Barry Johnstone among the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame Class of 2013

This year’s Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame inductees includee Barry Johnstone, currently CEO and managing director for CTV Outside Broadcasts in the UK, who has played a key role in driving technology innovation in Europe for the last 30 years.

Appointed CEO of CTV in 1983, he began changing the industry in 1996 when the company signed a five-year agreement with European Tour Productions. The exclusive contract called for travel to 20 countries and the construction of nine OB and support units that are all branded for the Tour. Other highlights of his career include the launch of Europe’s first mobile edit suite in 1980 and the first UK live HD sports broadcast in 2006 for Sky Sports.

The remaining members of the Class of 2013 – all of whom will inducted during the annual Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame Ceremony, to be held on December 17 at the New York Hilton Hotel – are: ESPN VP and COO Scotty Connal; NFL SVP of Broadcasting and Media Operations Howard Katz; NBC Sports broadcaster Al Michaels; ESPN EVP of Technology and CTO Chuck Pagano; YES Network technical manager Joe Schiavo; and the ‘Father of Sports Aerial Broadcasting’, Mickey Wittman.

Ken Aagaard, chairman, Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame, comments: “Year after year, the Hall of Fame class surprises us in terms of the quality of the inductees and their importance to the entire sports broadcasting community. This year’s is no exception, and December 17 promises to be a wonderful evening of celebration and remembrance.”