ATSC, The Broadcast Standards Association, honored Julia Kenyon of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) with the 2026 Bernard J. Lechner Outstanding Contributor Award. The recognition took place during ATSC’s June 2-3 NextGen Broadcast Conference in Washington, D.C.
Kenyon recognized for standards leadership
Kenyon has served as vice chair of the ATSC Specialist Group on Interactive Environment (TG3/S38), vice chair of ATSC Implementation Team on Conformance (IT-3), and chair of the ATSC Specialist Group on Management and Protocols (TG3/S33).
In addition, she has served for more than three years as CTA’s lead technical representative for NEXTGEN TV Test Suite development. In that role, Kenyon worked with ATSC and chaired CTA groups connected to the test suite. She also helped guide ATSC in the development of A/381, the recommended practice for use of the broadcaster application for NEXTGEN TV.
“Julia is an excellent consensus builder and techno-diplomat who is a graceful and very competent leader,” says ATSC President Madeleine Noland. “She knows how to help groups get things done efficiently and collegially, which is a real art. Not only has she led multiple ATSC committees, but Julia also has a terrific sense of humor and is able to blend levity with the serious nature of standards work. She is always curious, and most recently has been helping ATSC participants really lean into the benefits of developing artificial intelligence tools.”
Industry leaders cite technical contributions
“Julia Kenyon brings unique skills to the challenge of ensuring NEXTGEN TVs work properly with the advanced services ATSC 3.0 broadcasts provide,” says Brian Markwalter, ATSC board vice chair and senior vice president of research and standards for CTA. “Besides her visible leadership in ATSC and CTA standards groups, Julia directs the TV testing program that backs the NEXTGEN TV logo. CTA commends Julia on this recognition of all she has done for ATSC and the industry.”
Meanwhile, Paul Hearty, ATSC board member and ATSC Technical Group 3 (TG3) chair, also credited Kenyon’s work across standards and compliance.
“Julia is an exceptional contributor to ATSC 3.0,” Hearty says. “She leads and contributes to standards and compliance development both in ATSC and in CTA, covering the spectrum from origination of services at broadcast to consumption at consumer devices. She maintains balance, fairness, and technical rigor, as well as humor, throughout.”
About the Lechner Award
The Bernard J. Lechner Outstanding Contributor Award is presented once a year. It goes to an ATSC member representative whose technical and leadership work has served the organization.
The award recognizes Bernard Lechner, the first recipient, for his service to ATSC. Lechner was the retired staff vice president of advanced video systems at RCA Laboratories. During his 30-year career at RCA, he worked across television and display research.
The 2026 honor adds Kenyon to a notable recipient list. Past recipients include leaders from Triveni Digital, Microsoft, the National Association of Broadcasters, Hitachi, Sony Electronics, Zenith/LG Electronics, PBS, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Samsung Electronics, NBC Universal/Sarnoff Labs, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, AGC Systems, and other organizations.
About ATSC
ATSC, The Broadcast Standards Association, is an international nonprofit organization. It develops voluntary standards for multimedia broadcasting. In addition, ATSC member organizations represent the broadcast, broadcast equipment, motion picture, consumer electronics, computer, cable, satellite, and semiconductor industries. The organization is also defining the future of television with the ATSC 3.0 next-generation broadcast standard. For more info, visit www.ATSC.org.
Press release submitted by ATSC, The Broadcast Standards Association. Edited by Exhibit City News for clarity, length, and style.
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