Industry News

BFOA Annual Breakfast Honorees Announced

The Broadcasters Foundation of America announces the 2026 recipients of the Leadership Awards, Lowry Mays Excellence in Broadcasting Award, and Chairman’s Award that will be presented at the BFOA Annual Breakfast on April 22 during the NAB Show in Las Vegas. The 2026img Leadership Award honorees are: Heather Cohen, president, The Weiss Agency; April Carty-Sipp, EVP, Industry Affairs at NAB; Michael J. Hayes, president, Hearst Television; Mike Hulvey, president & CEO, Radio Advertising Bureau; Chad Matthews, president, ABC-Owned Television Stations; Alissa Pollack, EVP, Global Music Marketing, iHeartMedia. The 2026 Lowry Mays Excellence in Broadcasting Award honoree is John Catsimatidis, owner & CEO, WABC Radio/Red Apple Media. The 2026 Chairman’s Award honoree is Emmy-winning broadcast journalist Deborah Norville.

Industry News

Broadcasters Foundation Recognizes Industry Leaders

Last Wednesday (4/19), the Broadcasters Foundation of America held its Annual Breakfast and gave out six Leadership Awards, the Lowry Mays Excellence in Broadcasting Award, and the very special Chairman’s Award. Pictured above at the event are (from l-r): Steven Lanzano, president, Television Bureau of Advertising – Leadership Award; Deborah Parenti, president/publisher, Radio Ink/RBR+TVBR – Leadership Award; Scott Herman, chairman of the BFoA; Dan Mason, former CEO of CBS Radio and previous chairman of the BFoA – Lowry Mays Excellence in Broadcasting Award; Tim McCarthy, president of the BFoA; Jim Doyle, founder, JDA Media – Leadership Award; Debra O’Connell, president, networks, The Walt Disney Company – Leadership Award; Cindy Thompson, who accepted the posthumous Chairman’s Award on behalf of her husband Jim Thompson, who had been president of the BFoA; Heidi Raphael, chief communications officer, Beasley Media Group – Leadership Award; Jim Thompson, who also accepted on behalf of his father. Not pictured is Julie Talbot, president of Premiere Networks, who accepted the posthumous Leadership Award on behalf of Rush Limbaugh.