PBS Annual Meeting, Denver, Co., May 16, 2012 – PBS today announced that journalist Gwen Ifill is the recipient of the eighth annual PBS “Be More” Award, which celebrates individuals in public television who embody the spirit of helping Americans to discover more, to experience more and to “Be More.” The award was presented to Ms. Ifill by PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger at the PBS Annual Meeting in Denver.
“Gwen is one of the best journalists in the country,” said Ms. Kerger. “She is among the most trusted people on television, someone to turn to for insightful, in-depth coverage of news and issues that matter. She represents journalism at its best: she’s skeptical about everything but cynical about nothing.”
Ms. Ifill is moderator and managing editor of WASHINGTON WEEK, the longest-running primetime news and public affairs television program, and senior correspondent for PBS NEWSHOUR, one of the most trusted news programs in television. She is also a best-selling author and moderated the Vice Presidential debates during the Presidential elections in 2004 and 2008. This fall on PBS NEWSHOUR, Ms. Ifill will co-anchor live coverage of election specials, including the Democrat and Republican conventions, the presidential debates and the vice-presidential debate.
Before joining WASHINGTON WEEK and PBS NEWSHOUR in 1999, Ms. Ifill was chief congressional and political correspondent for NBC News, White House correspondent for The New York Times, and a local and national political reporter for The Washington Post. During her career, she has received more than a dozen honorary doctorates and is the recipient of several broadcasting excellence awards, including a George Foster Peabody Award and Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government’s Goldsmith Career Award for Excellence in Journalism.
The PBS "Be More" Award is an annual award that recognizes extraordinary individuals who inspire public television viewers to expand their horizons, to experience growth and adventure, to explore new ideas and to be more. Based on PBS' award-winning “Be more” brand campaign, the award’s previous recipients are Ken Burns, Joan Ganz Cooney, Rebecca Eaton, Jim Lehrer, Bill Moyers, Fred Rogers and Neil deGrasse Tyson.
About PBS PBS, with its nearly 360 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and online content. Each month, PBS reaches nearly 123 million people through television and more than 21 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’ broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. PBS’ premier children’s TV programming and its website, pbskids.org, are parents’ and teachers’ most trusted partners in inspiring and nurturing curiosity and love of learning in children. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the Internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Pressroom on Twitter.
Media Contacts:
Carrie Johnson PBS cjohnson@pbs.org; 703-739-5129
Anne Bell PBS NewsHour abell@newshour.org; 703-998-2175
