THE ENVELOPE PLEASE…Richer Named to ‘Giants of Broadcasting’

Posted on December 2, 2019 in ATSC News

In recognition of his stellar four-decade television career, retired ATSC President Mark Richer has been named to the “Giants of Broadcasting,” the Library of American Broadcasting’s honor roll of industry luminaries who have defined the past, present and future of broadcasting.

Richer joins the ranks of other distinguished digital television pioneers named Giants of Broadcasting over the years: the late Dr. Joseph Flaherty of CBS (2007), Dr. Woo Paik of General Instrument and later LG Electronics (2009), and the “Father of HDTV”: the Honorable Richard E. Wiley of the Federal Communications Commission and the famous communications law firm that bears his name, WileyRein (2013).

Introducing Richer at the November gala, Emcee Juju Chang, Co-Anchor of ABC News Nightline, said, “The capstone of his career is the new ATSC 3.0 Next Gen TV standard developed under his leadership.  It marries broadcast and broadband for the first time – and truly represents the future of television. Poised to rollout in the U.S. during 2020 and beyond, this incredible new standard is a fitting legacy for this Giant of Broadcasting.”

“ATSC 3.0,” Richer said from the stage, “is the culmination of a six-year standards development effort to rethink over-the-air broadcast television service in the Internet age… Development of technical standards is truly a team sport. ATSC 3.0 is the result of a collaborative effort of hundreds of talented individuals and innovative companies from around the world.”

Madeleine Noland, who succeeded Richer as ATSC President in May, applauded her friend and colleague for his lifetime of achievements, “especially his ATSC leadership through two major sea changes in broadcast television technology,” adding: “Even before today, Mark already was a Giant in our book. On behalf of Mark’s entire ATSC family, congratulations!”

The annual Giants of Broadcasting & Electronic Arts event, supporting the Library of American Broadcasting Foundation, recognizes distinguished individuals who have for the past century been the creators, innovators, journalists, leaders, performers, and producers that have brought the electronic arts to the prominence they occupy in the United States and the world today, and who have set the stage for the future.

Joining Mark Richer in the 2019 class of Giants are award-winning journalist Connie Chung, CBS Television Stations President Peter Dunn, NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt, Urban One CEO Alfred C. Liggins III, PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger, Patrick Communications Founder and Managing Partner Larry Patrick, CW Television Network President Mark Pedowitz, and Premiere Networks President Julie Talbott.

Posted in ATSC News