Giants Of Broadcasting Luncheon Canceled

The Library of American Broadcasting Foundation (LABF) announced today that conditions do not permit it to hold its annual Giants of Broadcasting awards luncheon in 2020. The Giants event each year honors individuals who have made significant contributions to American broadcasting and the electronic arts, including entertainers, program producers, and business leaders.

“After careful consideration, we concluded that it would be impossible, due to the continuing coronavirus pandemic, to guarantee safety for the honorees and the several hundred people who regularly attend the Giants luncheon,” said Virginia Hubbard Morris, LABF chair. “It is particularly sad,” she continued, “that we will not be able to hold an in-person event honoring broadcasting in 2020, the year that marks the 100th anniversary of the beginning of commercial broadcasting.”

LABF will continue to provide support for the Library of American Broadcasting collection housed at the University of Maryland in College Park, Md., and for the awards LABF supports honoring the best works, including both print and video, exploring broadcast history each year.

Despite not having the Giants luncheon, “we hope companies and individuals in the media industries will continue to support LABF, both financially and with contributions of historical materials, as it collects and honors an industry so central to American history and identity,” said Sally Brown, LABF chief development officer. “Particularly as companies reorganize and consolidate, it is important that we do not lose access to the history of this great industry.”