C-SPAN, Brian Lamb Getting Vanguard Award

C-SPAN’s founder and executive chairman, Brian Lamb, and C-SPAN will be presented a special NCTA Vanguard Award, in honor of their service to the cable industry and the nation and the impact that C-SPAN has had on national discourse, the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) announced on Tuesday.

Lamb, who recently transitioned into the role of executive chairman at C-SPAN, founded the network in 1978, starting as CEO and adding the title of board chairman in 1985. Under the leadership of Lamb and his team, C-SPAN has grown to 275 employees, three television networks, nationwide radio and an online digital video library comprising three decades of federal, congressional and public affairs events. C-SPAN television networks can be viewed in more than 100 million households nationwide.

Joining Lamb to accept the Vanguard in Boston will be Susan Swain and Rob Kennedy, who recently succeeded Lamb as co-CEOs and who between them have more than 55 years of service to the network.

Lamb, who became the public face of C-SPAN as a host of the network’s daily public affairs call-in program, Washington Journal, and the long-running iconic author chat, Book Notes, currently continues his journalistic and on-air work at C-SPAN, hosting the weekly interview program, Q&A.

The 2012 Vanguard Awards will be presented on Wednesday, May 23, at a luncheon and awards ceremony during The Cable Show 2012, NCTA’s 61st annual convention and international exposition, May 21-23, at the Boston Convention and Exposition Center.

Inaugurated in 1965, the Vanguard Awards are presented annually to individuals who excel in both business and personal commitment to their colleagues, and whose accomplishments merit the recognition of the entire cable industry.