Charlie Collier, president of Roku Media, will get the Frank N. Stanton Award for Excellence in Communication from the Center for Communication. The dinner event happens at the Essex House in New York on November 20. 

Collier joined Roku in October 2022. Prior to that, he was CEO at Fox Entertainment. He has also been president and general manager of AMC, SundanceTV and AMC Studios. Earlier in his career, Collier held leadership roles at Court TV, Oxygen Media, A+E Networks and TeleRep.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to be honoring Charlie with this much-deserved award,” said Center for Communication chairman Shane Peros, who is managing director of global partnerships, media, entertainment and distribution for Google. “He is highly respected within the industry for his integrity and forthright leadership. We look forward to celebrating the arc of his career, from his transformative tenures at AMC and Fox to his bold entrepreneurial vision for Roku.”

Named after the center’s founder and former CBS president, the Frank N. Stanton Award “singles out individuals who are charting the industry’s future and who share the center’s commitment to an inclusive and diverse media,” according to the CFC. Past honorees include Ted Turner, Johnny Carson, Bill Paley, Tina Perry, John Landgraf, Rita Ferro and Jimmy Pitaro.

The CFC educates students seeking careers in media, with the goal of increasing diversity. 

"The Center for Communication’s commitment to shaping the next generation of media visionaries is critical,“ Collier said. “They’re finding, motivating and nurturing tomorrow's Stantons, Paleys and Turners. The center’s efforts continue to inspire hope and excitement for our industry’s future. It’s an honor to be in the company of the many esteemed past honorees. I thank the center for its recognition.”

James Pitaro, chairman of ESPN, will get the Frank N. Stanton Award from the Center for Communication October 3. The reception happens at 583 Park Avenue in New York. 

Pitaro was named chairman in February 2023. Previously, he was chairman, ESPN and Sports Content, since October 2020. He was named ESPN president and co-chair, Disney Media Networks, in 2018. 

“Jimmy is a forward-thinking leader and is always focused on innovation, which has kept ESPN at the top of its game,” Center for Communication Chairman David J. Barrett said. “He is also deeply committed to creating an ESPN where everyone feels they belong, making diversity, equity and inclusion a core business priority. We are thrilled to honor Jimmy for his success and his shared passion for opening doors in the media industry for young people who have been traditionally under-represented.”

The Frank N. Stanton Award, named for the former CBS president, is given out to a media innovator and leader each year. Jo Ann Ross got it in 2022, Tina Perry in 2021, Soledad O’Brien in 2020 and Rita Ferro in 2019. 

When Pitaro was named president of ESPN in 2018, Bob Iger, then Walt Disney Company chairman and CEO, said, “Jimmy’s appointment was the result of more than 20 years spent at the intersection of technology, sports and media.”

The Center for Communication educates and inspires students seeking careers in media. “The Center for Communication plays an important role in creating the future of our industry,” Pitaro said. “I am proud to represent the people of ESPN in receiving this recognition.”

Jo Ann Ross, Paramount Global advertising chairman, picked up the Center for Communication’s Frank Stanton Award for Excellence in Communication in New York November 2. The award is named for Center for Communication founder and former CBS president Dr. Frank Stanton. 

Speaking on behalf of Ross were Gina Yashere, comedienne and co-showrunner on Bob Hearts Abishola; John Halley, president, Paramount Advertising; and George Cheeks, president and CEO, CBS. 

“Thank you, Jo Ann, for letting us use your living room for this event,” Yashere said of the grand ballroom at 583 Park Avenue. 

In September, Ross shifted to the chairman role at Paramount, with Halley moving into the president post. Halley shared about meeting Ross for the first time in 2019, when Bob Bakish, Paramount president and CEO, introduced them. Bakish said, “I’d like you to meet your new COO of advertising,” to which Ross responded, “I don’t need a COO of advertising.”

“What you see is what you get with Jo Ann,” Halley said, using terms such as steady hand, sharp wit, trust, wisdom and integrity to describe her. If Ross were an emoji, he added, it would be three hearts, and two steak knives. 

Next up was Cheeks, who called Ross an innovator, a trailblazer and a visionary. 

He spoke about taking on the president role at CBS amidst COVID-19 in March 2020, and the “full-blown panic attack” he had just before starting. “Little did I know, I had a guardian angel,” Cheeks said. “Jo Ann was there from Day One.”

Stepping onstage, Ross called Cheeks “a steadfast companion, friend and mentor.”

She said she was humbled, and honored, to get the award. “I’m overwhelmed by all the nice things that were said about me,” added Ross. “I’m not sure they’re all true.”

Ross mentioned Paramount’s “Content for Change” initiative, designed to combat racism, bias and stereotypes on and off screen. She spoke of “mentoring and developing the next generation of leaders.”

“It’s always been really important to me,” said Ross, who is part of the B+C Hall of Fame. 

Ross oversees advertising sales for networks that include CBS, BET, Comedy Central, CMT, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network and Smithsonian Channel, along with Paramount Plus. She was promoted to the president’s role in late 2019 following the merger of CBS and Viacom. 

Ross had one final word for aspiring media professionals in the audience. “Don’t change who you are,” she said.

The Center for Communication is a nonprofit that promotes diversity in media by educating and empowering students seeking to enter the industry. Past Stanton award winners include Tina Perry, Soledad O'Brien, Rita Ferro and David Nevins. ■

David Zaslav, president and CEO of Discovery, Inc., is honorary chair of the 2021 Frank Stanton Award. The Center for Communication gives out the award, and Tina Perry, OWN president, gets it, Oct. 27.

The event happens at Bryant Park Grill in Manhattan. 

Zaslav was a Center for Communication board member. 

Event co-chairs include David J. Barrett, director, Hearst; Peter Bradbury, chief commercial officer, U.S., Nielsen; Rita Ferro, president, Disney Advertising Sales; Katherine Oliver, principal, Bloomberg Associates; Savalle Sims, general counsel, Discovery, Inc.; and Steven R. Swartz, president and CEO, Hearst.

The Center for Communication educates and inspires students seeking careers in media, with the goal to increase diversity throughout the industry. The Stanton Award honors individuals who not only achieve great success in the business, but who are also tireless advocates for a more equitable and representative industry. The award is named after the Center’s founder, broadcasting pioneer and former CBS president Dr. Frank Stanton.

Named president of OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network in 2019, Tina Perry oversees all operations and creative areas of the network, reporting to chair and CEO Oprah Winfrey. Perry was instrumental in OWN’s launch into scripted programming. OWN originals include Queen Sugar, Cherish the Day, Greenleaf, The Haves and the Have Nots and David Makes Man. 

Perry also oversees the network’s unscripted shows, including Love & Marriage: Huntsville, Ready to Love, Family or Fiancé and Put a Ring on It. 

Due to the pandemic, the 2020 Stanton Award, honoring Soledad O’Brien, was presented in a virtual ceremony last December. This year, all guests will be required to show proof of vaccination.

Tina Perry, president of OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, will get the 2021 Frank Stanton Award for Excellence in Communication from the Center for Communication. The event happens Oct. 27. 

“Tina is extraordinarily accomplished and her tenure at OWN has been transformative,” said Center for Communication Chairman David J. Barrett. “Our Stanton Award seeks to honor those individuals who not only achieve great success in the business, but who are also tireless advocates for a more equitable and representative industry. Tina Perry is such a leader.”

The award is named after the Center’s founder, longtime CBS president Dr. Frank Stanton. Past recipients include Katharine Graham, Ted Turner, Debra Lee, Richard Parsons, John Landgraf, David Nevins, Cesar Conde, Rita Ferro and Soledad O’Brien.

Named president of OWN in 2019, Perry oversees all operations and creative areas of the network. She was instrumental in OWN’s launch into scripted programming with series such as Queen Sugar, Cherish the Day, Greenleaf, The Haves and the Have Nots and David Makes Man. Perry also oversees the network’s lineup of unscripted hits, including Iyanla: Fix My Life, Love & Marriage: Huntsville and Black Love. 

“I'm honored to be recognized by the Center for Communication with this award and humbled to be in the company of innovative media leaders who have created meaningful, visionary change in our industry," said Perry. "Representation on screen, behind the camera, and inside of OWN's offices has never been more important and we are working to ensure the best possible opportunities and access for the next generation."

The Center for Communication educates and inspires students seeking careers in media, with the goal to increase diversity throughout the industry. 

“Tina Perry was the keynote interview at our third annual Women + Media Career Summit, and after her session was over, she was surrounded by young women eager to meet her,” said J. Max Robins, the Center’s president and executive director. “She undoubtedly had a busy day ahead of her, still she stayed for a long time to speak with them. That was an incredibly valuable and meaningful moment for those students. We are ever grateful for her dedication to our mission, and thrilled to present her with our 2021 Stanton Award.”

Last year’s event, saluting Soledad O’Brien, was a virtual one amid the pandemic. The Center will continue to monitor CDC, state and local guidance to assess the viability of returning to an in-person format in the fall. 

The Center for Communication salutes Soledad O’Brien with its 2020 Frank Stanton Award for Excellence in Communication in a virtual event December 15 at 6 p.m. ET. The event, which will honor her career and achievements, can be viewed at bit.ly/StantonAward. 

O’Brien is the founder and CEO of Soledad O’Brien Productions and host of the Hearst Television program Matter of Fact with Soledad O’Brien. 

“From her fearlessness as an award-winning journalist, to her impressive leadership of her own production company, and her tireless dedication to mentorship and philanthropy, Soledad truly embodies our mission,” said Center for Communication Chairman David J. Barrett. “We are honored that she joins us in our efforts to build a more inclusive and equitable media at this critical moment.”

Antonia Hylton, correspondent, NBC News, emcees the event. Tributes come from Disney Advertising Sales President Rita Ferro and CBS Chief Creative Officer David Nevins, the 2019 and 2018 Stanton honorees, respectively. Emerson Coleman, senior VP of programming, Hearst Television, and producer Kim Bondy, who was showrunner on TNT’s Chasing the Cure, also will offer their salutes to O’Brien. 

“This honor inspires me to press ahead even stronger with my lifelong commitment to telling the story of people who are often left out of the conversation,” said O’Brien. “Journalists are charged with defending facts, providing context, keeping people honest and making politicians accountable. This recognition affirms my belief that kind of reporting is valued.” 

The celebration will feature a virtual town hall on diversity and inclusion in media. O’Brien moderates and the panel includes Kelley L. Carter, senior entertainment writer, ESPN’s The Undefeated; Sonia Manzano, an actress and writer who plays Maria on Sesame Street; John Landgraf, chairman of FX Networks and FX Productions; and Alvin Patrick, executive producer, Race and Culture Unit, CBS News. 

The Center for Communication educates and inspires students seeking careers in media, with the goal to increase diversity and expand access to opportunity.

In addition to Ferro and Nevins, past recipients of the Stanton Award include Landgraf, Katharine Graham, Ted Turner, Debra Lee, Richard Parsons and Cesar Conde. 

“As we celebrate our 40th anniversary year, we are thrilled to honor Soledad and have her lead this vital dialogue,” said J. Max Robins, the Center’s president and executive director. “Our mission is more important than ever, as we help our students face unprecedented challenges and collaborate with our industry partners to build an inclusive and equitable media industry.”

The Center for Communication honors Soledad O’Brien with its Frank Stanton Award for Excellence in Communication. The award will be given out Dec. 9 in a virtual event. 

O’Brien anchors and produces the Hearst Television program Matter of Fact with Soledad O’Brien. She is the founder and CEO of Soledad O’Brien Productions, which is dedicated to stories that look at the issues of race, class, wealth, opportunity and poverty. She has won three Emmys, the George Peabody award, an Alfred I. DuPont prize and the Gracie. 

O’Brien reports for HBO Real Sports and has anchored and has reported for NBC, MSNBC and CNN. 

“From her fearlessness as an award-winning journalist, to her impressive leadership of her own production company, and, so importantly, her dedication to mentorship and philanthropy, Soledad truly embodies our mission,” said Center for Communication chairman David J. Barrett. “We are honored that she joins us in our efforts to build a more inclusive and equitable media at this critical moment.”

The Center for Communication educates and inspires students seeking careers in media. The award is named for former CBS president Dr. Frank Stanton, who founded the Center in 1980. Past recipients include Katharine Graham, Ted Turner, Bill Paley, Debra Lee, Richard Parsons, John Landgraf, David Nevins, Cesar Conde and Rita Ferro. 

“As we celebrate our 40th anniversary year, we are thrilled to honor Soledad and have her lead this vital dialogue,” said J. Max Robins, the Center’s president and executive director. “Our mission is more important than ever, as we help our students face unprecedented challenges and collaborate with our industry partners to build an inclusive and equitable media industry.”

O’Brien will moderate a town hall discussion on diversity and inclusion in media as part of the virtual event. 

“This honor inspires me to press ahead even stronger with my lifelong commitment to telling the story of people who are often left out of the conversation,” said O’Brien. “Journalists are charged with defending facts, providing context, keeping people honest and making politicians accountable. This recognition affirms my belief that kind of reporting is valued.” 

New York – Vice Media CEO Shane Smith endured the endless barbs of friends and colleagues as the recipient of the Center for Communication’s Frank Stanton Award for Excellence in Communications Wednesday, but the new media wonder boy got the last and perhaps the best word in as the luncheon fundraising roast for the non-profit journalism education foundation came to a close.

Smith has been in the news a lot lately – after being courted by several media outlets he decided to do a deal with A+E Networks that will essentially hand over the H2 network to Vice. Smith’s brand of gonzo journalism has had an outlet on HBO for about three years, and the A+E relationship should only increase his profile.

Smith endured the typical and not-so-surprisingly profane barbs of executives – former Viacom CEO and current Vice Media board member Tom Freston and HBO chairman Richard Plepler – colleagues and comedians at the roast. Among his colleagues – lawyer, restauranteur, comedian and writer Eddie Huang and comedian Clare O’Kane, each managed to squeeze out a few laughs, mainly among the younger set. Most of Huang’s comments aren’t suitable for a family web site, but he did score a few points showing some e-mail exchanges with Smith, if not for anything but showing the audience Smith’s current e-mail address. O’Kane, who said she was Vice’s latest diversity hire, got a few laughs at the expense of the stodgy cable company – “To all the cable executives out there: You’re blowing it and I hate you,” she said.

Saturday Night Live and Portlandia star Fred Armisen came as his IFC show Documentary Now! (and Vice parody) character Jeremiah. Former MTV Jackass Johnny Knoxville came sporting his trademark wild hair and made a few comments about Smith’s weight – “Shane is the only Canadian [disgraced Toronto Mayor] Rob Ford can call a slob.” There were numerous jabs at an infamous $300,000 bill Smith and his buddies ran up at a Las Vegas restaurant, but for the most part, despite a few profanities, the insults were patently less offensive than your typical Comedy Central roast.

Then it was Smith’s turn.

Smith ran a short video getting back at some of his roasters for the afternoon – on Clare O’Kane: “Who?” On Johnny Knoxville: “Ah, Johnny Nowhere.” On Rich Plepler: “He called me up the other day and said, ‘I want you to do an expose on Netflix.’”

 “Everybody likes to talk about disruption, until you actually disrupt and then they hate you,” he said in a slight nod to the roast. He noted that Freston, also a recipient of the award, said he was fired from Viacom shortly after he got it, so the honor must be a way for Fox to get rid of him and Vice Media (21st Century Fox co-CEO James Murdoch is on the Center’s board of directors.)

But then Smith got a little more serious.

Smith lauded the Center for its nurturing of young journalists, something that he said could ultimately help outlets like Vice but also serve to better society.

“Media is probably the greatest single industry you can pick to go into;  it has so much power and so much responsibility with that power,” Smith said. “Bringing young people in to change up what we built and what you guys have built up in the past is the most exciting thing we can do.”