Media Institute Names Award Winners

Media industry-backed First Amendment think tank, The Media Institute, has named the recipients of its two industry awards for 2009. They are Rep. Rick Boucher (D-WVA), chairman of the House Communications Subcommittee, and Gary Shapiro, president of the Consumer Electronics Association.

Boucher will receive the First Amendment award for championing a federal shield law. Shapiro is getting the Horizon Award for leadership in promoting a strong and independent media.

The awards will be given out Oct. 15 at the institute's annual banquet in Washington.

ABC News President David Westin will be gusest speaker at the awards banquet.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.