lineup and put me in the ninth place because that would make it very difficult for me to be as generous to him as I would like to be.

It’s true as, Phil Lombardo noted, that most Italian young men want to be thought of as good looking, accomplished, smart, legal... and funny. The first eight speakers have certainly taken care of the “funny” part of Tony Malara, but I think Italian boys also want to be thought of as serious minded.

In fact, a long time ago when I was Governor and had known Tony for awhile, he said to me one day, “You know Gov, you always come across as very serious.” I was troubled, as all politicians would be at such an observation, and asked Tony, “Do you think it’s a problem for me?” He answered, “Well I’ve seen and heard you tell jokes at the broadcasters events … and I think you ought to stay serious!”


A Tony Malara signature red silk pocket square was given to all guests.

I wasn’t surprised at his assessment, and there are a lot of reasons why I appear as serious as I do. One of them is that I spent twenty years in Albany, which most people familiar with Albany know is a place thought of as producing “constant Lent.” So, forgive me if I feel compelled to add a slightly different note to this morning’s presentations. With that in mind and with your indulgence, I would like to try putting a slightly serious cast on everything that happened to Tony and what is happening to Tony at this moment.

Public officials get to go to a lot of funerals.

Often they involve the death of large numbers of people like the Lockerbie tragedy, the East Coldenham Elementary School wall collapse killing children…and 9/11.

People gather after those events because they have to: the shock and the confusion are so great they need to be shared. Especially when many of the victims did not have the chance to lead a full life.

Although neither singly nor collectively can the grievers offer any real consoling explanation for what has happened that might relieve their grief, just the sharing—the simple coming together—seems to help.

Probably, in these cases it is better not to ask questions, or seek explanations because that would increase the torment of those who search for answers but can’t get them. The Hebrews found a way to deal with that reality with simple resignation they would say, “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord.”

But when it’s just one person that’s left us, like Tony, who had lived a full life... although we all hoped, and most expected, it would be longer and enough time has passed since his death so that the shock has dissipated, a different aspect of the sad event comes into view.

Without struggling to understand the exquisite mystery of life and death, we try to extend the value of the good life that has ended by recalling and reconsidering it, and most of all, celebrating it!

It reminds me of the old, simple, lovely poem by a rabbi that I’ve heard several times at funerals:

“A man stood to speak at the funeral of his friend and read the dates on his tombstone from beginning to end. / He noted first the date of his birth and then spoke of the second with tears. But then he said, ‘What mattered most of all was the dash between those years / because the dash represented all the time he spent alive on earth and those who knew and loved him knew how much that little line was worth.’”

The people here today, Tony’s beloved Mary, Toby and Beth, Meg and Scott, Beth and Hammy, his sister Ann, his grandchildren and some of his close friends and the whole legion of friends who are not here today all know just how much that dash was worth.

They’ve come forward in droves since Tony passed: at the wake, the funeral, in the press, in letters to one another and again here today.

We hear from them all the same words of respect, admiration and love with only the slightest occasional, playful quip about his marvelous gift for dazzling fashion something I’m sure he picked up from his good friend, The Great O’Shaughnessy, or maybe it was the other way around.

Joe Reilly talks about him as “Our Big Papi”─leading us with his charm, gregarious nature and generosity, his piercing intelligence, his native common sense, his courage as a leader in one of the nation’s most important and complex industries, and his pleasant wit.

All the others say virtually the same things, adding their own affectionate recollections. This consistency is particularly notable because in the world of professionals he lived in, and the world of relatives he was privileged to have around him, are people known for their candor and forthrightness. There is, of course, always a little playful joking about red pocket hankies, “vowel - gifted” friends from the old neighborhood. But


Retired CBS Television Network President Jim Rosenfield

never anything serious nothing suggesting meanness, selfishness or fits of vainglorious self-promotion.

To the best of my knowledge, no one ever talked about Tony Malara that way. Nobody ever should.

I’m speaking from experience. I was around in public service for the State when Tony was still in Watertown working for John Johnson whom I knew well. Bill O’Shaughnessy formally introduced me to Tony a quarter of a century ago.

In no time at all I came to know and appreciate his many special qualities. I worked with him and others in his profession, including many of the broadcasters here, and it was clear to me for all those years that the work he chose for himself made good use, not only of his intelligence and determination, but called upon his extraordinary sensitivity and affability as well.

So, yes, we all know Tony was a great human being and will be loved by us as long as our gift of memory lasts.

And it’s good that all these things are said..... and will continue to be said....

And yet...All the things we’ve said here today are things we know…and understand. We know the way Tony lived…and the way he loved. What he was given, what he gave, and what he has left behind.

And we try to satisfy ourselves by sharing our recollection about who he was.

But for some of us there still remains a yearning to know more.

Joe Reilly asked “What do we do now?”

What happens now to all that vivacity, charm and goodness?

Does it die with our memories when our memories die? Does it pass into and return as part of the universe as the Native Americans believe?

Is there a Heaven?

I don’t have any sure answer not many people do…but

I’ve grown old enough to know that because I don’t know an answer… it doesn’t mean there isn’t one.

I’ve grown old enough to know I’m not wise enough to eliminate any possibilities. So, I can choose to believe and call it faith if I must, if that’s what promises meaningfulness.

And I choose to believe what some wise people over all the generations have told us: that ultimately the good, the beautiful and the lovely come together eternally in a better place...

And that means Tony is there, because he earned it in the DASH between 1936 and 2006.

As Dan Rather said so movingly, “He fought the good fight.”

Thank you Mary, for the privilege of being here today with you, your family…and so many of Tony’s close friends. And thank you to the Broadcasters Foundation of America.

The following have made contributions to the Broadcas ter s

Foundation of America in Tony Malara’s memory, Martin F.Beck Family Foundation, Ralph E. Becker, Becker Television, Richard Bodorff, Michael Brockman, Elizabeth Murphy Burns, Cable Ready Corporation, Mario Cuomo, Meems Ellenberg, Hearst Argyle Television, Elizabeth Hudson, Janney Montgomery Scott LLC, James Kelly, John F. Kelly, Jerry Lee, William Lilley III, Philip & Kim Lombardo, Walter Maxwell, Stanley Moger, N.S. Bienstock, NBC Universal, New City Foundation, Richard Rakovan, Sony Pictures Television, Alixandra Steier, Sheldon F. Storrier, Diane Sutter, William F. Turner, United Communications Corp., Whitney Radio, Wiley Rein & Fielding, Wolf, Block, Schorr & Solis-Cohen

In recognition of his many years of service as a Director and member of the executive committee, memorial tributes to our beloved friend and esteemed colleague may be made in his honor and loving memory to the Broadcasters Foundation of America Endowment Fund, Seven Lincoln Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06830


Smiles in remembrance of Tony


TVB President Chris Rohrs, Dan Rather, the NAB’s Marcellus Alexander and Larry Patrick

Broadcasters Foundation of America President Gordon Hastings with Meredith President & CEO Paul Karpowicz

Broadcasters Foundation of America Chair Phil Lombardo

Toby Malara

Tony’s Sister

Ann Spillman

with Citadel’s Ray Cole

Dan Rather, Ken Aluetta and Mario Cuomo

New York State

Broadcasters President Joe Reilly

Mary Malara with Dan Rather

Jim Rosenfield and Scott Michaels

Bill Moll and Lynn Moul



Governor Cuomo

One hundred sixty guests attended the tribute

Marcellus Alexander and Dennis Wharton of the NAB with Don West of the Library of American Broadcasting

At the conclusion of the September 26th Broadcasters Foundation of America Board of Directors Meeting Director William O’Shaughnessy proffered this motion:

Motion to Adjourn

Mr. Chairman. It has been a good day…which began, for many of us early this morning at the Memorial Service…and thus perhaps we could even properly call it a bittersweet day…with its rich admixture of sadness and joy.

As we congratulate you and Kim, Phil, on organizing such a wonderfully well done and touching tribute earlier

today at “21”…may I move that this meeting, our business done for the day, be immediately adjourned in loving memory and in tribute to Tony Malara…who served this foundation for many years as a highly-valued Director…Treasurer…Vice President…Member of the Executive Committee…and Master of Ceremonies, without equal, at so many of our charitable events.

And, Mr. Chairman, I would further request that this resolution, if approved, be spread upon the minutes and distributed to Mary Malara and the Malara Family.

I so move…


(L-R back to front) Tony’s nephew David Moul, Lloyd Hamilton, Scott Wilmeth, Tony’s Niece Susan Lawrence, Tony’s sister Ann Spillman, Tony Malara’s wife Beth, Toby, Mary Malara, Tony and Mary’s daughters Beth Hamilton and Meg Wilmeth and niece Lynn Dudley

Charlie Osgood

Dick Foreman, Larry Patrick and Ray Cole



Third Annual Celebrity Offshore ChallengeApril 27-29, Key Biscayne Florida

The Third Annual Celebrity Offshore Challenge “Fun Raiser” will be held April 27-29, 2007 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel & Resort in Key Biscayne, Florida. The 2007 tournament will coincide with the RAB Board meeting also scheduled at the Ritz Carlton. Rick Buckley and Skip Finley are the co-chairs for the offshore challenge.

In April 2005 at Palm Beach’s Sailfish Marina, four teams with 16 anglers competed in the first Offshore Challenge won by Mike Carter’s team, buoyed by Al Vicente’s trophy Kingfish.

In May 2006, 13 teams including almost 60 people joined the fleet on Paradise Island in Nassau, Bahamas for the second annual Offshore Challenge won by Gary Fries’ team, led by Norman Feuer’s best of show Black fin Tuna. Celebrities Steve Harvey, Taj Mahal, Steve Cropper and Sammy Blue joined in the fun and action. Steve Harvey raised a record donation by auctioning off Broadcaster’s Foundation director Phil Beuth’s generous gift of his St. Maarten villa.

The Ritz-Carlton, Key Biscayne, Miami’s only AAA Five Diamond resort, is just five miles from downtown Miami. The acclaimed island paradise includes a 20,000 square-foot luxury spa, two restaurants overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, an 11-court tennis garden, and is only minutes from the airport, area attractions and South Beach. Named one of the best spas in North America by Condé Nast Traveler, The Spa is a top destination featuring a menu of natural therapies inspired by the nutrient-rich bounties of the ocean that exudes the richness and flavor of South Florida and the Caribbean Sea. The foundation has arranged for 60 rooms with discounted rates for the event.

Participants will arrive Friday, April 27 for the gala welcome poolside reception at the Ritz Carlton Hotel. On Saturday, April 28 the fishing will begin in the early morning, leaving from the Crandon Marina, 10 minutes from the hotel. A fleet of top charter captains and fishing boats has been reserved. The gala awards reception and dinner buffet will be at the hotel Saturday evening with departure on Sunday morning. We have arranged for first class receptions and dinners for both evenings.

The RAB Board of directors meeting is also at the Ritz Carlton with members expected to arrive Sunday April 29. Several board members will be coming early for the Broadcasters Foundation of America Celebrity Offshore Challenge. The

hotel is aware of this and will provide seamless reservations.

The pricing structure for 2007 has been simplified. The cost will be $1,950 per angler. This includes fishing, the welcoming reception and dinner on Friday and the awards

reception and dinner on Saturday. If you would like to bring a non-fishing guest the additional charge will be $500. For those planning an extended stay (arriving or departing earlier/later) the Key Biscayne area offers several diversions. You must make those reservations separate from the Offshore Challenge room block.

Persons interested in participating should register immediately with Gordon Hastings at the foundation office 203-862-8577 or [email protected]


Broadcasters Foundation of America Benefits From Broadcasting & Cable Hall Of Fame. The class of 2006 was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame at a black tie dinner on Monday, October 23rd at The Waldorf Astoria in New York City. The foundation participates in the proceeds from this event in support of our mission of helping fellow broadcasters who are in need. Top row, Left to Right: John Nogawski, President/COO of the CBS Television Distribution Group; Chris Albrecht, Chairman/CEO, HBO; Harry Pappas, Chairman/CEO, Pappas Telecasting Cos.; Peter Chernin, President/COO News. Corp.; Irwin Gotlieb, CEO, GroupM, WPP Group.

Front row, Left to Right: Terry Wood, President CBS Paramount Domestic Television; Linda Bell Blue, executive producer, Entertainment Tonight; Mary Hart, co-host, Entertainment Tonight; Susan Lucci, star of ABC’s All My Children; Betty Cohen, President/CEO, Lifetime Entertainment Services; Nancy Tellem, President, CBS Paramount Television Entertainment Group. (Note: Nogawski, Wood, Bell Blue and Hart were representing Entertainment Tonight, which was entered into the Hall of Fame.)

Missing from the photo are honorees Tim Russert, host and managing editor off Meet the Press and NBC News Washington Bureau Chief, and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg, L.P.

A Winter’s Tale of Fathers and Sonsby Bill O’Shaughnessy

When Rob Taishoff called last week to tell me his father Larry Taishoff had died, my mind drifted back to a New York afternoon long ago.

I was supposed to be “on assignment” (read: selling radio time) for John Van Buren Sullivan, the major domo of the fabled WNEW of sainted memory. Instead, I had somehow found my way to a bar stool at the estimable establishment owned by the late Bernard “Toots” Shor, a barkeep of considerable renown.

Also in this glorious saloon on that winter afternoon were the writers Bob Considine and Jimmy Cannon, Ford Frick, the commissioner of baseball, and General of the Armies Omar Bradley. I think Kyle Rote and John “Shipwreck” Kelly were there too. Kelly was eating apple pie.

The talk turned to the son of James A. Farley, Franklin Roosevelt’s postmaster general, who had somehow failed to appear on time for a dinner date the night before with his legendary father, an icon of the republic.

Toots, the great barroom philosopher of his day, opined that “Great men … rarely have great sons.” We all nodded approvingly when confronted with this stunning wisdom. And promptly ordered another round.

It’s a nice story. But Toots Shor never knew Sol Taishoff or his son Larry. They were both great men and all of us in broadcasting owe them a tremendous debt.

Larry and his father before him imagined themselves as our sentinels on the Potomac against government intrusion into electronic journalism. They kept the drumbeat going for 50 years as the permittees of Broadcasting magazine.

The “Magazine of the Fifth Estate” is what they called the product of their labors which appeared every Monday morning in every season to ennoble the work we do.

They made their living with words fashioned by Don West, Harry Jessell and John Eggerton which were endowed and informed by the Taishoff family’s fierce devotion to The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which Jack Valenti has called “the most important document ever struck off by the hand of man.”

The words in Broadcasting during their stewardship would sing across the page and be quoted in the halls of Congress, at the FCC and in the White House itself. They were strong enough to prevent the Honorable Harley O. Staggers from throwing Frank Stanton and William S. Paley into a federal jail when the former

right-of-way agent from Mineral County, West Virginia tried mightily to find the CBS elders “contemptible” on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.

For 50 years Sol and Larry published elegant, muscular paragraphs which elevated our calling and made us more than minstrels, performers, entertainers or advertising pitchmen and put us squarely at the People’s Business.

Their relentless genius was also arrayed against an NAB proposal to actually accept the dreaded “Fairness” Doctrine in

exchange for a reduction in license fees. And their influence put the brakes on a proposal before the same NAB Board to “censure” Howard Stern, one of our own.

“We’ve always had terrible examples to defend,” Larry Taishoff told a visitor one day in his ornate office on DeSales Street in downtown Washington as a giant oil likeness of his late father peered down from the wall while the publisher read the Stern transcripts bursting with a raucous vulgarity.

Many of us were not at all pleased when Larry bailed out in the mid 80’s. But few can deny the $75 million “score” he made with

the L.A. Times. And maybe it’s a good thing neither Taishoff was in harness when the current FCC announced the threat of draconian fines against us and ours. Even more upsetting to them, one is certain, would be our own tribe’s awful, deafening silence and abject, obsequious acquiescence in the face of this intimidation.

A generous man by nature and inclination, Larry gave away a lot of his “score” to Duke University for a new aquatic center and to combat Down’s Syndrome and Diabetes which killed him. He also created and endowed public parks all over Florida and got the splendid Library of American Broadcasting up and running at the University of Maryland. Sol was also a patron of the old Broadcast Pioneers which became the modern day Broadcasters Foundation of America. And Larry was a generous benefactor of the Foundation.

The editors West and Eggerton have written of the man much more gracefully than I am able. But every First Amendment advocate mourns the passing of this famous son of a famous father who left us at the age of 74 last week, appropriately, in Washington.

They were all business, both of them. But to Larry, and his old man, it was always more than an industry.

We won’t forget the lessons they taught us.

an Rather crystallized it perfectly in his tribute to

Tony Malara at the “21 Club.” “Tony Malara was the most wonderful man many of us have ever met.” Thank you, Dan.

To say we will miss Tony is an understatement. Long before I came to the Broadcasters Foundation of America in 1995 Tony was one of the few who along with Ward Quaal and Jim Delmonico kept the old Broadcast Pioneers together. That was typical of Tony. He never gave up on a good idea or a worthy cause. He also never gave up on a friend.

We will miss his feverent support of the foundation’s mission of helping others. Tony will be irreplaceable as the master of ceremonies at our annual Pioneers Breakfast and at other foundation events throughout the year. Yes, we will miss his red pocket square so symbolic of his big heart.

From Manhattan Woods to The Stanwich Club in Greenwich with six stops along the way the Broadcasters Foundation of America Celebrity Golf Tournament continues as the preeminent golfing event in our industry. This year’s tournament netted a quarter-million dollars in support of our mission.

We are grateful to U.S. Trust and their ambassadors of

goodwill Paul Napoli and Gina Costello for being the signature sponsor of the tournament for the third year. It was a pleasure to welcome the LPGA’s Cindy Miller and the sponsor of the Beat the Pro Competition 20th Television with special thanks to Paul Franklin. Heineken and Amstel Light joined us again this year as the on course lunch sponsor, Atlantic Wines and Spirits sponsored the cocktail reception and Arbitron sponsored the dinner for the eighth year. We salute John Devin of Atlantic and Carol Hanley of Arbitron. Our own tournament Executive Chair Scott Knight through his Connecticut School of Broadcasting sponsored the driving range and the on course beverage carts. Gordon Mott and Cigar Aficionado provided cigars for all of our players.

The foundation would like thank Peter Tunley and his staff at The Stanwich Club for a superb day at this magnificent facility.

Ken Lowe and The E.W. Scripps Company are most deserving honorees for the 2007 Golden Mike Award. We are looking forward to another fabulous Golden Mike evening at our new home at the Waldorf Astoria on Monday evening February 26th. Ken has had a long and illustrious career in radio, television and cable. Some even remember him as Steve Roddy at

WKIX Radio in Raleigh, North Carolina. Thanks to Tom Taylor of Inside Radio for that flashback! We hope you will be with us. Call me for ticket information.

In closing, I hope you like the new name, Broadcasters Foundation of America. Foundation Director Bill O’Shaughnessy was the prime mover advancing a name change, which was approved by the board in September. Bill is correct in that Broadcasters Foundation of America truly reflects our service to broadcasters in need throughout the fifty states. We currently have active cases in twenty-two states and 2006 established a new record for outreach to monthly grant recipients.

Our mission in the New Year will be to make sure, than no broadcaster in America who needs help is unaware of our mission. You can help spread the word by being our eye and ear.

Every good wish for the Holiday Season.

GHH

Message From The PresidentD


Broadcasters Foundation of America Board of Directors2006-2007

Philip J. LombardoChair

Stu OldsVice Chair

Gordon H. HastingsPresident

Edward F. McLaughlinChairman Emeritus

Joseph C. AmaturoThe Amaturo Family Foundation, Inc.

David J. BarrettPresident/CEO, Hearst-Argyle Television

Philip R. BeuthCapital Cities, ret.

Del R. BryantPresident/CEO, BMI

Richard D. BuckleyPresident/CEO,

Buckley Broadcasting Corp.

Gary R. ChapmanLIN TV Corp., ret.

Edward ChristianPresident/CEO, Saga Communications, Inc.

Erica FarberPublisher, Radio & Records

Richard FergusonCox Radio, ret.

Joseph M. FieldChairman, Entercom

Skip FinleyVice-Chairman,

ICBC Broadcast Holdings, Inc.

Andrew S. FisherPresident, Cox Television, Inc.

Richard A. ForemanPresident/CEO,

Richard A. Foreman Associates

Alan W. FrankPresident, Post Newsweek Stations, Inc.

Gary Fries, Radio Advertising Bureau, ret.

Ralph GuildChairman, Interep

Wade Hargrove, Esq.Brooks Pierce

McLendon Humphrey & Leonard LLP

Paul KarpowiczPresident/CEO,

Meredith Broadcasting Group

N. Scott KnightManaging Partner,

Connecticut School of Broadcasting

Jerry LeePresident, WBEB-FM

Jerry LevyPresident, JL Media Inc.

Stanley H. MogerPresident/CEO, SFM Entertainment

William G. MollChairman, Clear Channel Television

Deborah NorvilleInside Edition

Lawrence OliverVP/General Manager, Reed Television Group

William O’ShaughnessyChairman, WVOX/WRTN-Whitney Radio

Diane Linen PowellChair

Des Plaines Publishing

Frances PrestonPresident Emeritus, BMI

John ReardonPresident/CEO, Tribune Broadcasting

David RehrPresident/CEO,

Nat’l Assoc. of Broadcasters

Joseph ReillyPresident, NYS Broadcasters Association

Jeffrey H. SmulyanChairman/CEO, Emmis Communications

Peter H. SmythPresident/CEO, Greater Media, Inc.

Nicholas J. VerbitskyChairman,

United Stations Radio Networks

Martin Eric Weisberg, Esq.Baker & McKenzieCorporate Counsel

Chuck BolkcomVice-President, PricewaterhouseCoopers

Deborah RobertsABC News

Board of Directors

Officers

On The Air

PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY.JOHNNIE WALKER® BLACK LABEL® Blended Scotch Whisky, 40% Alc./Vol. (80 Proof), ©2004 Diageo North America, Inc., Stamford, CT

Broadcasters Foundation of America Seven Lincoln AvenueSecond FloorGreenwich, CT 06830

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDSTAMFORD, CTPERMIT No. 102

on the air - broadcasters foundation of america · 2016-10-25 · tvb’s chris rohrs, kathleen...

Documents