NEW YORK—Two-hundred-and-seventy-five radio and television executives and celebrities gathered at the famed Plaza Hotel in New York City last night to honor Jordan Wertlieb, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Hearst with the 2024 BFOA Golden Mic Award and Deborah Norville, two-time Emmy© winning anchor of Inside Edition and 23-year member of the Broadcasters Foundation Board of Directors, with the 2024 Edward F. McLaughlin Lifetime Achievement Award. The annual gala is a major fundraiser for the Broadcasters Foundation of America, which provides financial assistance to broadcasters in acute need.
The evening saw the return of Emmy-winning broadcast journalist and nationally syndicated talk show host Soledad O’Brien as emcee of the gala. A terrific performance by Pete Caldera regaled the audience with renditions of Frank Sinatra standards, including a dedication of I Did It My Way to Phil Lombardo, the longtime Chairman and then Chairman Emeritus of the BFOA, who passed away in January.
One of the most poignant moments during the event was a video of one of the Foundation’s grant recipients, who bravely shared her story. The video was a real-life example of how anyone’s life can change in a heartbeat. Luke Commare, a TV station General Sales Manager, developed a brain tumor that took his life, leaving his wife Terrie with four children and no income. The Broadcasters Foundation stepped in with a monthly grant to help the family make ends meet. To hear Terrie’s moving story, please click here.
The Broadcasters Foundation has distributed more than $15 million dollars in aid over the past 20 years. This year, the Foundation will award approximately $1.8 million.
For more information on the Broadcasters Foundation, to donate or apply for aid, please visit www.broadcastersfoundation.org, call 212-373-8250, or email info@thebfoa.org.
