The 2013 Buffalo Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame inductees were revealed Tuesday. Among the six inductees is Al Wallack a longtime member of the WBFO/WNED family.
Although retired, Wallack remains the voice on WBFO's JazzWorks HD-2 radio channel. For 12 years, he served as program director of WNED AM 970, which combined forces with WBFO in 2012. Television viewers in Western New York and Southern Ontario also knew him as the voice of WNED-TV for many years.
Wallack was unable to attend Tuesday's announcement, but Broadcasters Association president Dave Gillen reviewed some of Wallack's 45-year radio career.
"He started the Jazz in the Nighttime show and did that for many, many years at WEBR. That's probably one of his critical acclaims in broadcast history," Gillen said.
The Buffalo Bob Smith Award will be give to Janice Lieberman, a former WIVB-TV reporter who is now an NBC consumer reporter.
Local television personality Linda Pellegrino, current host of WKBW's AM Buffalo, will also be inducted, along with journalist Nancy Sanders and former TV and radio personality Dave May.
The Memorial Award will be given in memory of Bob Koop who worked during the 1980s and 90s as an anchor at WIVB. Koop died at the age of 47 after a lengthy battle with leukemia
The 17th Annual Hall of Fame Awards Celebration will be held September 28 at the WNED studios in downtown Buffalo.
The following is the full list of this year's inductees:
2013 Hall of Fame Inductees
BOB KOOP
MEMORIAL AWARD
A Journalist with a capital "J". He was one of Buffalo TV's most outstanding and professional TV anchormen during the 1980's & 90's at WIVB TV.
NANCY SANDERS
AL ANSCOMBE AWARD
A Buffalo journalist with a long distinguished award winning career that spans four decades, with many years of service at all three network affiliate stations.
DAVE MAY
BEHIND THE SCENES AWARD
He held almost every job over 50 years, from radio & TV personality to Traffic-copter reporter to Chief Engineer, making Dave the ultimate broadcast "Renaissance Man".
JANICE LIEBERMAN
BUFFALO BOB SMITH AWARD
Veteran NBC Consumer Reporter began her on-air career in Buffalo at WIVB-TV before moving up to her national network duties.
AL WALLACK
GENERAL RADIO AWARD
During his 45 year career in Buffalo Radio, he carried on the torch from Joe Rico & Carroll Hardy, keeping Jazz alive in the 70's & 80's in Buffalo.
LINDA PELLEGRINO
GENERAL TELEVISION AWARD
A Buffalo legend & consummate all around broadcaster.
The longest running host of WKBW TV's AM Buffalo Show.
DANNY BUSH JR.
TIM RUSSERT "MEDAL OF MERIT" AWARD
An award winning student and graduate of the Jandoli School at St. Bonaventure University. We will hear a lot about Dan in the future.
WDCX 99.5 FM
Celebrates 50 years on-air & ownership by Crawford Broadcasting in Buffalo, one of America's Premier Christian radio stations.
MASTERS OF CEREMONY
Les Trent
INSIDE EDITION NATIONAL REPORTER
Melissa Holmes
WGRZ MORNING HOST
