CBS Broadcasting Senior VP Robert Ross and Fox Networks Engineering and Operations Executive VP and GM Richard Friedel will be among those honored by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) on April 8 at NAB 2018. The two executives will receive the Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award honoring their careers in the broadcast industry.
NATAS also announced the full slate of 2017 Technical and Engineering Emmy Awards, which will also be handed out more than seven months from now at NAB 2018, including plaudits for Apple, DJI, and Avid. It will be the first time NATAS has held an Emmy Awards presentation at the NAB show.
“The Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards has always recognized the talented and innovative leaders and companies that have made the incredible world of television possible,” said NATAS President Bob Mauro in a prepared statement. “We are especially excited this year to be presenting our program at NAB Show for the first time where many of these leaders assemble.
Here is the full list of honorees as provided by NATAS:
2017 Technical / Engineering Achievement Awards
Contextual Voice Navigation for Discovering and Interacting with TV Content
Comcast
Universal Electronics (UEI)
Apple TV
Nuance Dragon TV
Low Latency Remote Controlled Airborne Video Platforms (non-military) for Television
John McGraw
PictorVision Inc.
Aerial MOB LLC
Astraeus Aerial
Flying Cam Inc.
Vortex Aerial
Helivideo Productions LLC
Snaproll Media LLC
DJI
Pioneering and Productization of Supporting Digital Video Using SDI Over Fiber-Optic
Bluebell
British Telecom
Pioneering Development of a Computerized Hard-Disk Storage Based Digital Non-Linear, Multi-Stream Multi-Camera System
Avid Technology
Heavyworks (Edit Share)
Pioneering Development of a Portable, Battery Powered Audio/Video Test Signal Generator
MultiDyne
Development of Integrated Consumer Video Conferencing Service into Broadcast Production Environments and Workflows
Skype (Microsoft)
Video Identification Technology to Protect Content Value and Copyright
Audible Magic
Civolution
INA
Friend MTS
Vobile
YouTube
Expanding-Side Television Production Mobile Units
CBS Television Network
The Gerstenslager Company
A Three Dimensional Doppler Radar System to Track and Display Fast Moving Pitched and Hit Balls
TrackMan
MLB Advanced Media
ChyronHego
Robert Ross
Robert Ross has served as Senior Vice President, East Coast Operations, CBS Broadcasting Inc. since October 1998. Bob oversees all East Coast Operations and Engineering for the CBS Television Network.
During his tenure as Senior Vice President, Bob led the engineering and technical teams and oversaw the following accomplishments:
Conversion of the Broadcast Center to High Definition.
Installation of the Major Emergency Generator Power System for the Broadcast Center.
Rebuild and Upgrade of the CBS Network Media Distribution Center.
Rebuild of the Satellite Distribution Systems.
Created Systems for both Domestic and International Distribution – Path Fire and Pitch Blue System.
Conversion from Video Tape to Digital Distribution for both Domestic and International Syndication.
Restoration of the Ed Sullivan Theater for the Stephen Colbert Show.
Designed and Built Sports Coordination Production and Play-Out Rooms.
Designed and Built CBS Evening News Production Control Room.
Designed and Built CBS This Morning Production Control Room and Studio.
Mr. Ross has worked for 43 years in all areas of broadcast engineering, with 19 years at Westinghouse Broadcasting working at stations WBZ-TV, WJZ-TV and KYW-TV. Before the CBS/Westinghouse merger, Bob was the Vice President of Engineering for Group W Television Stations.
In October of 2009, Bob was elected into the class of the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame. Bob is the past chair of the Toolkit working group of the Media Security and Reliability Council (MSRC) a Federal Communications Commission Advisory Committee. He is also a Fellow of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), and a member of the Society of Broadcast Engineers. In 2013, Bob was appointed President of the North American Broadcasters Association (NABA).
Bob holds an Advanced Amateur Radio License and has been a contributing author to a national magazine on consumer electronics. He has contributed to the standards process for the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC), and various SMPTE Engineering Committees.
Richard Friedel
Richard currently serves as Executive Vice President & General Manager FOX Networks Engineering & Operations. He oversees FOX Networks Engineering & Operations, the 21st Century Fox unit responsible for engineering, operations and technology supporting FOX’s national and regional television businesses. Prior to FOX Networks Engineering & Operations, Mr. Friedel was a member of the team that launched FOX News Channel.
Richard is also responsible for long-term technology strategy and day-to-day operations for the Fox Network Center in Los Angeles and the Fox Houston Technical Operations Center, home of Fox Sports’ regional networks, and provides technical support for 14 regional production centers. Before joining FOX, Mr. Friedel served in various positions at Capital Cities/ABC, NBC News and local television stations.
Mr. Friedel is a graduate of Drexel University in Philadelphia, a fellow of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers and a member of the Audio Engineering Society, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Society of Broadcast Engineers and Society of Cable Television Engineers. In addition, he serves as ATSC Board Chairman, President of the Video Services Forum and is a member of the North American Broadcasters Association Board of Directors.
In 2015, Richard Friedel was honored by the National Association of Broadcasters with the NAB Engineering Achievement Award, bestowed to individuals nominated by their peers for significant contributions to advancing the state of the art in broadcast engineering.
