Nancy O’Dell to Cohost B&C Hall of Fame Awards

Other cohost to be announced soon

By BCST Staff -- Broadcasting & Cable, 9/12/2011 12:01:00 AM

Nancy O’Dell, the award-winning entertainment journalist and Entertainment Tonight coanchor, will host Broadcasting & Cable’s 21st annual Hall of Fame awards ceremonies at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York on Oct. 26.

“I am looking forward to the Hall of Fame evening with great excitement,” O’Dell said. “The Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame has paid tribute to so many of the biggest names in our industry— to be a part of this prestigious event is both an honor and a thrill.”

The annual black-tie event has recognized more than 300 industry luminaries since its founding. Headlining this year’s honorees are the Emmy-Award winning Fox series American Idol; actress/comedian Betty White, who will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award for her singular 60- year career; and Johnson & Johnson, which will be recognized for its long history of outstanding television programming.

The 2011 Hall of Fame inductees also include (in alphabetical order): Joe Abruzzese, president, advertising sales, Discovery Communications; Ed Goren, vice chairman, Fox Sports Media Group; Ted Harbert, chairman, NBC Broadcasting, NBCUniversal; Andrew T. Heller, vice chairman, Turner Broadcasting System; Michael L. LaJoie, executive vice president and chief technology officer, Time Warner Cable; John S. Muszynski, chief investment officer, SMG Exchange (SMGX); Tom Rutledge, chief operating officer, Cablevision Systems Corp.; Nina Tassler, president, CBS Entertainment; and K. James Yager, CEO and cofounder, Barrington Broadcasting Group.

O’Dell is no stranger to industry awards herself, having received three Associated Press Awards, two Society of Professional Journalists Awards, an Emmy Award and seven additional Emmy nominations. With 20 years of live television experience, O’Dell is a frequent host for live network specials, including Fox’s New Year’s Eve special ringing in 2011; the American Country Awards; and the Golden Globes Arrivals Special, which she hosted for 10 consecutive years. O’Dell joined Entertainment Tonight last January and this year also cohosted Your Own Show Oprah Winfrey’s OWN cable network, a reality competition series in which 10 contestants vied to headline a show on the channel.

O’Dell’s cohost for the B&C Hall of Fame evening will be announced soon.