Digital TV Pioneer Wiley Honored

Posted on November 7, 2013 in ATSC News

Former FCC Chairman Joins ATSC’s Flaherty, Paik as ‘Giants of Broadcasting’

The Honorable Richard E. Wiley was honored at the 11th annual “Giants of Broadcasting” (giantsofbroadcasting.com) gala, sponsored by the Library of American Broadcasting in New York City on Oct. 16. As Chairman of the FCC Advisory Committee on Advanced Television Service from 1987-1996, he shepherded development and FCC adoption of the ATSC Digital Television Standard.

In his acceptance remarks before 500 guests, former FCC Chairman Wiley discussed the changing media landscape and the key role of technical standards. Also inducted in the Giants of Broadcasting for “excellence in the electronic communication arts” were Alex Trebek, Jeopardy! host; Barry Diller, IAC chairman and senior executive; Morley Safer, 60 Minutes correspondent; Dick Cavett, talk show legend; Jeff Smulyan, founder and former CEO and president of Emmis Communications; Robert L. Johnson, founder of BET; David E. Kelley, TV producer and writer; Richard Leibner, founder and president of talent agency N.S. Bienstock; and Carole Cooper, longtime agent at Bienstock.

The ATSC honored Chairman Wiley with an ad in the luncheon program, and many ATSC member representatives, from CBS, Fox, LG Electronics, NAB, NBC Universal and others, were in attendance. The Library of American Broadcasting has been honoring leaders in the broadcasting industry annually since 2003. Previous ATSC-related honorees, include ATSC director emeritus Joe Flaherty of CBS and Dr. Woo Paik, formerly of General Instrument and LG Electronics. The current list will bring the total number of inductees to 170.

Posted in ATSC News