Fall 2008 - Broadcasters Foundation of America

On The Air
Broadcasters Foundation of America
Fall 2008
Mission Statement
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.
2008 Celebrity Golf Tournament
Table Of Contents
Page
2008 Celebrity Golf....... 3-47
Endowment Campaign......49
2009 Golden Mike...........50
B&C Hall of Fame............53
President’s Message........64
2009 Golden Mike
On The Air
Page
50
Volume 12 • Issue 3 • Fall 2008
© On the Air is a free news
and feature publication, offered
to Broadcasters Foundation of
America members and friends
and is published three times a
year by the :
Broadcasters Foundation
of America
Seven Lincoln Avenue
Second Floor
Greenwich, CT 06830
www.broadcastersfoundation.org
Gordon H. Hastings,
ghhMANAGEMENT, Publisher
Jamie Russo, Creative Director
For feature story contributions or
to request another copy of this
publication, please call the
Broadcasters Foundation of
America at 203-862-8577, or you
may email any questions and/or
comments to Gordon H. Hastings
at gordon@gordonhastings.com
9
2
Broadcasters Foundation
of America
8
10 Years and
Going Strong
Anniversary Celebrity Golf Caps
Two-Million Dollars In Support
Of The Foundation’s Mission
2 On The Air Fall 2008
The Quaker Ridge Golf Club in Scarsdale,
Country Club (2004), Trump National Golf
New York, September 15, 2008 was the site of
Club 2005, The Stanwich Club (2006), The
the celebration of the tenth anniversary of the
Wee Burn Country Club (2007), The Quaker
Broadcasters Foundation of America Celebrity
Ridge Golf Club (2008).
Golf Tournament. The tournament, founded
in 1999, has raised in excess of two million
U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private
dollars, which has gone directly to helping
Wealth Management, celebrated its fifth year
fellow radio and television broadcasters who
as the tournament signature sponsor. The
are in acute financial need. The founding
tournament is scheduled to return to Siwanoy
tournament was held in 1999 at Manhattan
in Bronxville, New York on September 14,
Woods Golf Club in Nyack, New York. In
2009.
ensuing years the event has been played at
Inwood Golf Club (2000), Ardsley Country
Club (2001), Essex County Country Club
(2002), Siwanoy (2003), Sleepy Hollow
2008 Low Gross Champions. The Atlantic Wines
foursome of (L-R) Marcello Alcoba, John Devin,
Ahmad Rashad, Jeff Kim, Neal Cavanaugh. The
winning low gross was 64.
3 On The Air Fall 2008
Anna Rawson of Adelaide, Australia: 2008 LPGA
Tour Member , 2007 Ladies European Tour
Member, 2007 Ecco Golf Spokes Model, 2006
& 2005 Duramed Futures Tour Member, 2003
USC NCAA Championship Team Member, South
Australian and Victorian Junior Champion, 1999
Australian National Team Member University of
Southern California Golf Team . Anna starred in the
tournament Beat the Pro-Competition sponsored
by Harris Corporation with prizes provided by
Atlantic Wines and Spirits.
LPGA Stars Join
And Volunteers As
4 On The Air Fall 2008
Nicole Hage of Coral Springs, Florida: 2008 LPGA
Tour Member, 2008 Duramed Futures Tour Member,
2004 SEC Freshman of the Year, 4-time SEC AllAmerican Selection at Auburn, 2003-2007 Auburn
Women’s Golf Team Member, 2002 & 2005 - 2007
USGA Women’s Open, Participant, 2001 & 20032006 USGA Women’s Amateur Participant, 2002
Championship US Junior Solheim Cup Team,
Member of the 2002 victorious US Junior Solheim
Cup. Nicole starred in the Celebrity Power Drive
competition sponsored by KnightStone Media.
Guest Celebrities
Tournament Hosts
5 On The Air Fall 2008
Renowned for her coverage of the U.S. Open, The British
Open, The Masters, U.S. Tennis Open. New York radio sports
personality and author Ann Liguori
Ahmad Rashad is a four-time pro-bowl selection for the
Minnesota Vikings, two time All American, Emmy awardwinning sportscaster, executive producer and host for NBA
Entertainment, host and executive producer for both the new
NBA TV pregame show Tuesday Night with Ahmad, and ABC’s
NBA Access with Ahmad Rashad.
NFL Hall of Fame Linebacker, super Bowl champion, three
super bowl appearances for the Miami Dolphins, Former New
England Patriot, Notre Dame, founder of the Miami Project
to find a cure for spinal cord injury. Nick Buoniconti at the
tournament reception with his wife Lynn. Nick and Lynn have
played in celebrity golf five times in the past decade
Multiple Emmy Award
Winning sportscaster
for WNBC-TV’s Good
Morning New York,
Otis Livingston
6 On The Air Fall 2008
Legendary
New York Jet
Linebacker,
WCBS-TV
Football
analyst, 1050
ESPN Radio
Sportscaster
and
Personality
Greg Buttle
The former anchor
for Court-TV,
commentator on
MSNBC, CNBC,
founder of Crier
Communications,
Emmy Award
winning
broadcaster
Catherine Crier
The current
keeper of the
Gambling
flame,
WOR-Radio
Personality
John
Gambling
The 2009 Celebrity Golf Incredible Volunteers! Back row left to right: Desmonique Bonet, Google; Cynthia Coppola, PromoFocus;
Alissa Pollack, Premiere Radio Networks; Margaret Hughes, Katz Media Corporation; Heidi Weaver, Arbitron; Jackie Giblin, Katz;
Michaelle Jean Pierre, Esq.; Connie McKiernan, Broadcasters Foundation of America, Charlie Schipani.
Front row left to right: Diana Wilkin, CBS Television Network; Barry O’Brien, Dominique Walker, Katz Media. Not shown in photo:
Bill Moll, Clear Channel; Brian Stone, KnightStone Media; Diane Powell, Lucille Tufano, Broadcasters Foundation of America.
7 On The Air Fall 2008
Emmy
Award
winning
journalists
from
WCBSTV, Dana
Tyler and
Maurice
DuBois
Photos by
Wendy
Moger-Bross
NFL Hall of Fame member from the New England Patriots and
the Oakland Raiders, Michael Haynes
8 On The Air Fall 2008
Since 1995
the voice of
the David
Letterman
Show “Big
Red” Alan
Kalter
Steve Boyd of WBLS enjoys a CAO Cigar!
Celebrity Golf Founding
Executive Chair Scott
Knight with Michael Haynes
Ten year Tournament Director
and ghhMANAGEMENT President
Gordon Hastings
Larry Knowlton and Alan Kalter
9 On The Air Fall 2008
Clarke
Kieran
and Jim
Monahan of
Telerep
Bill Cooper surveys a drive
Jackie
Giblin of
Katz Media
Corporation
10 On The Air Fall 2008
Jen Buckley
of Buckley
Broadcasting
Anna Rawson and
Dana Tyler
Alan Dick, President of Dick Broadcasting
Joe Kahl and Brian Citron of Heineken-USA, Amstel Light
Maurice DuBois of WCBS-TV, Barry Bennett of CAO International
and Dan Malmed
Volunteers
Margaret
Hughes of
Katz media
Corporation
and Alissa
Pollack of
Premiere
Radio
Networks
selling Nike
Golf Club
raffle tickets
11 On The Air Fall 2008
WNBCTV’s Tom
O’Brien
Maverick Media’s Gary Rozynek
Dave Villalona
and Ken
Silverman of
WCBS-TV
Van Wagner’s Bob Fauser
Cigar Aficionado’s Marvin Shanken
12 On The Air Fall 2008
Foundation Chair
Phil Lombardo
“Big Red” Alan Kalter of the
David Letterman Show with
WCBS-TV’s Dana Tyler and
WNBC-TV’s Otis Livingston
Bonnie Verbitsky and Sheila Knight
Steve Appel with Beat the Pro Sponsor
Ed Adams of Harris Corporation
13 On The Air Fall 2008
9
Peter Smyth
And The Bordes Family
Monday, February 23, 2009
The Waldorf Astoria New York City
For advance seating, advertising and sponsorship information please contact
Gordon Hastings, ghhMANAGEMENT at gordon@gordonhastings.com or 203-862-8577
52 On The Air Fall 2008
58 On The Air Summer 2007
2008 Low Gross Champions. The Atlantic Wines foursome of (L-R) Marcello Alcoba, John Devin, Ahmad Rashad, Jeff Kim, Neal Cavanaugh. The winning low gross was 64.
American Media Services:
Gary Rozynek, Todd Fowler,
Dana Tyler, Anna Rawson,
Chris Mangan
Cigar Aficionado: Gordon Mott,
Marvin Shanken, James Molesworth,
Dave Savora
Meredith Broadcasting/
TVB: Paul Karpowicz,
Leo MacCourtney, Peter
Schruth, Scott Blumenthal
BMI/USO: Mike O’Neill, Michael Steinberg, Ned Powell and
Kevin Page representing CAO International Cigar
KnightStone Media: Michael Haynes, T.J. Lambert, Scott Knight, Ann Liguori
Telerep: Jim Hughes, Brad Mont, Jim Monahan, Kieran Clarke
Nielsen: John Deushane and Steve Mulderrig
THIRD PLACE NET: United
Stations Radio Networks: Bill
Hogan, Paul Verbitsky, Nick
Verbitsky, Nick Verbitsky III
Katz Media
Corporation: Alan
Dick, Brad Thomas, Jim
Beloyianis, Mark Grey,
Stu Olds, Rob Williams
KnightStone Media:
Bob Fauser,
Gary Star,
Scott Karnedy,
Rich Doucette
CBS College
Sports Ellen
Schned
Jamie Gillespie of the NAB
TVB President & CEO Chris Rohrs with Hearst Argyle
Television’s Kathleen Keefe
Cynposis President Chuck Bolkcom
16 On The Air Fall 2008
BMI’s Mike O’Neill and Michael Steinberg
Greater
Media’s
Matt Mills
Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame’s Bill McGorry with Citadel’s Ray Cole
CBS Radio’s Scott Herman
Meredith’s
Paul
Karpowicz
with
Broadcasters
Foundation
of America
Chair Phil
Lombardo
and LINTV’s Scott
Blumenthal
17 On The Air Fall 2008
Peter Doyle
and Mike
Cravens
Broadcasters Foundation of America President Jim Thompson
with Gary Starr
Broadcasters Foundation of America
Chair Emeritus Ed McLaughlin
Gina Costello of UBS
and Phil Lombardo
The NFL’s Michael Haynes, KnightStone Media Managing General
Partner Scott Knight with T.J. Lambert
18 On The Air Fall 2008
Gordon Hastings with Todd
Fowler of American Media
Services, sponsor of the
Driving Range and Pro Clinic
Broadcasters Foundation of America Director and tournament volunteer
Diane Powell welcome’s Regent’s Bill Stakelin
Ernest
Liebre of
Cambridge
Financial
Services
Group
with Jim
Beloyianis,
president
of Katz
Television
CBS Television
Network Affiliate
Relations President
Diana Wilkin with
Steve Mulderrig
19 On The Air Fall 2008
Paul Verbitsky, Bonnie and Nick Verbitsky
Catherine Crier, Bill Cooper and John Plesser
of WBLS, New York
Official Greeter Brian Stone of KnightStone Media welcome’s
John Devin of Atlantic Wines and Spirits. John annually sponsors
the Celebrity Golf gala cocktail reception and entertainment
Steve Boyd and Deon Livingston of WBLS-ICBC
Broadcast Holdings
20 On The Air Fall 2008
Scott Knight and Ann Liguori
Nicole Hege, Anna Rawson, with Ed Adams and Mike Sutton of Harris
Mark Grey with Clear Channel’s Rob Williams
Tournament Director Gordon Hastings
and Joe McCallion of Media Monitors
sponsor of the $100,000 Hole in One
21 On The Air Fall 2008
John Cravens and Jim Thompson
Bill Hogan
Rick McGuire and Scott Herman
Heidi
Weaver of
Arbitron
welcomes
Steve Boyd
of WBLS
John Gabelli, Mario Gabelli and Jeff Farber
22 On The Air Fall 2008
Neal Perchuk
and Joe
McCallion
of Media
Monitors
Barry Bennett of CAO International Cigar. CAO International
provided cigars for every golfer and guest during the
tournament and reception
Foundation Chair Phil Lombardo
withKatia Friend of U.S. Trust
Bank of America Private Wealth
Management, signature sponsors
of the tournament
Leo
McCourtney
23 On The Air Fall 2008
Proud supporter
The Broadcasters Foundation of America
Gabelli Funds: Jeffrey Farber, John Gabelli, Mario Gabelli
O’Connor Davies Munns & Dobbins; Bill Moll, Marc Rinaldi, Budd Feuchtwager
FIRST PLACE NET, U.S. Trust: Charles Perrin, Jeff Blum, Mitch Drossman, Dan
McSwiggan, Peter Debusschere
WBLS-ICBC Broadcast Holdings:
Steve Boyd, John Plesser, Bill
Cooper Deon Livingston
U.S. Trust: John Stockel, Nick Buoniconti, Paul Napoli, Billy Kreitsek
Hearst-Argyle Television: Chris Rohrs, Kathleen Keefe, Ray Karczewski, Jonathan Skidmore
NAB: Matt Becker, John Gambling, Kyle Wyatt, Jamie Gillespie, Peter Stewart
New York State Broadcasters: Chuck Bolkcom, Jeff Williams, Ellen Schned, Bill
Stakelin, Dave Widmer
Greater Media: Matt Mills, Rick Feinblatt, Mike Craven, Peter Doyle
WCBS-TV: Rick Silverman, Peter Dunn, Dave Villalona, Rick McGuire
McLaughlin/Sontag:
Ed McLaughlin,
Sam Peisinger, Kelly
McNealy John Axten
Heineken-Amstel Light: Joe Kahl,
Francisco Nogrete, George Fornasi, and
Brian Citron
33 On The Air Spring 2008
Diane and Ned Powell. Ned
recently retired after seven years
as USO President. The USO as
a thank you to broadcasters
for airing their public service
announcements provided fabulous
Callaway shoe bags for every
participant in the tournament.
Desmonique Bonet of Google and Michaelle Jean Pierre, Esq.
Desmonique is a long time tournament volunteer and friend
of the foundation. Michaelle worked as an intern for the
foundation while attending Pace Law and is a member of the
New York and Connecticut Bar.
Jim Hughes and Brad Mont of Telerep
The persons you see first when arriving at Celebrity
Golf, official greeters Brian Stone and Bill Moll. Bill is
the former chairman of Clear Channel Television and is
the chairman of the USO. Brian is a managing general
partner at KnightStone Media, sponsors of the new
Power Drive Competition with Nicole Hage
John Gambling
26 On The Air Fall 2008
Triton Media Networks President
Spencer Brown. Triton and Dial Global
sponsored the fore caddies and the golf
carts for the tournament
Long time foundation volunteer and
friend Barry O’Brien and his wife
Nancy Ryan with what could become
the new tournament mascots!
Volunteer Dominique Walker of
Katz Media Corporation with Matt
Becker of the NAB
Tiffany
McLoughlin
of Play Golf
designs
selling raffle
tickets for
the set of
Nike clubs
Photos by
Wendy
Moger-Bross
Mike Sutton
of Harris
Corporation
27 On The Air Fall 2008
Broadcasters Foundation of America Director Bill
Moll with Marc Rinaldi and Budd Feuchtwager of
O’Connor Davis Munns and Dobbins
Jeff
Kim of
Atlantic
Wines
and
Spirits
Scott
Karnedy of
XM-Satellite
Radio
Kyle Wyatt of
the NAB
On The Air Graphic Designer Jamie Russo
of Sir Speedy, Stamford, Connecticut with
Gordon Hastings
28 On The Air Fall 2008
Charlie Perrin
Anna Rawson and Otis Livingston
Rick Buckley, Jen Buckley, Jerry Crowley and John Gambling
Katz Media
Corporation’s
Stu Olds with
Alan Dick
Bob Fauser and
Rich Doucette
Arbitron’s Heidi Weaver
29 On The Air Fall 2008
Phil Lombardo, Peter Doyle and Bill Hogan
Arbitron’s Rich Tunkel and Media Monitors Joe McCallion
Official tournament photographer
Wendy Moger Bross with her
associate Nick Gould
Citadel President Ray Cole
30 On The Air Fall 2008
Bill Moll, Ed McLaughlin and Bill Stakelin
The Verbitsky’s Paul, Nick and Nick III
Jeff Williams and Dave Widmer
Gary Star and Nick Verbitsky
Play Golf Design’s Nisha Sadekar with the LPGA’s Anna Rawson
31 On The Air Fall 2008
Jim Thompson, Spencer Brown and Rick Buckley
Cynthia Coppola of Promo-Focus
and Tim McIntyre
Broadcasting & Cable’s Bill McGorry
purchasing raffle tickets from Play Golf
Design’s Tiffany McLoughlin
Diana Wilkin
Citadel Communications President Ray Cole with Ed Adams and Mike Sutton
of Harris Corporation.
32 On The Air Fall 2008
Nicole Hage hosted the first
annual Power Drive Competition
at Celebrity Golf. Only fifteen
golfers hit a drive longer than
Nicole on the wide-open sixteenth
hole. KnightStone Media and
the Norman Knight Foundation
sponsored the Power Drive
From the Heineken/Amstel
Light USA fore some ,
Francisco Nogrete and
George Fornasi
Eight- year
tournament
volunteer Margaret
Hughes of Katz
Media Corporation.
Tom O’Brien and Otis Livingston
of WNBC-TV
Jim Beloyianis of Katz Media Corporation and Rob Williams of Clear
Channel collect their Casa Lapostelle wine prizes in the Beat the Pro
Competition with Anna Rawson.
33 On The Air Fall 2008
Kelly McNeely
WOR Radio’s Jen Buckley
Gordon Mott and Gordon Hastings
Lynn Buoniconti and Bonnie Verbitsky
34 On The Air Fall 2008
Stan
Gerber of
J.L. Media
The Chair Emeritus, the Chair and the President. Ed McLaughlin, Phil
Lombardo and Jim Thompson
Scott Knight and Matt Mills
Desmonique Bonet
Ann Liguori and
Michael Haynes
35 On The Air Fall 2008
32 On The Air Spring 2008
WNBC-TV HD-4 Tom O’Brien, Bob Harnaga, Bruce Kallner, Otis Livingston
UBS: Alan Kalter, Larry Knowlton, Gina Costello, Arthur Maxwell
SECOND PLACE NET: Harris
Corporation: Ed Adams,
Steve Appel, Mike Sutton,
Gib Gibson
ESPN Radio: Stave Farrell, Greg Buttle,
Tim McCarthy, John Amoritis, John
Cravens
Media Monitors Joe McCallion, Neal Perchuk, Catherine Crier, Tim McIntyre, Ed Walsh
CBS Radio: Scott Herman, Steve Swenson, Maurice DuBois, Mark Lefkowicz,
Stan Gerber
Broadcasters Foundation of America: Alex Barnet, Lynn Buoniconti, Bonnie
Verbitsky, Jamie Russo, Sheila Knight.
Citadel Communications: Ernest Liebre, Pat Murphy, Phil Lombardo, Ray Cole,
Bill McGorry.
Arbitron/CAO: Lung Huang, Rick Tunkel, Dan Malmed, Barry Bennett
Buckley Broadcasting: Jerry Crowley, Jen Buckley, Joe Famulare, Spencer Brown,
Dave Sammons
Broadcasters Foundation of America
Your Help
Literally Saves Lives
A young life and young family devastated
by Lou Gehrig’s disease.
This is a tragic story of a young woman and her husband in their late forties with
two young children ages nine and eleven. Both enjoyed bright and positive
careers in the broadcasting industry in New England. He began his career in 1978
and she in 1983.
Their life was on a wonderful track until 2005 when she was diagnosed with
Lou Gehrig’s disease. Her condition rapidly deteriorated. Now forty-eight years
old, she has controlled motion in only one finger, is fed intravenously, needs
breathing support equipment, and is barely able to speak.
The family has liquidated all of their savings and home equity, and the husband
has become his wife’s full-time caregiver with the sole responsibility for the
children. There is no longer a source of employment income.
The Broadcasters Foundation of America continues to help this family face
these tragic circumstances through both emergency grants and ongoing monthly
support.
Your support of the Broadcasters Foundation of America is
making a difference in the very survival of this family...
This message was made possible by the McCormick Foundation Journalism Program
38 On The Air Summer 2007
The Fabulous
Blues Patrol
38 On The Air Fall 2008
The Atlantic Wines and Spirits
Reception & The Arbitron
Dinner And Awards Ceremony
39 On The Air Fall 2008
Nicole Hage and Anna Rawson
draw the raffle ticket for the
Nike Golf Clubs
We have a winner! Bob Harnaga
2008 Low Net Champions. The U.S. Trust Bank of
America foursome received their awards coming
in at a low net of 48. (L-R) Charles Perrin, Mitch
Drossman, Nicole Hage, Jeff Blum, Dan McSwiggin,
Anna Rawson and Peter Debusschere.
LOW GROSS: Neal Kavanagh flanked
by Nicole Hage and Anna Rawson
accepts awards for tournament
low gross 64. Neal represented the
Atlantic Wines and Spirits foursome
of Ahmad Rashad, John Devin,
Marcelo Alcoba, Jeff Kim and Neal
40 On The Air Fall 2008
SECOND PLACE NET: Harris Corporation wins second place net
with a 49. Shown receiving the awards from Anna Rawson and
Nicole Hage are Mike Sutton of Harris, Steve Appel of ION Media
and Telerep’s Gib Gibson. Now shown is Harris President Ed
Adams
Bob
Fauser
of Van
Wagner
the live
auction
winner of
Big Smoke
tickets
donated
by Cigar
Aficionado
THIRD PLACE NET: (Tiebreak back nine card) United Stations
Radio Networks Foursome with a 49. Receiving Quaker Ridge
Crest Awards from Nicole and Anna are United Stations
President Nick Verbitsky with Bill Hogan. Not shown are
foursome members Paul Verbitsky and Nick Verbitsky III
Karen Finley, David
O’Shaughnessy and
Gina Costello of
UBS
Mike Steinberg, Cynthia Coppola, and Mike O’Neill
Kim and Phil Lombardo with Susan and Ray Cole
41 On The Air Fall 2008
Jerry Crowley
Ray Karczewski of HRP and
Kathleen Keefe of HearstArgyle Television
Bill Hogan and Bill McGorry
Maurice DuBois and Otis Livingston
Jim and Cindy Thompson with Bonnie Verbitsky
42 On The Air Fall 2008
Anna Rawson autographing her poster for Quaker
Ridge Clubhouse Manager Dan Rogers
Kevin Paige auctions CAO American
Humidor containing limited edition CAO
American Anthem Cigars
Nick and Lynn Buoniconti with UBS’s Craig Walling
Desmonique Bonet
of Google with
Major Market Radio
legend Warner Rush
Tournament volunteers Dominique Walker and Jackie Giblin
43 On The Air Fall 2008
The BFOA’s
Connie Mc
Kiernan
takes
winning
auction bid
from Media
Monitors
Joe
McCallion
Triton Radio
Networks
Spencer Brown
Rick Feinblatt and Matt Mills
Cynthia Coppola
Diane and Ned Powell
Broadcasters Foundation of America Directors Dick Foreman, Bill
Moll and Nick Verbitsky
44 On The Air Fall 2008
BFOA Assistant Treasurer Colleen Gally, Kim Lombardo, Connie
Buckley and Susan Cole
Broadcasters Foundation
of America Director Bill
O’Shaughnessy
Gary Star, Rich Doucette and Scott Karnedy
RAB
President
Jeff Haley
with Skip
Finley
Buckley Broadcasting’s Joe Bilotta
Gordon Hastings and Todd Fowler
45 On The Air Fall 2008
Warner Rush and his son
Rush with Tim McCarthy
of ESPN-Radio
Howard Sontag and John Axten
Ann Liguori and Ellen Schned
Photos by
Wendy
Moger-Bross
Heidi Weaver, Lung Huang and Dan Malmed of Arbitron
Steve Swenson, General Manager WCBS-Radio,
Michael Day of Media Incentives and Creative Travel
Planners, and legendary New York television anchor
John Roland
46 On The Air Fall 2008
Nicole Hage
and Sheila
Knight
Ed McLaughlin
and Connie
Buckley
David and Bill O’Shaughnessy
John Cravens with Jim and
Cindy Thompson
Ed Walsh, Catherine
Crier, Joe McCallion,
Neal Perchuk
Ahmad Rashad with tournament Founding Executive
Chair Scott Knight
47 On The Air Fall 2008
Foundation Sets Fund Drive
The Broadcasters Foundation of America
has begun its Annual Fund Drive.
“The season for charitable giving is upon us,”
said foundation Board Chair Phil Lombardo.
“It has always been our policy not to bombard
our patrons and contributors with frequent mass
mailings throughout the year. Rather, we rely
heavily on the generous support of our givers during
the 4th quarter just before the holidays to help us sustain
the urgent year-round humanitarian work of the foundation.”
Phil Lombardo
Chairman Lombardo also said: “Even in these challenging times, we’ve seen
no lessening of enthusiasm for our Mission from so many generous active and
retired broadcasters who always remember us at this time of year.”
The Broadcasters Foundation of America, which grew as a labor of love (and
necessity) out of the original Broadcast Pioneers, founded by the legendary
H.M. Kaltenborn, provides an emergency safety net for radio and television
people – past and present – who, through no fault of their own, have been
laid low by the vicissitudes of life.
Since its inception, the Foundation has dispensed over $2,900,000 in
emergency grants to 387 of their distressed and hurting colleagues in 33
states. Gifts to the all-important Endowment Fund – both personal and
corporate – in recent years have ranged from a very welcome few hundred
dollars … to several substantial benefactions of over $50,000.
Individual and Corporate contributions are fully deductible and may be made
to the Endowment Fund of the Broadcasters Foundation of America, a certified
and registered 501(c)3 Public Charity.
All major Gifts to the Endowment Fund are acknowledged in the Foundation’s
Annual Report which is widely distributed to several thousand prominent
broadcasters, public officials and regulators all across the nation.
Contributions may be sent to the Foundation at its national office in
Greenwich, CT.
Broadcasters Foundation of America
Endowment Fund
7 Lincoln Avenue
Greenwich, CT 06830
203-862-8577
broadcastersfoundation.org
49 On The Air Fall 2008
Peter Smyth And The Bordes Family
2009 Golden Mike Award Honorees
Monday, February 23, 2009
Gala At The Waldorf Astoria, New York City
50 On The Air Fall 2008
One of the last remaining great family owned broadcasting companies, its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Peter Smyth and the members of the Bordes family will
be presented with the 2009 Broadcasters Foundation of
America Golden Mike Award on Monday, February 23,
2009 at a black-tie gala at the Waldorf Astoria in New
York City.
From its humble beginnings with a single radio station in
Southbridge, Massachusetts, WESO, Greater Media steadily and quietly built a broad-based combination of successful communications companies, spanning America from
coast to coast. By the 1980's, Greater Media's business
included radio, cable television, printing, publishing, and
telecommunications operations. In 1999, the company
sold its cable business in order to focus more exclusively
on its radio and newspaper operations.
Today, Greater Media is the parent company of 23 AM
and FM radio stations in Boston, Charlotte, Detroit,
Philadelphia and New Jersey; as well as a group of weekly
newspapers in central New Jersey, and several telecommunications towers throughout the United States.
From the beginning, Greater Media and its operating companies have stressed the autonomy of local management,
dedication to local community service, and leadership in
developing and adapting new technology and services to
improve media communications.
Peter Smyth joined Greater Media in 1986 as General
Manager of WMJX-FM in Boston, and was appointed
Vice President/General Manager the following year. He
was subsequently promoted to the positions of Senior Vice
President/Regional General Manager, Group Vice President of Radio, and Chief Operating Officer.
In October 2000, Mr. Smyth was named President and
Chief Operating Officer, and in March 2002, was promoted to Greater Media's President and Chief Executive
Officer. He was named Chairman of the Board in October
2008.
He began his broadcasting career in 1977 as an account
executive with WROR-FM in Boston, where Mr. Smyth
quickly attained the position of Local Sales Manager.
In 1978, he was promoted to General Sales Manager, a
responsibility he held for five years until RKO General,
parent company of WROR, recruited him to direct the
sales operations of its New York stations. Mr. Smyth served
as General Sales Manager at legendary station WOR in
New York until his departure in 1986 to work for Greater
Media.
Radio Ink Magazine selected him as "America's Best
Broadcaster" in 2005. In addition, the publication has
featured him as one of the 40 "Most Powerful People in
Radio" in 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007and 2008.
He was named "Radio Executive of the Year" by the publication in 2007.
Peter currently serves as Chairman of the Radio Advertising Bureau's Board of Directors. In addition, he is on
the Board of Directors of the National Association of
Broadcasters and is a member of the HD Digital Alliance
Oversight Committee. Mr. Smyth is also a past president
of the New England Media Association.
On a community level, he currently serves on the Board
of Directors of the New England Baptist Hospital and the
Police Athletic League. Mr. Smyth is a past member of the
Board of Trustees of Emerson College and the United Way
of Massachusetts. In May of 2007, he received the "Humanitarian of the Year" Award from the Hundred Club of
Massachusetts.
Peter is a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross in
Worcester, Massachusetts.
The Greater Media Mission Statement: Greater Media
is committed to achieving not only profitability, but also
excellence in radio broadcasting and newspaper publishing
and printing. We seek to improve the lives of our listeners
and readers, and the communities in which they live, by
providing great entertainment, useful and timely information, and charitable services and contributions.
We strive to provide outstanding service and results for
our advertisers by being responsive, creative, and collaborative. Above all, we hope to offer our employees a
balance of professional satisfaction and achievement on
the one hand, and personal fulfillment and quality of life
on the other.
The emcee
for the
2009
Golden
Mike
Awards,
Mike Barnicle.
Persons wishing to attend the Golden Mike Award should contact
Gordon Hastings at ghhMANAGEMENT, telephone 203-862-8577,
203-661-1476 and gordon@gordonhastings.com. Persons may also
purchase tickets and tables at broadcastersfoundation.org by clicking on
2009 Golden Mike Award.
51 On The Air Fall 2008
Broadcasters Foundation of America
Your Help
Literally Saves Lives
An all too familiar story.
The story of this elderly couple in their late 70s is all too typical of the cases that
come to the attention of the Broadcasters Foundation of America. The husband
had worked in television until his retirement some 13 years ago.
For several years, they managed to maintain their independence with social
security, savings and part time work. Six years ago, the wife was diagnosed with
a rare form of kidney cancer. The husband left his part time job and became
his wife’s full-time caregiver. They struggled along quietly and independently
with no family members able to offer support until all of their resources were
completely exhausted.
This situation was brought to the attention of the foundation, which made an
immediate emergency grant to keep them in their apartment. The foundation
then placed them on a monthly grant which combined with Social Security
allows them to meet their monthly living expenses, thus somewhat relieving the
day to day financial pressure which they had faced quietly and alone.
Your support of the Broadcasters Foundation of America has
placed you by this couple’s side with a helping hand...
This message was made possible by the McCormick Foundation Journalism Program
38 On The Air Summer 2007
The Class of 2008 Inducted
Into The Broadcasting And
Cable Hall Of Fame.
Broadcasting and Cable inducted the 2008 class
into the Hall of Fame at a black-tie dinner held
at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City on
Tuesday evening. October 21. CBS Television
News Anchor Katie Couric was the emcee.
(L-R) Telemundo’s Don Browne, Twentieth
Television’s Bob Cook, Fox News’ Roger
Ailes, ESPN’s Herb Granath, Time Warner
Cable’s Glenn Britt, Showtime’s Matthew
Blank, Hearst-Argyle Television’s David
Barrett, Rainbow Media’s Josh Sapin. Not shown are inductees Peggy Green of
Zenith Media, NBC Today’s Matt Lauer, The
Paley Center for Media’s Pat Mitchell and
CBS News’ 60 Minutes.
The Broadcasters Foundation of America
Endowment Fund is a beneficiary of the
proceeds from the dinner along with Cable
Positive. Broadcasting & Cable Publisher
Larry Dunn is a director of the foundation.
53 On The Air Fall 2008
2009
Broadcasters Foundation
of America
Charity Golf Tournament
Sunday April 19th 8 A.M.
Bali Hai Golf Club, Las Vegas Nevada
Chairs Liz Burns and Dick Bodorff
For player positions and sponsorships contact Gordon Hastings, ghhMANAGEMENT, 203-862-8577
Broadcasters
Foundation
of America
Endowment Fund
Your Opportunity To Give Back
The Broadcasters Foundation of America Endowment Fund was established in 1998 by a resolution of the Broadcasters
Foundation of America 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 Committee
William O’Shaughnessy, Chair
Phil Beuth, ABC/CapCities (Ret.)
Larry Dunn, Publisher, Broadcasting & Cable
Erica Farber, Publisher, Radio & Records
Richard Ferguson, Cox Radio
Richard A. Foreman, Richard A. Foreman Associates
Ed McLaughlin, Foundation Chair Emeritus
Call (203) 862-8577 for more information
20 On The Air Summer 2006
m
eri
ca
c
ad
Bro
as
A
ter
f
o
s Fo
n
undatio
The Broadcasters Foundation of America Angel Initiative is entering its fourth year. We are
delighted with the number of radio and television broadcasting companies that have made an
annual commitment to the mission of the foundation by becoming a Corporate Angel.
The 2008 Angel corporate campaign is your company’s opportunity to join those already
making an annual gift to help us insure that no call for help from a fellow broadcaster will go
unanswered. The Angel Initiative is the way our industry can take care of its own people in
their special time of need. It is all about “giving back.”
The number of requests for help made to the foundation is increasing dramatically. We have
no way of accurately predicting what the future demand on our resources will be. The Angel
Annual Corporate Giving Initiative is an essential element in our being able to provide
critical assistance into the future.
We hope that we can count on you becoming an Angel in 2008.
Contact Jim Thompson at 203.862.8577 for further details.
On behalf of all of those whom we serve, thank you for your support.
Message From The President
and dynamic leaders. In my later
role as a co-founder/principal of
Liberty Broadcasting and as a media
industry investor, I developed an even
deeper appreciation for the power
of broadcasting to serve society and
impact lives. The work we do at the
Broadcasters Foundation of America
represents the broadcasting industry
at its very best: community-minded
people reaching out to help other
people.
Dear Fellow Broadcasters,
It is my great honor to have recently
joined the Broadcasters Foundation
of America as the organization’s new
president. The BFOA exists to help
broadcasting professionals in need.
Our work is funded by the continuing
generosity of broadcasting industry
members, and it will be my job to
generate even greater support for our
programs and broaden the availability
of assistance to fellow broadcasting
professionals who have experienced
some great misfortune.
I was delighted to see so many
longtime friends and associates from
television and radio at this year’s
BFOA Celebrity Golf Tournament.
I only regret that, as BFOA’s newly
installed president, I was unable to
play, which might well be why the
Verbitsky family and Bill Hogan
finally finished in the money.
If
In my 30-year career in broadcasting,
I have been fortunate to work “both
you,
a friend or a colleague are in
sides of the aisle” – primarily with
Westinghouse -- first in television
and then in radio. As a majormarket television station general
manager for Group W and later
as radio group president, I had the
pleasure and privilege to work with
some of our industry’s most creative
In February, we will gather in New
York to honor our newest Golden
Mike Award recipient, Greater
Media’s longtime CEO, Peter
Smyth. I met Peter for the first time
as a competitor in Boston, when he
competed against our group’s heritage
radio station, WBZ, a Westinghouse
dynasty. Peter and Greater Media were
tough competitors – but we loved
having them in the market because
they helped raise radio’s profile and
they made everyone else elevate their
game. I hope you will make a point
of joining us in February to honor
a distinguished broadcaster who
represents broadcasting at its best.
Our organization’s sole purpose is to
help fellow industry professionals and
their families at times when they are
overwhelmed by a death or illness or
other unforeseen crisis.
Worsening economic conditions
next year will almost certainly create
greater need for our assistance, at the
very same time that our many friends
and benefactors may be finding it more
difficult to write the check. For that
reason, I believe it’s imperative that
our organization: (1) grow awareness
need
of help, please contact us at:
of BFOA beyond our existing industry
segments and donor base; (2) enlist
support from the thousands of
broadcasting industry professionals
whose small contributions can
represent a significant sum of support
collectively; (3) identify additional
new funding platforms to complement
the functions and events currently in
place and (4) significantly increase
the size of BFOA’s endowment to
both safeguard and expand the critical
assistance we provide. That is some
of what I will be working on, and I
sincerely hope I can count on your
help going forward.
Our organization makes a point of
keeping the identities of the people we
assist entirely confidential, but I can
tell you that the circumstances of their
lives are quite dire, their need for help
critical. The Broadcasters Foundation
of America proudly assists good people
who, through no fault of their own,
have had something bad happen to
them. Our recent outlay of assistance
has been considerable, with nearly $3
million dispensed to several hundred
people in critical need. If you are a
past supporter of our good cause, we
need your financial support more than
ever. Life just got harder for all of us. If
you are just learning about the BFOA,
I hope you will consider getting
involved in a significant way.
You can help today by becoming a
member of BFOA for $150 – easy to
do by visiting our website,
www.broadcastersfoundation.org.
We would certainly appreciate any
additional contribution you might be
able to make at this time.
To my many friends from my many
years in broadcasting – and to those of
you I am yet to meet -- let me say this
loud and clear. Many of people ask for
your help. No organization puts it to
more direct, personal and better use
than the Broadcasters Foundation of
203-862-8577
or GHHBCAST@AOL.com
America.
I look forward to being in contact with
you in the months ahead.
Sincerely,
Jim Thompson, President
Broadcasters Foundation of America
64 On The Air Fall 2008
Broadcasters Foundation of America Board of Directors
2008-2009
Philip J. Lombardo
Chair
Stu Olds
Vice Chair
James B. Thompson
President
Board of Directors
Edward F. McLaughlin
Chairman Emeritus
Andrew S. Fisher
President, Cox Television, Inc.
William G. Moll
Chairman, Clear Channel Television
Joseph C. Amaturo
The Amaturo Family Foundation, Inc.
Richard A. Foreman
President/CEO,
Richard A. Foreman Associates
William O’Shaughnessy
Chairman, WVOX/WVIP-Whitney Media
David J. Barrett
President/CEO, Hearst-Argyle Television
Alan W. Frank
President, Post Newsweek Stations, Inc.
Diane Linen Powell
Chair
Des Plaines Publishing
Gary Fries,
Radio Advertising Bureau, ret.
David Rehr
President/CEO, Nat’l Assoc. of Broadcasters
Ralph Guild
Chairman, Interep
Joseph Reilly
President, NYS Broadcasters Association
Jeffrey H. Smulyan
Chairman/CEO, Emmis Communications
Gary R. Chapman
LIN TV Corp., ret.
Wade Hargrove, Esq.
Corporate Counsel
Brooks Pierce McLendon Humphrey &
Leonard LLP
Edward Christian
President/CEO, Saga Communications, Inc.
Thomas P. Kane
President/CEO CBS Television Station Group
Larry Dunn
Publisher, Broadcasting & Cable
Paul Karpowicz
President/CEO, Meredith Broadcasting Group
Erica Farber
Publisher, Radio & Records
N. Scott Knight
Managing General Partner,
Knightstone Media
Nicholas J. Verbitsky
Chairman, United Stations Radio Networks
Jerry Lee
President, WBEB-FM
Ed Wilson
President/CEO, Tribune Broadcasting Group
Philip R. Beuth
Capital Cities, ret.
Del R. Bryant
President/CEO, BMI
Richard D. Buckley
President/CEO, Buckley Broadcasting Corp.
Richard Ferguson
Cox Radio, ret.
Joseph M. Field
Chairman, Entercom
Skip Finley
Vice-Chairman,
ICBC Broadcast Holdings, Inc.
Peter H. Smyth
President/CEO, Greater Media, Inc.
George Stephanopoulos
Chief Washington Correspondent ABC News
Joe Uva
CEO, Univision Communications, Inc.
Jerry Levy
President, JL Media Inc.
Stanley H. Moger
President/CEO, SFM Entertainment
Officers
Chuck Bolkcom
President
B2B Media, Inc.
Diana Wilkin
President
CBS Television Affiliate
Relations
Deborah Norville
Inside Edition
Colleen Gally
Assistant Treasurer & CFO
Citadel Communications
Company, Ltd.
PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY.
JOHNNIE WALKER® BLACK LABEL® Blended Scotch Whisky, 40% Alc./Vol. (80 Proof), ©2004 Diageo North America, Inc., Stamford, CT
On The Air
Broadcasters Foundation of America
Seven Lincoln Avenue
Second Floor
Greenwich, CT 06830
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
STAMFORD, CT
PERMIT No. 102