Broadcast Pioneer Award
Each year IBA pays tribute to both a Chicago market and downstate broadcaster who have spent most of their careers in Illinois behind the microphone, in front of the camera, in the production room, or in the manager’s office. IBA’s Broadcast Pioneer award was renamed in 2016 as the “W. Russell Withers Jr., IBA Broadcast Pioneer Award” in recognizing those, like Withers, have devoted years to bringing local programming to their audiences while serving as a pillar in the community, exemplifying the true meaning of “Localism” before it became popular.
IBA celebrates the long careers of the following broadcasters while thanking them for their contributions to Illinois.
Merri Dee has parlayed her celebrity into charitable success, powerful motivational speaking and advocacy. She has raised millions of dollars for children’s charities, spearheaded victims’ rights legislation, and helped increase adoption rates across the nation. Having been recognized as the first African American spokesperson representing the Chicago Auto Shows, her broadcasting career began in 1966 […]
This year Mike Reis began his 40th season of doing radio play-by-play for Southern Illinois University football, basketball and baseball and became IBA’s newest W. Russell Withers,Jr., Broadcast Pioneer. Reis began his student sportscasting career at WSIU Radio and WSIU-TV in 1975. He became a part-time sportscaster at WCIL Radio in 1976, and moved to […]
Celebrating his 40th anniversary at WGN-TV, it seemed fitting for the Illinois Broadcasters Association (IBA) to recognize Tom Skilling as it’s 2018 “IBA/W. Russell Withers Jr. Broadcast Pioneer” honoree. Skilling began his broadcast career at WKKD-Radio in Aurora at the unheard-of age of 14, while still a freshman at West Aurora High School. That soon […]
Don Sharp, legendary News and Sports Anchor with WHBF-TV in Rock Island became the newest recipient of the W. Russell Withers, Jr., IBA Broadcast Pioneer Award. Sharp retired after over three decades of being on the air at WHBF. Sharp is shown in the photo with Dana Withers, Presiden & CEO, Withers Broadcasting and Dana […]
Bio coming soon. […]
Bio coming soon. […]
Wooddell, a very well know sports announcer in East Central Illinois and the Voice of EIU Football for 20 years, was one of the first media members to be inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame (1975) and is a member of the EIU Hall of Fame. […]
