Judy Woodruff, a pioneering broadcast journalist and the anchor and managing editor of “PBS Newshour,” will be the 2017 recipient of the Poynter Medal for Lifetime Achievement in Journalism, the institute announced Thursday.
“It is such an honor to be recognized by Poynter, which from the day it opened its doors has been dedicated to nourishing excellent journalism as the foundation of our democracy,” Woodruff said. “Its mission of educating journalists at every stage of their careers has never been more important than it is now.”
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The Poynter Medal for Lifetime Achievement recognizes the outstanding career of a journalist whose work has made a lasting impact serving citizens in our democracy. Tom Brokaw, who helmed “NBC Nightly News” for more than two decades, was honored with the second award last year at the Bowtie Ball, Poynter’s annual awards gala.
The inaugural recipient of the award was Bob Schieffer, the longtime host of “Face the Nation.”
Tim Franklin, Poynter’s president, called Woodruff “one of the great broadcast journalists of this generation” in a statement Thursday.
“Judy is an award-winning journalist who blazed a trail for other women, covering national politics and the White House for NBC News in the 1970s and 1980s,” Franklin said. “She’s done it all, covering huge stories, moderating presidential debates, hosting a daily program on CNN and anchoring the ‘NewsHour’ with distinction.”
Woodruff will be honored at an event in St. Petersburg on Nov. 4.
