![Former NAB head and Oregon Senator Gordon Smith accepts the Samaritan Award at the NAB Service to America ceremony on Tuesday night in Washington, D.C. [Photo: Dennis Wharton]](https://rbr.com/wp-content/uploads/smith-wharton-credit-e1654694390992.jpg "smith wharton credit")
WASHINGTON, D.C. — From salutes to an acclaimed Grammy award-winning recording artist to one of the world’s top chefs, responsible for Inside-the-Beltway institution Jaleo, the National Association of Broadcasters Leadership Foundation celebrated in style on Tuesday night as its 2002 Celebration of Service to America Awards were handed out at a gala held at The Anthem.
While Patti LaBelle and José Andres were saluted by the NABLF, as was former NAB head and ex-Oregon Senator Gordon Smith, a series of top radio and television broadcasting companies were singled out for their “outstanding service to their communities.”
The awards were announced live and presented to recipients in eight categories.
The 2022 Celebration of Service to America Award winners are:
Service to Community Award for Radio, Broadcast Ownership Group
Beasley Media Group, 2021 Beasley Best Community of Caring Initiative
Service to Community Award for Television, Broadcast Ownership Group
Cox Media Group, CMG Gets Real
Service to Community Award for Radio – Large/Major Market
WTLC-FM in Indianapolis, Urban One, Feeding Families for 365 Days Plus
Service to Community Award for Television – Large/Major Market
WFAA-8 in Dallas, TEGNA, WFAA Adoption Awareness
Service to Community Award for Radio – Medium Market
WJBR-FM in Wilmington, Del., Beasley Media Group, Mix 99.5 WJBR Help Our Kids Radiothon
Service to Community Award for Television – Medium Market
WIS-10, Gray Television, Columbia, S.C., Families Helping Families
Service to Community Award for Radio – Small Market
ADX Communications of Escambia (WNRP, WYCT, and WEBY) in Pensacola, Fla., Next Level Covid Charts
Service to Community Award for Television – Small Market
KOBI-5 in Medford-Ashland, Ore., California Oregon Broadcasting, In this Together
The affair also saw Andres, a world-renowned chef and humanitarian, and LaBelle received Service to America Leadership Awards, NABLF’s highest individual honor, during the ceremony.
GEICO, a top advertiser at spot radio and spot TV in recent years, was honored with the Corporate Leadership Award, in recognition of its decades of work supporting initiatives and building partnerships within the communities the company serves.
As pictured above (top left), former NAB President/CEO Smith was honored with the Service to America Samaritan Award. The honor is given to a broadcaster or organization “exemplifying the industry’s commitment to using the airwaves efficiently to promote the public interest.” The NABLF says Smith earned it “in recognition of his leadership of community service projects undertaken by NAB during his tenure.”
Actor and television host Mario Lopez emceed the event. Featured celebrity presenters included Angela Yee, co-host of Premiere Networks nationally syndicated radio show “The Breakfast Club.”
CBS Sports’ James Brown, a three-time Emmy Award Winner and Hall of Fame Sportscaster; the co-anchor of ABC News’ “Nightline,” Juju Chang; actor Asher Grodman, star of CBS’ series “Ghosts;” culinary visionary and celebrity lifestyle chef Chef Huda; American rock and soul artist Maggie Rose, who performed the National Anthem; and (virtually) two Drews — Drew Barrymore and Drew Carey — were presenters.
NABLF President Michelle Duke commented, “These awards winners embody the best of broadcasting’s public service and shine a light on how radio and television stations are changing lives for the better. We congratulate all of these fine broadcasters and stations everywhere that are working to improve their local communities.”
A special one-hour production of the awards ceremony will air nationally on broadcast stations across the country. Suggested air dates are July 9 to August 13.
Photos from last night’s Celebration of Service to America Awards gala, held annually by the NAB Leadership Foundation in recognition of local broadcasters’ outstanding service to their communities, are now available and may be accessed at https://
NAB Leadership Foundation Launches Fellowship Honoring Programming Executive Emerson Coleman
The National Association of Broadcasters Leadership Foundation (NABLF), in partnership with Hearst Television, announced a new fellowship program honoring the legacy of distinguished broadcast professional Emerson Coleman on Tuesday at the Celebration of Service to America Awards.
Through the Emerson Coleman Fellowship (ECF), NABLF and Hearst Television will work to create a more diverse workforce at every level of the broadcast industry that is representative of the communities served.
A diverse group of four or five recent college graduates will be selected for the Fellowship, which consists of training and professional development seminars, internship experience, a capstone project and a one-on-one mentoring session with Coleman. Broadcast companies will partner with NABLF to host Fellows for their internships in the summer of 2023.
Coleman presently serves as SVP/Programming at Hearst Television, and oversees program development and acquisitions. Coleman will retire from Hearst Television at the end of 2022, concluding 32 years with the company.
Charter sponsors of the Emerson Coleman Fellowship program are Brooks Pierce, CBS Media Ventures, Comcast NBCUniversal, CoxReps, Debmar-Mercury, Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution, Eyewitness Kids News LLC, FOX, Katz Media Group, SmithGeiger, Soledad O’Brien & Brad Raymond, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Warner Bros. and Weigel Broadcasting.
Applications for the Emerson Coleman Fellowship will open later this fall and the program will officially begin in May 2023. Learn more about the program at nabfoundation.org/programs/
