The Broadcasters Foundation of America has named Emmis Communications Corp. founder and Chairman of the Board Jeffrey H. Smulyan as the 2017 recipient of its Lowry Mays Excellence in Broadcasting Award.
The Lowry Mays Excellence in Broadcasting Award is bestowed annually on an individual whose work exemplifies innovation, community service, advocacy and entrepreneurship. It salutes Lowry Mays and is underwritten by The Mays Family Foundation.
Smulyan formed Emmis in 1980. Emmis owns and operates 16 FM and three AM radio stations in Los Angeles; New York; Austin, Texas; St. Louis, Mo.; and Indianapolis, Ind. The company went public in 1994. Through Emmis, Smulyan has been a strong advocate for the activation of FM chips in smartphones.
Smulyan is also a former director of the NAB and former chairman of the Radio Advertising Bureau. In addition, he has served as past chair of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership and sits on the board of trustees of the University of Southern California, his alma mater.
He has been recognized with the NAB’s National Radio Award. He has been inducted into the Indiana Business Hall of Fame. The Broadcasters’ Foundation has previously honored Smulyan with its Golden Mike Award, and he was named a “Giant of Broadcasting” by the Library of American Broadcasting.
Smulyan will be recognized April 26 during the foundation’s annual breakfast, which will be held at 7 a.m. in the Brahms Room of the Encore Hotel in Las Vegas. The event coincides with the NAB Show. The breakfast is complimentary and open those who preregister. The breakfast is sponsored by Frank N. Magid Associates, Marketron, the National Association of Broadcasters, the National Association of Media Brokers, Nielsen, the Radio Advertising Bureau and the Television Bureau of Advertising.
To register or to reserve a page in the program guide to honor Smulyan, contact (212) 373-8250 or [email protected].
