Our Mission
The mission of the Broadcasters Foundation of America is to improve the quality of life and maintain the personal dignity of men and women in the radio and television broadcast profession who find themselves in acute financial need due to a critical illness, accident, advanced age or other serious misfortune.
Our History
Over 65 years ago, when a fellow broadcaster fell on hard times and was unable to receive his salary, his broadcasting colleagues came together and chipped in to support him until he was back on his feet. That initial idea became the Broadcast Pioneers, which launched similar programs within cities across the country. Today, we have the Broadcasters Foundation of America, which combined the Pioneers’ efforts and expanded outreach to the whole country.
About Us
The Broadcasters Foundation of America reaches across the country to provide an anonymous safety net for radio and television broadcasters who find themselves in acute financial need. For over sixty-five years, the Broadcasters Foundation of America, along with it Board of Directors, many volunteers and countless contributors, have aided over 1,000 broadcasters and their families across the United States.
Contact Us
Broadcasters Foundation of America
125 West 55th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10019-5366
T: 212-373-8250
F: 212-373-8254
info@thebfoa.org
Our Staff
James B. Thompson
President
jim@thebfoa.org
Public Relations Consultant
Renee Cassis
RC Communications Marketing
646-808-6505
cassis2@msn.com
Peter M. Doyle
Vice President
peter@thebfoa.org
Frank Pesce
Vice President, Business Affairs
frank@thebfoa.org
Emily Barratt
Office & Grant Manager
emily@thebfoa.org
Our Officers
Chairman
Dan Mason, Senior Advisor of Broadcast Relations, iHeartMedia
Vice Chairman
Scott Herman, COO, CBS Radio
Vice Chairman
Jordan Wertlieb, President, Hearst Television
President
James B. Thompson
Vice President
Jeff Haley, President & CEO, Marketron
Vice President
Steve Lanzano, President, TVB
Vice President
Julie Talbott, President, Premiere Networks
Vice President & Treasurer
Leo MacCourtney, President & CEO, Katz Television Group
Vice President, Business Affairs
Frank Pesce
Secretary & General Counsel
Wade Hargrove, Esq., Brooks Pierce McLendon Humphrey & Leonard LLP
Board of Directors
Caroline Beasley
President & CEO, Beasley Broadcast Group, Inc.
Philip R. Beuth
Capital Cities, ret.
Richard J. Bodorff
Partner, Wiley Rein LLP
Rebecca S. Campbell
President, ABC Owned Television Stations Group
Brian Cobb
President, CobbCorp
Raymond H. Cole
President & COO, Citadel Communications
Peter Dunn
President, CBS TV Stations
Erica Farber
President & CEO, RAB
Joseph Field
Chairman, Entercom
Michael J. Fiorile
Chairman & CEO, Dispatch Broadcast Group
Richard A. Foreman
President & CEO, Richard A. Foreman Assoc.
Mark Gray
CEO, Katz Media Group
Kim Guthrie
President, Cox Media
Wade Hargrove, Esq.
Brooks Pierce McLendon Humphrey & Leonard LLP
Louis Hillelson
VP/Group Publisher, NewBay Media
Paul Karpowicz
President, Meredith Corp. Local Media Group
N. Scott Knight
President & CEO, Knight Media Group
Brian Lawlor
SVP Television, E.W. Scripps TV Station Group
David T. Lougee
President, TEGNA Media
DuJuan McCoy
President & CEO, Bayou City Broadcasting
Elizabeth Neuhoff
President & CEO, Neuhoff Communications
Deborah Norville
Anchor, Inside Edition
Mike O’Neill
President & CEO, BMI
William O’Shaughnessy
Chairman, WVOX/WVIP-Whitney Global Media
I. Martin Pompadur
Consultant
Joseph Reilly
President, Empire Broadcasting Corp.
Sen. Gordon H. Smith
President & CEO, NAB
Jeffrey H. Smulyan
Chairman & CEO, Emmis Communications
Perry Sook
President & CEO, Nexstar Broadcasting
Valari Staab
President, NBC Owned TV Stations
George Stephanopoulos
Co-Host, Good Morning America
Nicholas J. Verbitsky
Chairman, United Stations Radio Networks
Jeff Warshaw
CEO, Connoisseur Media, LLC
Diana Wilkin
Managing Partner, Twelve 24 Media
Philip J. Lombardo
Chairman Emeritus
Edward F. McLaughlin
Chairman Emeritus
501(c)3 Information
