Mount to Honor FOX Television Exec., Westchester Radio Exec. at Commencement

Mount to Honor FOX Television Exec., Westchester Radio Exec. at Commencement

NEWBURGH, N.Y., May 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Mount Saint Mary College will hold its 46th annual commencement ceremony at 1 p.m., May 16, outdoors under a tent on Kaplan Field. Fr. Kevin E. Mackin, Mount president, will recognize 510 bachelor's degree candidates and 245 master's degree candidates.

Jack Abernethy, CEO of FOX Television Stations, which includes the FOX Television Stations group and Twentieth Television, will deliver the

commencement address.

The Mount will confer the honorary degree of doctor of humane letters on Abernethy and William O'Shaughnessy, president of WVIP-FM and WVOX-AM in New Rochelle.

Abernethy oversees 27 stations in the United States' largest television markets, including New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. Twentieth Television distributes a wide array of network programming and feature file packages, including "Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?" He also leads the team that launched MyNetworkTV, a prime-time broadcast network that includes WWOR-TV Channel 9 in New York.

Before assuming this position in December 2004, the Kingston native served as the executive vice president of FOX News, where he helped build the business platform and execute plans for the successful launch of what is today the top-rated cable news channel. He also spearheaded the launch of FOX News Radio to more than 500 stations across the country.

Prior to joining FOX News, Abernethy had a distinguished career at NBC television where he held a variety of executive finance management positions over a 16-year period. He was part of the management team that launched the highly successful cable business news channel, CNBC.

O'Shaughnessy grew up in Mount Kisco where he began his radio career, selling advertising for the original WVIP. He moved to WNEW-AM in Manhattan at the peak of its popularity and eventually became the assistant to the general manager. In 1965 he became general manager of WVOX and three years later he bought the station and WRTN, now WVIP.

His interviews, commentaries and editorials appear in three anthologies, including AirWAVES. His work and his views have garnered many awards, including the League of Women Voters Award for Communications and the Chairman's Award from the Broadcasters Foundation of America.

O'Shaughnessy is a staunch defender of the First Amendment and freedom of speech. He is a protector of broadcaster's rights and has been called the "radio broadcasting industry's conscience." He was among the first inductees into the New York State Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2005.

   Contact:   Brendan Coyne   845-569-3222  

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Source: Mount Saint Mary College

CONTACT: Brendan Coyne of Mount Saint Mary College, +1-845-569-3222

Web Site: http://www.msmc.edu/

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Profile: International Entertainment