WASHINGTON, D.C. — John Kean, former senior technologist at National Public Radio, and John Lyons, assistant vice president and director of broadcast communications at The Durst Organization, are the 2017 recipients of the NAB Engineering Achievement Awards. Additionally, Catherine Badalamente, vice president of digital media for Graham Media Group, is the recipient of the Digital Leadership Award. The honorees will be recognized at the NAB Show Technology Luncheon on Wednesday, April 26 in Las Vegas.
Established in 1959, the Engineering Achievement Awards are given to individuals who are nominated by their peers for significant contributions to advancing the state of the art in broadcast engineering. In 2015, the Digital Leadership Award was established to honor an individual at a broadcast station, group or network who has had a significant role in transforming a traditional broadcast business to succeed on digital media platforms.
The 2017 Digital Leadership Award
In her role as vice president of digital media for Graham Media Group, Catherine Badalamente oversees digital sales, content and technology. Under her leadership, Graham Digital has transformed from a small group of part-time employees to a leading digital development company, with top rated digital platforms in most markets. Prior to her current role, Badalamente served as director of digital media, helping create successful multi-platform convergent campaigns for clients and stations, and was successful at driving growth in both audience and revenue. Further demonstrating her commitment to the broadcast industry, Badalamente is currently the chair of the NAB Digital Officer Committee and is on the board of the Local Media Association.
The 2017 NAB Radio Engineering Achievement Award
Kean
John Kean joined National Public Radio (NPR) in 1980 and focused on technology issues and FCC regulatory topics in his role as a senior technologist. In 1986, Kean joined Jules Cohen and Associates and then moved to Moffet, Larson and Johnson in 1988, where he consulted on broadcast and telecommunications projects. He later returned to NPR to help establish NPR Labs, an initiative that develops and evaluates new technologies, standards and procedures for public radio. He’s now a consultant with Cavell Mertz and Associates, in addition to his own private consulting practice. Kean is a past chairman of the IEEE Broadcast Symposium and the Washington, D.C. Section of the Audio Engineering Society. He is an author, frequent presenter, and holds a patent for an algorithm that determines digital broadcast radio coverage.
The 2017 NAB Television Engineering Achievement Award
Lyons
In his role as assistant vice president and director of broadcast communications for The Durst Organization, a premier office tower and residential building management company based in New York City, John Lyons is responsible for the communications needs of the entire 13 million-square-foot Durst commercial portfolio. Lyons played an important role in getting broadcasters back on the air in New York after the fall of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. He also spearheaded the design and implementation of the re-designed master antenna at 4 Times Square and more recently the new broadcast transmission facility at One World Trade Center. He has held various positions within the communications industry for over 50 years and has received numerous awards for his work with broadcasters and first responders.
Recipients of the NAB Technology Innovation Award and NAB Best Paper Award will also be announced at the Technology Luncheon.
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About NAB Show
NAB Show, held April 22-27, 2017 in Las Vegas, is the world’s largest convention encompassing The M.E.T. Effect, the convergence of media, entertainment and technology. With 103,000 attendees from 166 countries and 1,700+ exhibitors, NAB Show is the ultimate marketplace for solutions that transcend traditional broadcasting and embrace content delivery to new screens in new ways. From creation to consumption, across multiple platforms and countless nationalities, NAB Show is where global visionaries convene to bring content to life in new and exciting ways. For complete details, visit www.nabshow.com.
About NAB
The National Association of Broadcasters is the premier advocacy association for America’s broadcasters. NAB advances radio and television interests in legislative, regulatory and public affairs. Through advocacy, education and innovation, NAB enables broadcasters to best serve their communities, strengthen their businesses and seize new opportunities in the digital age. Learn more at www.nab.org.