New York - Tuesday, April 15, 2003 - The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences inducted the inaugural group of honorees into the Management Hall of Fame at a gala celebration at the Copacabana in New York City tonight.

The National Television Academy honored seven General Managers, renowned television pioneers who shaped the future of television broadcasting.

The inaugural group of inductees and presenters are:

Robert M. Bennett, Vice President/General Manager of Metromedia's leading stations and then President of Metromedia's television and radio stations. He is a pioneer of quality local television programming. Presenter: John Conomikes, Former President of Hearst Broadcasting.

Stanley E. Hubbard started the first U.S. commercial radio station in 1923. He went on the found KSTV-TV in 1948 and Hubbard Broadcasting Co. in 1962. He purchased the first TV camera ever sold by RCA, launched the first regularly scheduled 10 p.m. newscast in 1950, which also was the first all-color newscast. KSTV became one of the first stations in the nation to go all color. Presenter: Herb Schlosser, Former President of NBC.

Donald H. McGannon's career began as General Manager of Dumont Television Network. He later became President of Westinghouse Broadcasting (Group W). He went on to found Group W Productions. Presenter: Reverend Joseph O'Hare, President of Fordham University, present.

Thomas Murphy built Capital Cities/ABC, Inc. into a multibillion dollar international media conglomerate before retiring in 1996. He led Capital Cities from its days as a small television holding company to its present position as a media empire. In 1985 when Capital Cities announced its merger with ABC, it became, at the time, the largest merger of media companies in history. Presenter: Dan Burke, Former President of CapCities ABC (ABC).

Ward L. Quall's career included a fifteen-year tenure as Vice President/General Manager of WGN. He then became President of WGN Continental (now Tribune Broadcasting) and was a Member, Executive Committee of U.S. Satellite Broadcasting Company. Presenter: Dennis FitzSimons, CEO of Tribune Company.

J. Leonard Reinsch was media advisor for Winston Churchill and John F. Kennedy. He was President of Cox Broadcasting, Chairman of Cox Cable and he presided as Chairman of Cox Broadcasting from 1939 to 1973. In 1960 he arranged the first televised presidential campaign debate between Democrat John F. Kennedy and Republican Richard M. Nixon. Presenter: David Roosevelt, Grandson of FDR and Executive Director, The Netherland-America Foundation.

Danny Villanueva, Sr. was President and General Manager of KMEX-TV, Los Angeles. He was a founding partner of Spanish Information Network (now Univision). Presenter: James McNamara, CEO & President of Telemundo.