Mike Starling received the Meritorious Service Award for spearheading technological innovation within NPR and at its stations.
Starling, executive director of the Technology Research Center and NPR Labs, was cited for innovations including multicasting on HD Radio channels to public-service spectrum initiatives and accessible public radio services for the visually and hearing impaired. Starling, one of the founders of APRE in 2006, was also involved in preparing and presenting the Project ACORN Summit in 2002, which encouraged station managers and engineers to take advantage of translators to expand their signals.
According to the nomination form, “[Starling] is and always has been passionate about radio, a firm and steady advocate for the technology, for the medium, and for stations. . . . [His] untiring work and unfailing commitment to helping us be the best we can be have changed the landscape of our industry for the better.”
Starling accepted the award — the only one presented by APRE this year — April 13 in Las Vegas.