NABEF To Honor Dingell With New Award

John Dingell

The National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation (NABEF) is establishing the John D. Dingell Jr. Award for Excellence in honor of the late long-serving congressman, NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith announced today. The award will be presented at the organization’s annual Celebration of Service to America Awards gala starting in 2020.

First elected to Congress in 1955, Dingell created “an indelible impression on industries as diverse as communications, energy and health care during his 59-year career in the House of Representatives,” according to NABEF. Dingell died on Feb. 7.

Among his many legislative accomplishments, Dingell championed the Medicare Act, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Air Act and the Affordable Care Act. He retired from the House of Representatives in January 2015 as the longest-serving congressman in U.S. history. He was succeeded in his congressional seat by his wife, Rep. Debbie Dingell.

Serving for 14 terms as chairman or ranking member of the House Energy & Commerce Committee, Dingell, NABEF said, “had unprecedented influence over legislation that shaped today’s system of free and local radio and television. In that capacity, Dingell was instrumental in helping TV broadcasters secure a loan of spectrum that ushered in the era of digital and high definition television.”

He also successfully blocked attempts to impose government-mandated free airtime for politicians, supported broadcast efforts to secure retransmission consent rights and fought to ensure that low-power FM stations did not interfere with existing full-power FM stations.

Dingell was also known for his forceful oversight of the FCC and thorough review of broadcast regulations.

“John Dingell was a patriot, a lifelong public servant, and a strong believer in the importance of free and local broadcasting,” said Smith. “America’s broadcasters owe a debt of gratitude to Chairman Dingell for his lifelong friendship and the enduring impact he had on our industry. We are honored to establish The John D. Dingell Jr. Award for Excellence as a tribute to his legacy.”

Dingell’s contributions to the broadcasting community will be recognized at the upcoming Celebration of Service to America Awards gala on June 11. NABEF will present the John D. Dingell Jr. Award for Excellence for the first time at the 2020 gala following the establishment of award criteria.

About the Celebration of Service to America Awards
The Celebration of Service to America Awards are sponsored and produced by NABEF with major support from the National Association of Broadcasters, Bonneville International and Hearst Television. In recent years, Jon Bon Jovi; Sharon Stone; Gary Sinise; Paul Simon; Stevie Wonder; Glenn Close; Jeff Bridges; Quincy Jones; Sir Elton John; Bill Clinton; Laura Bush; Muhammad Ali; among others, have been presented with the Celebration of Service to America Leadership Award at the event. Details about the Celebration of Service to America Awards are available at www.nabef.org/sta.