ADVISORY, Dec. 8, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
WHAT: The Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame honors sports television innovators -- those who worked in front of the camera and those who worked behind it. This year's ceremony builds on that tradition honoring eight industry legends who transformed sports broadcasting.
WHERE/WHEN: December 15, 2009
New York Hilton
1353 Avenue of the Americas (54th St. and Sixth Ave)
Trianon Ballroom
New York, New York
HOST: Jim Nantz, CBS Sports, Lead Play-By-Play Announcer
WHO IS BEING INDUCTED:
Deane Beman: The only modern-era professional player to become commissioner of his own sport, Beman turned the PGA Tour into a television event and also designed the first stadium course that made golf friendly to both broadcast networks and fans.
Garrett Brown: Steadicam. Divecam. Skycam. If you've seen a sporting event on TV or a movie that features ultra-smooth camera work, the odds are that the production crew is making use of one of these Garrett Brown inventions.
Dick Enberg: One of the most versatile announcers ever to take the microphone, Enberg brings a professor's logic to his preparation, having lent his voice to every major event, from the Olympic Games to the Super Bowl, over the course of his 50-year career.
Barry Frank: The industry's master dealmaker, from ABC Sports to IMG to CBS Sports over the past 50 years, Frank redefined the value of broadcast rights for the Olympics, MLB, NBA, NHL, the BCS, and the ACC, and even drove a deal alongside Pete Rozelle that helped the NFL gain exposure worldwide.
Chuck Howard: During three decades of ABC Sports' broadcast dominance, Howard was the network's go-to producer for its most important events: from Olympic skiing and the Kentucky Derby to the Super Bowl and World Series. Howard left his legacy as much in the people he trained as in the events he covered.
Keith Jackson: The versatile play-by-play man who has covered everything from baseball to boxing, Jackson's distinctive Southern twang is most associated with college football. Taking the ABC announce booth every football Saturday for more than 30 years, his trademark "Whoa, Nellie!" became the stuff of legend.
Steve Laxton: The technical director for the NBC Olympics beginning in 1988 as well as a freelancer for ABC, CBS, ESPN and HBO, Laxton transformed the role of the TD for future generations. He also drove innovation and product development for such manufacturers as Sony, Abekas, and Philips.
John Porter: The in-car camera that allows NASCAR, Formula One, and Indy Racing League fans to get closer to the action is at the top of the list of developments that fundamentally changed the way TV sports are produced. Porter brought these ENG and microwave breakthroughs to the world of sports coverage.
INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES: Deane Beman, Garrett Brown, Dick Enberg, Barry Frank, John Porter
FIND OUT MORE: www.sportsvideo.org/hof