BFoA To Honor Mel Karmazin With Lowery Mays Award

Mel Karmazin

Mel Karmazin has been announced as the 2015 recipient of the Lowry Mays Excellence in Broadcasting Award that will be presented during The Broadcasters Foundation of America annual breakfast held at 7:00AM on Wednesday, April 15 during the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show in Las Vegas.  This year, the Awards Breakfast moves to a new location, the Brahms Room in the Encore Hotel.

Recognized as an industry leader and innovator, Karmazin was the Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors of SiriusXM when he retired in 2013.  He held a similar position at Sirius Satellite Radio and oversaw the merger with XM Satellite Radio.  Before moving into satellite radio, Karmazin was President and Chief Operating Officer of Viacom, where he served on the Board of Directors and was responsible for all of Viacom's operations.  Previously, he served as President Chief Executive Officer, and member of the Board of Directors of CBS Corp., following a stint as its President and Chief Operating Officer.  Karmazin first joined CBS in January 1997 as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CBS Radio, following the merger of Westinghouse/CBS and Infinity Broadcasting, where he had been President and Chief Executive Officer. Earlier in his career, Karmazin spent 10 years with Metromedia.

Karmazin is involved in numerous philanthropic ventures and has served on a number of boards throughout his career. Currently, he is a Trustee at NYU Langone Medical Center, a Board member and Executive Committee member of Autism Speaks, and Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of The Paley Center for Media. He was inducted into the Broadcasting Hall of Fame, and has received the National Association of Broadcasters’ National Radio Award and the IRTS Gold Medal Award.

The Lowry Mays Excellence in Broadcasting Award is bestowed annually on an individual in broadcasting whose work exemplifies innovation, community service, advocacy, and entrepreneurship.   It salutes its namesake Lowry Mays and is underwritten by The Mays Family Foundation.

The Broadcasters Foundation Breakfast is complimentary to all, thanks to the generosity of the sponsors:  Frank N. Magid Associates, Marketron, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), the National Association of Media Brokers (NAMB), Nielsen the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB), and the Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB).  To register, please contact the Foundation at 212-373-8250 or info@thebfoa.org.

Over the years, the Broadcasters Foundation has distributed millions of dollars to thousands of broadcasters and their families.  Individual membership is only $150 a year.  Individual donations can be made to the Guardian Fund, corporate contributions are accepted through the Angel Initiative, and bequests can be arranged through the Legacy Society.  To learn more or to donate, please contact the Broadcasters Foundation at 212-373-8250 or info@thebfoa.org or visit www.broadcastersfoundation.org.