CARTERVILLE, Ill. & SPRINGFIELD, Ill.—The Illinois Broadcasters Association (IBA) has announced that Neal Sabin, vice-chairman of Weigel Broadcasting, has been named its 2022 "IBA/Vincent T. Wasilewski Broadcaster of the Year."
In announcing the award, the IBA noted that a Chicago Tribune article once described Sabin as "the programming mastermind behind Weigel's Me-TV," turning a "burgeoning television network into a national powerhouse."
"Neal Sabin single-handedly changed the landscape of digital television," remarked Dennis Lyle, president, and CEO of the IBA. "I've long admired his genius, his creativity, and his passion for the industry. He is a true visionary and is more than qualified for selection as IBA's Vincent T. Wasilewski Broadcaster of Year."
"I am humbled to join the ranks of Illinois broadcasters who have received this prestigious award," said Sabin in a statement. "So many of them provide inspiration to me and many other broadcast professionals here in Illinois and beyond. I am grateful to the Association for awarding me this honor."
Sabin is scheduled to accept the award on opening night of IBA's annual conference, October 24-25 in Normal, IL. For more details visit https://ilba.org/event/iba2022-leadingfortomorrow/.
The award is named after Vincent T. Wasilewski who became the 18th President of the National Association of Broadcasters in January 1965. In his honor, the IBA renamed its "Broadcaster of the Year Award" in 1989, as the "Vincent T. Wasilewski Award."
The award was created to honor those Illinois broadcasters who exhibit the same passion and dedication to this industry as Wasilewski did. Honorees are recognized for broadcast excellence with their Illinois station(s) and within the broadcast industry as a whole, for the respect they receive from their peers both on a local market and national level, and for their work to achieve a favorable legislative climate for the broadcast industry.
