Once again, New York City’s Plaza Hotel was packed for the perfect backdrop of broadcasters gathered in support of broadcasters, as the Broadcasters Foundation of America celebrated its annual gala for a black-tie evening of glamor and purpose.
FOX 5 anchor Natasha Verma anchored the night as emcee, with assistance from BFOA President Tim McCarthy and Chairman Scott Herman, who centered the night on the foundation’s mission of assisting those in need. Over the past 15 years, the Foundation’s grant-making has grown from $400,000 in 2007 to nearly $2,000,000 in 2025. Every dollar raised Monday night will go directly toward that safety net for those behind America’s airwaves.
On the celebratory side, Stephen A. Smith opened the night with the first-ever Broadcast Personality of the Year Award. The new honor recognized Smith’s wide-ranging impact across television, radio, journalism, and commentary from early days as a reporter for the New York Daily News to becoming one of the most visible media personalities in America.
Smith was characteristically direct in his acceptance, speaking to the Foundation’s core mission and his own trajectory, saying that he is not close to finishing what he set out to start.
The honors flowed from there. CAPTRUST Senior Vice President Ernest Liebre received the Philip J. Lombardo Spirit Award, which honors those who embody generosity, integrity, and commitment to the BFOA’s mission. Liebre has guided the Foundation’s investment strategy for more than 20 years.
VERSANT CEO and former NBCUniversal Chairman Mark Lazarus took home the evening’s signature prize, the Golden Mic Award, in recognition of his decades of broadcast leadership. During his tenure at NBCUniversal, Lazarus renewed the network’s Olympic rights through the 2032 Games and oversaw record cross-platform engagement for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Rounding out the night, the legendary Judge Judy Sheindlin was the evening’s Lifetime Achievement honoree, receiving the Edward F. McLaughlin Award for a career that needs little introduction. Her syndicated courtroom program ranked as the number one show in all of syndication for most of its 25-year run, earning her four Emmy Awards along the way.
