NEW YORK — Broadcasting’s biggest personalities mixed with television stars and media celebrities on Monday evening as the Broadcasters Foundation of America (BFOA) transformed The Plaza in New York City into a who’s who of the industry at its annual gala, drawing nearly 300 leaders from radio and television for a night that celebrated broadcasting excellence while raising funds for colleagues in need.
Among the celebrities turning out for the evening were veteran actress Christine Taylor; New York Yankees television announcer and ESPN Radio host Michael Kay; NBC television personality Willie Geist; Jodi Applegate, a journalist and television host seen on MSNBC and NBC; and legendary retired radio personality Scott Shannon.
Deborah Norville, a longtime BFOA Board member and veteran television journalist, was also on hand as the gala honored several of broadcasting’s most influential figures.
As previously reported, Stephen A. Smith received the inaugural Broadcast Personality of the Year Award; Ernest A. Liebre, Senior Vice President and Institutional Financial Advisor at CAPTRUST, was presented with the Philip J. Lombardo Spirit Award; Versant CEO Mark Lazarus, former Chairman of NBCUniversal Media Group, received the BFOA Golden Mic Award; and “Judge Judy” Sheindlin was honored with the Edward F. McLaughlin Lifetime Achievement Award.
WNYW “FOX 5” in New York’s Natasha Verma hosted the evening’s program as industry leaders, on-air talent, and media executives gathered in support of the Broadcasters Foundation’s charitable mission.
Proceeds from the gala support the Broadcasters Foundation of America’s work providing financial assistance to broadcasters and their families facing acute hardship due to illness, accident, or natural disaster.
The mission of the Broadcasters Foundation of America is to improve the quality of life for people in the radio and television broadcast profession who find themselves in acute financial need due to life-changing illness. The Foundation reaches out across the country to identify and provide an anonymous safety net in cases of critical illness, accident, and other serious misfortune. The Broadcasters Foundation of America is a 501(c)3 Public Charity and has received four stars from Charity Navigator, its highest rating, and a Gold Seal of Transparency from Candid/GuideStar.
