Bud Paxson Honored During Day One of 2015 NAB Show

Gordon Smith

NAB Show, the world's largest annual conference and expo for professionals who create, manage, and distribute entertainment across all platforms, kicked off Monday.

NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith opened the convention with his annual State of the Broadcast Industry Address, and a broad range of sessions throughout the day delved into how content comes to life in today's media marketplace. An expected 100,000 audio, video, and film content professionals from around the world are set to attend this year's NAB Show, which runs through Thursday, April 16.

In his annual address at the NAB Show Opening, Smith discussed the importance of broadcast radio and television to local communities in today's increasingly fragmented media marketplace. Smith spoke about broadcasters' efforts to extend their "one-to-many" architecture to emerging platforms. He talked about the possibilities of next-gen television, which would provide broadcasters with the flexibility to choose and pursue Ultra HD, targeted advertising, datacasting, mobility, and enhanced multicasting. He also praised radio broadcasters' commitment to further the development of NextRadio, which enables free, local radio on smartphones.



Following his keynote, Smith presented Jerry Lewis, humanitarian and one of the most successful entertainers in history, with the NAB Distinguished Service Award.



After the award ceremony, Peter Guber, founder, chairman, and CEO of Mandalay Entertainment Group, gave a keynote speech that discussed the future of content production, live events, and monetization.

At the Television Luncheon, Shonda Rhimes, creator and executive producer of broadcast hits "Grey's Anatomy" and "Scandal" was inducted into the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame. Actor and producer Tracee Ellis Ross, who stars in the ABC comedy series "Black-ish," received the NAB Television Chairman's Award, while Lowell "Bud" Paxson was posthumously honored with the NAB Spirit of Broadcasting Award, which is given to individuals who have made a unique and enduring difference in the broadcasting industry.


The Creative Master Series featured Oscar-nominated cinematographer Robert Yeoman, ASC, in conversation with Jon Witmer, managing editor of American Cinematography Magazine, to discuss "The Grand Budapest Hotel" and the techniques Yeoman used to elevate director Wes Anderson's well-known aesthetic tropes to new heights.

Award-winning writer, director, and producer Morgan Spurlock hosted a Super Session where he discussed how to create content that can be both original and have a meaningful impact.