Reilly (center) with Brian Williams (left) and Gordon Smith (right)
New York State Broadcasters Association President Joseph A. Reilly was honored at the State Leadership Conference recently in Washington and at a luncheon the following day.
At the conference, sponsored by NAB, Reilly was awarded for “the hard work and dedication on behalf of the U.S. Army National Guard,” a press release stated. At the luncheon the following day, the National Alliance of State Broadcast Associations gave an award signed by the 49 other state broadcast association presidents. The award was presented to Reilly by NAB President Gordon Smith and Brian Williams, anchor for the NBC Nightly News.
As the NYSBA’s first full-time executive director, Reilly’s lobbying efforts gave the association a voice to be heard amid the concerns of New York state, according to the organization.
He led the effort to allow cameras and microphones in courtrooms and helped keep local radio and television stations competitive by launching the Digital Media Leadership Academy. That event brought 30 broadcast sales professionals together to help stations reinvent themselves and re-engage the public amidst the economic downturn.
Reilly joined the NYSBA in 1979; he had headed stations in Albany, N.Y., and in New Jersey.
He will step down from his office in June. A successor has yet to be named.
