Long-time broadcast veteran Richard Friedel was awarded the NABA International Achievement Award at the NABA Virtual Annual General Meeting on July 20th, 2022. Richard had retired from Fox Television Stations as EVP, Corporate Engineering and as NABA’s President this past January, but remains a close colleague and source of valuable advice for our industry.
The NABA International Achievement Award recognizes a person who has served the broadcasting industry beyond the scope of their professional roles. In particular, it recognizes those that give their time, leadership and talent to create an industry consensus on current critical issues and foster a collegial approach to problem solving, knowledge sharing and common understanding in their own country, region and in global forums. There is no one that has demonstrated these attributes better than Richard.
“Richard’s collaborative approach and his innate belief that broadcasters share many common challenges led to common solutions and practices in one of the most intensely competitive industries in the world,” says Michael McEwen, NABA Director-General. “This is why he is always greeted warmly, and his participation well received by colleagues in Europe, Asia and indeed around the world. A reflection on his success as a NABA leader. The core of NABA’s mission is to provide our community with opportunities to share and solve challenges to the benefit of all in our industry and that core mission is apparent in the way Richard conducts business and defines the person he is.”
Richard has been involved with NABA for more than twenty years and even longer than that with ATSC, has on-going participation at IBC as a member of the IBC Council, was a DPP leadership contributor in the UK, and was always omnipresent at the NAB, all on top of a distinguished career beginning with NBC, ABC/Capital Cities, and then more than twenty-five years with Fox.
“I am really honoured with this recognition. NABA is an important part of my life, but so many people involved in NABA are friends or long-term colleagues of mine and to have you bestow this is all the more meaningful,” Richard said upon receiving the award. “I’ve always believed in collaboration because we can get more done and do it better as a diverse group. I want to encourage everyone to continue doing that. Think about how great a career we have. We entertain, educate and inform literally hundreds of millions of people. What could be a better purpose? Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Congratulations, Richard!