BFOA Honors William O’Shaughnessy

William O’Shaughnessy, respected broadcaster, Chairman of Whitney Global Media, author of several books, and long-time member of the Broadcasters Foundation of America’s Board of Directors and Chairman of its Guardian Fund, passed away this morning at his home in Litchfield, Ct. He was 84.

In honor of O’Shaughnessy’s steadfast commitment to elevating broadcasting to more than an industry, but to a profession, and his devotion to the mission of the Broadcasters Foundation to provide aid to past and present professionals in broadcast radio and TV, The William O’Shaughnessy Memorial Fund has been established.

“The Board of Directors and I are saddened at this tremendous loss to our profession,” stated Scott Herman, Chairman of the Broadcasters Foundation. “A true wordsmith, Bill was known for his eloquence in his speech and his writings. His letters to raise funds for The Broadcasters Foundation’s Guardian Fund struck a chord with everyone who read them, so graceful and elegant was his prose.”

O’Shaughnessy was Chairman of Whitney Global Media, which owns and operates WVOX and WVIP, radio stations in Westchester County. He penned several books, including Radio Active; Mario Cuomo, Remembrances of a Remarkable Man; Vox Populi, The O’Shaughnessy Files; and more.

“Bill was often found holding court at his favorite establishments, including Le Cirque and The 21 Club, where he was well-known and respected by the maître d’s” noted Jim Thompson, Co-President of the Broadcasters Foundation. “A true iconoclast who gave back to the profession that he loved dearly, we will all remember Bill fondly in our hearts.”

To donate to the William O’Shaughnessy Memorial Fund, please click here or www.broadcastersfoundation.org/donate and please indicate that your donation is in memory of William O’Shaughnessy.

Services will take place at Lloyd Maxcy, 16 Shea Place in New Rochelle, N.Y. The Funeral Mass will be held at St. Anthony of Padua, 49 South Street, Litchfield, CT. 

 

About the Broadcasters Foundation of America

The Broadcasters Foundation has distributed millions of dollars in aid to broadcasters who have lost their livelihood through a catastrophic event, debilitating disease or unforeseen tragedy. Personal donations can be made to the Foundation’s Guardian Fund, corporate contributions are accepted through the Angel Initiative, and bequests can be made through the Foundation’s Legacy Society. For more information, please visit www.broadcastersfoundation.org, call 212-373-8250, or email info@thebfoa.org.

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 need. The Foundation reaches out across the country to identify and provide an anonymous safety net in cases of critical illness, advanced age, death of a spouse, accident and other serious misfortune. The Broadcasters Foundation of America is a 501(c)(3) Public Charity.

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