1. Brian Lamb is the founder, executive chairman, and the now-retired CEO of C-SPAN, an American cable network that provides coverage of the US House of Representatives and US Senate as well as other public affairs events.
26 Facts About Brian Lamb
1. 2.
In 2007, Lamb was awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W Bush and received the National Humanities Medal the following year.
3.
Brian Lamb served as a commissioned officer in the United States Navy for four years.
4.
On October 9,1941, Brian Lamb was born in Lafayette, Indiana, and lived there until he was 22 years old.
5.
Brian Lamb took up this role midway through the Vietnam War and, in addition to handling queries from radio and television networks, he attended press briefings with Defense Secretary Robert McNamara.
6.
In July 1967, following riots in Detroit, Lamb was sent there tasked with providing recordings of news conferences of Governor George W Romney of Michigan for the White House Situation Room.
7.
Brian Lamb served as a White House social aide to Lyndon B Johnson, escorting Lady Bird Johnson down the aisle at the wedding of Chuck Robb and Lynda Johnson.
8.
Brian Lamb later said that his time in the US Navy was "probably the most important thing I've ever done".
9.
In 1977, Brian Lamb submitted a proposal to cable television executives for a nonprofit channel that would broadcast official proceedings of Congress.
10.
Brian Lamb is the former CEO and president of C-SPAN, and now serves as executive chairman of its board of directors.
11.
Brian Lamb has described the network as "in every single way, the antithesis of commercial television".
12.
In March 2012, Brian Lamb announced his plan to step down as CEO, handing control over to Rob Kennedy and Susan Swain.
13.
Brian Lamb published five books based on Booknotes interviews, each a collection of essays written from transcripts of his interviews with authors.
14.
Brian Lamb continued to host Washington Journal, C-SPAN's morning call-in program, until 2008.
15.
In 2011, Brian Lamb donated his collection of books from the Booknotes series, many containing his personal marginalia, to the rare books collection of George Mason University to create an academic archive.
16.
Brian Lamb opposed the "must-carry" provisions of the Cable Television Protection and Competition Act of 1992, which he later stated, had led to 10 million Americans losing or experiencing reduced access to C-SPAN.
17.
Brian Lamb has written to chief justices Rehnquist and Roberts requesting the televising of oral arguments before the Supreme Court of the United States and other federal courts.
18.
Brian Lamb has spent most of his life in Washington, DC, and currently lives with his wife, Victoria, in Arlington, Virginia.
19.
Brian Lamb is not registered as a Democrat or Republican.
20.
Brian Lamb has voted for candidates across the political spectrum during presidential elections.
21.
Brian Lamb has received numerous honors and awards for his work at C-SPAN.
22.
Brian Lamb was inducted into the 2000 Cable Hall of Fame at the Syndeo Institute at the Cable Center.
23.
Brian Lamb was the recipient of the National Press Club's Fourth Estate Award in 2002.
24.
In September 2011, Brian Lamb received The Lone Sailor award from the US Navy Memorial, recognizing individuals who begin their careers in the Navy, and to have gone on to have had "exceptional civilian careers".
25.
Brian Lamb has received multiple honorary doctorates, including one from his alma mater, Purdue University.
26.
In 1997, Brian Lamb received The Lincoln Forum's Richard Nelson Current Award of Achievement.