Washington, DC - Mar 1, 2002 - Richard E. Wiley, senior partner at Wiley, Rein and Fielding, has been selected to receive the 2002 Distinguished Service Award presented by the National Association of Broadcasters. The award will be presented at the All-Industry Opening Ceremony, April 8 at NAB2002 in Las Vegas.

Each year, the NAB DSA award recognizes an individual who has made significant and lasting contributions to U.S. broadcasting. Recent recipients of the DSA include Radio One founder and chairperson Catherine Hughes, Hearst Corp. President and CEO Frank Bennack and The Cox Family. Other recipients include Walter Cronkite, Edward R. Murrow and Bob Hope.

As a former Chairman, Commissioner and General Counsel of the Federal Communications Commission (1970-77), Wiley was a leading force in the agency's initial efforts to foster increased competition and reduced regulation in the communications field. The Wiley, Rein & Fielding law firm is one of the largest communications practices in the United States.

Wiley also led the FCC's Advisory Committee and Advanced Television Services, which resulted in the government's adoption of the standard for digital and high definition television in the U.S.

Wiley has been recognized as one of the nation's "100 most influential" lawyers by The National Law Journal. He has been profiled in The New York Times ("Telecommunications' Ubiquitous Man of Influence"), The Los Angeles Times ("The Sixth Commissioner"), and The American Lawyer ("Brand Name of Communications Law"). In recognition of his nine-year service as Chairman of the FCC's Advisory Committee on Digital Television, he has received an Emmy from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Wiley graduated with distinction from Northwestern (B.S. and J.D. degrees) and holds a Masters Degree in Law (LL.M.) from Georgetown. He has received distinguished alumnus awards from each University as well as Honorary Doctor of Laws from Catholic University.