The Broadcasters Foundation of America has selected Urban One founder and Chairperson Cathy Hughes as the 2018 recipient of the 2018 Lowry Mays Excellence in Broadcasting Award.
The Lowry Mays Excellence in Broadcasting Award is bestowed annually on a broadcaster whose work exemplifies innovation, community service, advocacy and entrepreneurship. It is underwritten by The Mays Family Foundation.
Hughes began her career in her hometown of Omaha, Neb., at KOWH(AM). In 1980 she founded Radio One, which became the largest African-American-owned and operated broadcast company in the nation. When Radio One went public in 1999 she became the first African-American woman to head a publicly traded company.
In May 2017, Radio One’s name was changed to Urban One to reflect its multimedia nature as the parent corporation of several subsidiaries, including: TV One, the only African-American-owned cable TV network in the country, and Reach Media, which presents syndicated radio programs.
She has previously been recognized with the NAACP Chairman’s Award and the Giants of Broadcasting Award, among others. Also, Howard University named its communications school after Hughes.
Hughes will receive the award at the Broadcasters Foundation of America’s breakfast at 7 a.m., April 11 in the Brahms Room of the Encore Hotel. The breakfast is complimentary, but preregistration is required. To register, contact 212-373-8250 or [email protected].
The event is sponsored by AccuRadio, Marketron, NAB, National Association of Media Brokers, Nielsen, Radio Advertising Bureau, Television Bureau of Advertising, U.S. Trust and vCreative.
The Broadcasters Foundation of America is a 501(c)(3) public charity organization.
