WBFO's Buckley Honored as 'Radio News Director of the Year'

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Eileen Buckley, news director, anchor and reporter for WBFO 88.7 FM, the University at Buffalo's National Public Radio member station, was chosen "Radio News Director of the Year" in the annual media awards presented by Medaille College.

Buckley, a 1985 graduate of Medaille, has received numerous regional and national awards for her on-air and administrative work on WBFO since she began working there full-time in 2001. Before coming to the university's award-winning public radio station, Buckley worked as a reporter at 10 radio stations, including WBEN, WGR, WECK, WBUF and WGNA in Albany.

She was honored by Medaille at a luncheon March 21 during their sixth annual media awards ceremony.

In accepting the award, Buckley emphasized to the other communications majors attending the ceremony the importance of taking advantage of what she called Medaille's "wonderful" internship programs.

"My final practicum was here at WBFO in 1984-85, which led to my first on-air, part-time, weekend news job at WBFO before I even graduated," says Buckley. "Then I left, and worked at 10 stations in the past 25 1/2 years. I landed back at WBFO in fall of 2001, where Medaille launched me off their college pad."

Buckley has worked on many of the top Western New York news stories, either as on on-air presence or news director. She also was recognized for her public relations expertise at the Buffalo Niagara Partnership, as well as other local organizations.

Richard T. Jurasek, PhD, president of Medaille College, said, "Eileen's work in the radio industry represents the best of what media professionals can offer to the public. She has a record of solid and fair reporting, and we are proud to have her as a graduate of our communications program."

Buckley is married to Mark D. Buckley, also a communications graduate of Medaille, Class of '84. Mark Buckley spent 19 years in television news as a producer/newsroom manager/editor. He then left the business, and is now a master electrician and owner of Power Play Electrical Contractors.

Medaille College also honored others in the communications field, including: Kendra Eaglin, Television Reporter and Anchor of the Year; Jeffrey Freedman, Business of the Year and Community Service; Don Tomasulo, sales manager of Entercom Communications, Man of the Year; Heidi Raphael, vice president of corporate communications for Greater Media of Detroit, Female of the Year.

Medaille, a four-year college dedicated to serving the needs of the community in Western and Central New York and Southern Ontario, also presented Lifetime Achievement Awards in Law and Law Enforcement. The recipients of these awards were: Daniel Derenda, Buffalo Police Commissioner; Captain Christine Giardina, Buffalo Police; Captain Michael Nigrelli, New York State Police; Captain Kevin Caffery, Erie County Sheriff's Department; the Honorable Rose Sconiers, Supreme Court Appellate Division; Honorable E. Jeannette Ogden, Buffalo City Court; and Honorable Robert Russell, Buffalo City Court.