Class of 2024
The 2024 awards luncheon was held Nov. 12 at Gotham Hall in New York: The Giant honoree (l-r): Christine Baranski, actor; Mike McVay, McVay Media; Patsy Smullin, California Oregon Broadcasting; Al Roker, NBC News; Wendy McMahon, CBS News and Stations and CBS Media Ventues; Stephen A. Smith, TV and podcast sports commentator; Steve Jones, Skyview Networks (Credit for all photos on this page: Wendy Moger-Bross)
Class of 2023
The awardees are in boldface. Standing (l-r): Joyce Tudryn, Giants luncheon chair; Heidi Raphael, LABF co-chair; Eric Shanks, Fox Sports; Wolf Blitzer, CNN; Tony Danza, actor/singer; David Kennedy, Aspire Ventures; Bill Whitaker, CBS News and emcee; Jack Goodman, LABF co-chair. Seated (l-r): Valari Dobson Staab, NBCU Universal Local; JuJu Chang, ABC News; Caroline Beasley, Beasley Media Group; and Nina Totenberg, NPR.
Class of 2021
Because of the Covid pandemic, the 2021 Giants luncheon was virtual and the 2020 luncheon was canceled.
Class of 2019
Awardees are in boldface. Standing (l-r): JuJu Chang, emcee; Jack Goodman, co-chair, LABF; Adam Symson, E. W. Scripps; Bob Pittman, iHeart; Pete Williams, NBC News; Sean McManus, CBS Sports; Heidi Raphael, co-chair, LABF; Fareed Zakaria, CNN. Sitting (l-r): Alex Prud’homme, nephew of TV chef Julia Child, who was honored posthumously; Deb McDermott, Standard Media; S. Epatha Merkerson, actress; and Bayard Walters, Cromwell Media.
Class of 2022
Standing (l-r): Mark Pedowitz, CW Network; Alfred Liggins, Urban One; Larry Patrick, station broker and owner; Peter Dunn, CBS TV Stations; Mark Richer, ATSC. Sitting (l-r): Julie Talbott, Premiere Networks; Lester Holt, NBC News; Connie Chung, TV journalist; Paula Kerger, PBS.
Class of 2018
Standing (l-r): Ryan Seacrest, Disney-ABC, NBCUniversal, IHeart Media; Kelly Ripa, ABC, who presented award to Seacrest; Bill Abbott, Crown Media; John David, National Association of Broadcasters; JuJu Chang, ABC News (emcee). Sitting (l-r): Jack Abernethy, Fox TV Stations; Paula Zahn, Investigation Discovery; Elizabeth Murphy-Burns, Morgan Murphy Media; David Lougee, Tegna; Bill Whitaker, CBS News. In painting: Eugene F. McDonald, founder of Zenith. Not pictured: Ed Asner, actor.
Class of 2017
Standing (l-r): David Field, Entercom Communications; Jeff Zucker, CNN; Bill Whitaker, CBS News (emcee); Michael Fiorile, Dispath Broadcast Group. Seated (l-r): Bill Koenigsberg, Horizon Media; Barbara Eden, actress; Joe Field, Entercom: Andrea Mitchell, NBC News; Jeff Fager, CBS News; Gary Chapman, LIN TV.
Class of 2016
L-r: Paul Karpowicz, Meredith Local Media Group; Steve Kroft, CBS News; Tom Brokaw, NBC News; Susan Stamberg, NPR; Dick Ebersol, NBC Sports; Susan Lucci, actress; Maria Bartiromo; Fox News Channel; Perry Sook, Nexstar; Tom Joyner; Tom Joyner Foundation. Not pictured: Walt Disney (posthumous).
Class of 2015
L-r: : Mike Carter, Carter Broadcast Group; Herb Granath, Disney-ABC; Don West, former Broadcasting & Cable and LABF president; Gracia Martore, Tegna; Bill Persky, TV writer and director; Mel Karmazin; Viaco/CBS/SiriusXM; Gene Jankowski, CBS Broadcast Group; Don Mischer, TV and radio producer. Not pictured: Jarl Mohn, radio and cable executive.
Class of 2014
L-r: Chuck Scarborough;: WNBC anchor; Pablo Raul Alarcon, Spanish Broadcasting System; Peter Smythe, Greater Media; Raul Alarson, Spanish Broadcasting System; David Barrett, Hearst Television. Not pictured: Pat Weaver, NBC (posthumous); Fred Silverman, Fred Silverman Co.; Regis Philbin, TV personality; Judy Woodruff, PBS Newshour.
Class of 2013
The awardees are in boldface. Standing (l-r): Dennis Wharton, LABF; Gary Chapman, LABF; Dick Wiley, FCC and Wiley Rein; John Taylor, LABF; Dr. Judy Kuriansky, LABF; unidentified; Ginny Morris, LABF; Jeff Smulyan, Emmis Communications: Carole Cooper and Richard Leibner, news talent agents; Alex Trebek, Jeopardy; Bob Johnson, BET; Dick Cavett, talk show host; Morley Safer, CBS. Not pictured: David E. Kelley, TV writer; Barry Diller, Fox Broadcasting and USA Broadcasting; Anne Sweeney, Disney/ABC.
Class of 2012
Class of 2011
L-r: JoAnn Nail (wife of Dawson “Tack” Nail, who was honored posthumously); Fred Pierce, ABC; Christine Amanpour, ABC; Charles Osgood, representing CBS Sunday Morning, a program recognized as a Giant: Not pictured:: Francis Preston, BMI; Tack Nail, media journalist (posthumous); John Dille, Federated Media; Brian Lamb, C-SPAN; and James Arness, actor (posthumous).
Class of 2010
L-r: Hal Jackson, radio personality; Sam Donaldson, ABC News; Lesley Stahl; CBS News; Agnes Nixon, TV writer and producer; Don West, president, LABF; Charles Osgood, emcee. Not pictured: Dick Clark, TV personality and producer; Norwin Corwin, writer and producer; Eddie Fritts, National Association of Broadcasters; Art Linkletter, TV personality (posthumous); Rue McClanahan, actress (posthumous); Daniel Schorr, CBS News and CNN (posthumous); David L. Wolper, TV producer (posthumous).
Class of 2009
L-r: Woo Paik, General Instrument; Norm Pattiz, Westwood One; Katie Couric, NBC News and CBS News; Ken Burns, documentarian; Barbara Cochran, RTNDA; Chris Rohrs, TVB. Not pictured: Bea Arthur (posthumous) and Ed McMahon (posthumous).
Class of 2008
L-r: James Quello, FCC; Bill Baker, PBS; Cokie Roberts, NPR; Jerry Lee, WBEB Philadelphia; Lucy Jarvis, TV producer; Bob Wright, NBC. Not pictured: William Shatner, actor; Jim McKay, sportscaster (posthumous); Roger King, TV producer and distributor (posthumous) and Tim Russert, NBC News (posthumous).
Class of 2007
Clockwise from top left: John Blair, Blair Television; Dennis FitzSimons, Tribune; Joe Flaherty, CBS; Tony Malara, CBS; Dennis Swanson, TV executive; Diane Sawyer, ABC News and CBS News; Charlie Rose, PBS; Cathy Hughes, Radio One.
Class of 2006
Frank Bennack, Hearst; Dorothy Stimson Bullitt, pioneer broadcaster; Eduardo Caballero, Caballero Spanish Media; Jimmy Durante, entertainer; Peter Jennings ABC News, Lowry Mays and family, radio station owner; Bob Schieffer, CBS News; Kate Smith, singer; Barbara Walters, ABC News.
Class of 2005
Mel Allen, sportscaster; Red Barber, sportscaster; Bob Bennett, TV executivel Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner, TV producers; Johnny Carson, talk show host; Ronald Davenport Sr., radio station and network owner; Bob Elliott and Ray Goulding, entertainers; Gabriel Heatter; radio newscaster and commentator; Dan Rather, CBS News; Fred Rogers, TV children’s entertainer; Lucie Salhany, UPN; Les Smith; radio station owner; Tichenor family, Hispanic broadcasting. (Sept. 15, 2005, Grand Hyatt New York)
Class of 2004
Roone Arledge, ABC; Ralph Baruch, broadcast and cable executive; Fred Friendly, CBS News; John B., John A. and John R. Grambling, radio personalities; Merv Griffin, TV talk show host and producer; Don Hewitt, CBS News; Shari Lewis, entertainer; Don McNeill, radio personality; Ed McLaughlin, radio producer and syndicator; Jack Paar, talk show host; Tony Randall, actor; Todd Storz, radio station owner; Pierre Sutton, Inner City Broadcasting; Danny Thomas, actor; Marlo Thomas, actress; Mike Wallace, CBS News. (Sept. 15, 2004, Grand Hyatt New York)
Class of 2003
The LABF inducted its inaugural class of 50 Giants — entertainers, innovators, programmers and executives — on Sept. 18, 2003, at the Grand Hyatt New York.
Among the honorees in attendance that day: Sesame Street creator Joan Ganz Cooney; CBS news anchor Walter Cronkite; radio station owner Ragan Henry; TV and station owner Stanley S. Hubbard; Metromedia executive John Kluge; Tribune executive Ward Quaal; and former CBS President Frank Stanton. “All are legendary for their contributions to broadcasting, and this event is designed to keep their example before us," said LABF President Lucille Luongo.
Honored in abstentia or posthumously: Fred Allen, Edwin H. Armstrong, Lucille Ball, Jack Benny, Gertrude Berg, Edgar Bergen, Milton Berle, George Burns and Gracie Allen, Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca, Frank Conrad, Bill Cosby, Bing Crosby. Powel Crosley Jr., Lee DeForest, Allen B. DuMont, Philo Farnsworth, Pauline Frederick, Dorothy Fuldheim, Jackie Gleason, Arthur Godfrey.
Leonard H. Goldenson, Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll, Jack Harris, Paul Harvey, Bob Hope, Stanley E. Hubbard, Chet Huntley and David Brinkley, Jim and Marian Jordan (Fibber McGee & Molly), H. V. Kaltenborn, Guglielmo Marconi, Donald McGannon, Gordon McLendon, Tom Murphy, Edward R. Murrow, William S. Paley, Ima Phillips, J. Leonard Reinsch, David Sarnoff, Eric Severeid, George Storer, Ed Sullvan, Sol Taishoff, Lowell Thomas and Vladimir Zworykin.