Richard E. Wiley To Receive Broadcasters Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award

Richard E. Wiley, former chairman, commissioner, and general counsel of the FCC, and one of the country’s most prominent media and telecommunications lawyers, has been chosen as the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient by the Broadcasters Foundation of America.

The Lifetime Achievement Award honors an individual who has made invaluable contributions to the television and radio industries and will be presented to Wiley during the Golden Mike Award gala on Monday, March 6, at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. The annual event is a major fundraiser for the Broadcasters Foundation, the only charity devoted exclusively to helping broadcasters in acute need.

“Dick’s commitment to fight for our industry in Washington has given broadcasters the opportunity to grow their business,” stated Scott Herman, BFOA chairman. “His strong belief in our industry has extended to his support of the mission of the Broadcasters Foundation to help those in our business who need it most. We are honored to present him with the Lifetime Achievement Award.”

“I am honored to receive this Lifetime Achievement Award from the Broadcasters Foundation,” Wiley said. “Since arriving at the FCC more than 50 years ago, and co-founding our D.C. law firm almost 40 years ago, it’s been a privilege to work with broadcasters on landmark innovations including the development of high-definition TV. I’m proud to be a part of this great industry’s evolution, and to support the foundation’s mission of providing a critical safety net for members of the broadcast profession.”

During his tenure at the FCC from 1970 to 1977, Wiley fostered increased competition and lessened regulation in the communications field. As chair of the FCC’s Advisory Committee on Advanced Television Service, from 1987 to 1995, he played a pivotal role in the development of HDTV, for which he received an Emmy Award.

“Dick has been a driving force in the advancement of the broadcast industry for both radio and television,” said Tim McCarthy, BFOA president. “His achievements have allowed our industry to remain competitive in the ever-evolving media landscape, and we are delighted to recognize him for his many accomplishments.”

Wiley is currently chairman emeritus of the law firm he co-founded, Wiley Rein, which includes a premiere telecom, media and technology practice and is celebrating its 40th year.  He is credited with nurturing generations of legal talent and has received numerous accolades throughout his storied career, including being named a Washington “Visionary” by the National Law Journal, the “most influential media and telecommunications lawyer in the United States” by the International Herald Tribune, one of the top “100 Men of the Century” by Broadcasting + Cable, and the “Father of High-Definition” television by The Globe and Mail. He was honored by the Broadcasters Foundation in 2014 with the Lowry Mays Excellence in Broadcasting Award.

Wiley joins broadcast luminaries Lesley Visser, Charles Osgood, George Beasley, Ed McLaughlin, and Dick Clark, as a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award. As previously announced, Jack Abernethy, CEO of Fox Television Stations, will be the 2023 honoree of the Broadcasters Foundation of America Golden Mike Award.

For information, or to reserve a seat or table at the Golden Mike Award gala and fundraiser, please contact the Broadcasters Foundation at 212-373-8250 or [email protected].