MCA Inc. Chairman Emeritus Lew R. Wasserman will be honored Sept. 29 with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country's highest civilian honor.

President Clinton will award Wasserman the medal in a White House ceremony. Wasserman is among 12 Americans who will be honored. Others include Children's Television Workshop creator Joan Ganz Cooney, children's television advocate Peggy Charren, former Wisconsin Sen. Gaylord Nelson, former Surgeon Gen. C. Everett Koop and the late United Auto Workers President Walter P. Reuther.

Wasserman is being honored for his business accomplishments in building MCA from a talent agency into an entertainment giant as well as for philanthropic work on behalf of the visually impaired through the foundation Research to Prevent Blindness.

In an interview, Wasserman said the award "just came out of the blue." He added that it ranks at the top among the awards he has received. "I'm astounded and honored," he said.