Library of American Broadcasting Names Giants of Broadcasting

ALEXANDRIA, VA. The Library of American Brodacasting at the University of Maryland has named the 11th class of its Giants of Broadcasting. The annual event celebrates leadership or performance in television and radio and is scheduled for October 16 in New York.

Barry Diller, creator of Fox Broadcasting Company and USA Broadcasting, and former CEO of Paramount Pictures, now infamous for his role in promoting Aereo, was named to the list. He is currently the chairman of Expedia and chairman and senior executive of IAC/InterActiveCorp. A self-made man, he started working in the mailroom of casting agencies in Hollywood before joining ABC as a television executive. At ABC, Diller created the ABC Movie of the Week. At 31 years old, he then became president of Paramount Studios. Diller also purchased a stake in QVC and later took control of USA Interactive. In 1996, he became the head of Silver King Communications (IAC/InterActiveCorp) and since then has led IAC to acquisitions of Internet companies.

Anne Sweeney, co-chair of Disney Media Networks and president of Disney/ABC Television Group, was also named to the Giants list. She is credited with leading the industry into the digital era by making Disney/ABC Television Group the first media company to put television content on new platforms. Under her leadership, the Disney Channel quintupled its subscriber base, and she oversaw the launch of Toon Disney (now Disney XD) and later SOAPnet. Previously she was chairman and CEO of FX Networks, Inc. where she presided over the launch of FX and FXM: Movies from Fox. She also spent 12 years at Nickelodeon/Nick at Nite, most recently as senior vice president of Program Enterprises.

Another notable TV figure on the list is Richard E. Wiley, former chairman, commissioner and general counsel of the FCC, who served for nine years as Chairman of the FCC's Advisory Committee on Advanced Television Service. Wiley has been called The Father of High-Definition Television (Globe and Mail). He is currently a senior partner in the Washington, D.C., law firm Wiley, Rein & Fielding where he heads the firm's Communications Practice He is currently a senior partner in the Washington, D.C., law firm Wiley, Rein & Fielding where he heads the firm's communications practice.

Other 2013 honorees include:

Alex Trebek, longtime host of Jeopardy!

Morley Safer, award-winning 60 Minutes correspondent and pioneering war reporter

Dick Cavett, Emmy-winning talk show legend, comedian and writer

Jeff Smulyan, founder, CEO and president of Emmis Communications and former director of the NAB and former chairman of the Board of Directors of the Radio Advertising Bureau

Robert L. Johnson, founder of Black Entertainment Television (BET)

David E. Kelley, television writer and producer

Richard Leibner, founder and president of N.S. Bienstock, Inc.

Carole Cooper, a talent agent for forty years and Leibner's wife and partner

Previous honorees include Guglielmo Marconi, David Sarnoff of RCA and NBC, William S. Paley and Frank Stanton of CBS, Leonard Goldenson of ABC, Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Jack Benny, Philo Farnsworth, H. V. Kaltenborn, Edward R. Murrow, Walter Cronkite, Arthur Godfrey, Paul Harvey, Charlie Rose, Ken Burns, Johnny Carson, Katie Couric, Brian Williams, Christiane Amanpour, Lowry Mays and Tim Russert.

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