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Updated: Monday, July 9, 2007
Published: Monday, July 9, 2007 |
Contact:
NABJ Communications
(866) 479-NABJ
NBC News Chief Steve Capus to Receive 2007 Ida B. Wells Award
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NBC News President Steve Capus (Photo courtesy of NBC.)
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Washington, D.C., July 9, 2007 The National Association of Black Journalists, the National Conference of Editorial Writers and professors at Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism have selected Steve Capus, president of NBC News, as the 2007 recipient of the Ida B. Wells Award. The Wells award is presented annually to a media executive who has demonstrated a commitment to diversifying the nation's newsrooms and improving the coverage of people and communities of color.
In selecting Capus, the Wells jury cited his decisive action in the wake of radio host Don Imus offensive remarks about the members of the Rutgers women's basketball team, as well as his ongoing efforts to diversify NBC's leadership ranks. Following conversations with African-American members of the NBC News team, who expressed their hurt and outrage at the Imus comments, Capus and NBC took the bold step of terminating MSNBC's simulcast of the popular Imus in the Morning radio program.
Beyond the Imus controversy, the Wells jury also took note of the diversity on display in Mr. Capus inner circle of managers, including the recent selection of former Newsweek editor Mark Whitaker as senior vice president of NBC News and the elevation of Lyne Pitts to vice president of the news division. Their ascent under Capus direction affirms a dedication to increasing the opportunities for and the coverage of people of color, qualities that the Wells Award was established to highlight.
The Ida B. Wells Award is named in honor of the distinguished 19th century journalist and publisher who won international acclaim for her fearless crusade against lynching. First bestowed in 1983, the award is designed to give tangible and highly visible recognition to an individual or group of individuals who have provided distinguished leadership in increasing access and opportunities to people of color in journalism, and helped improve the coverage of communities of color.
Past recipients of the award include Jay T. Harris, former publisher of the San Jose Mercury News and Donald Graham, publisher of the Washington Post.
The 2007 award will be presented to Capus on Aug. 11, 2007 at the NABJ Salute to Excellence Awards Gala to be held at the Bally's Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas. Presentations alternate between the annual conventions of the sponsoring bodies NCEW and NABJ. NABJ's 32nd Convention and Career Fair will take place Aug. 8-12 in Las Vegas. For more information or to register, visit www.nabj.org.
An advocacy group established in 1975 in Washington, D.C., NABJ is the largest organization of journalists of color in the nation, with more than 4,100 members, and provides educational, career development and support to black journalists worldwide.
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