Gayle King, co-host of “CBS Mornings” and editor-at-large of Oprah Daily, received the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism from Arizona State University on Tuesday at a ceremony in Phoenix.
Since 1984, the honor has been reserved for accomplished journalists who have demonstrated exemplary leadership skills. The award is named after the late Walter Cronkite, who anchored CBS Evening News for nearly two decades. Previous recipients include Al Roker, Anderson Cooper, Bob Woodward and more.
“Gayle King’s career and accomplishments are remarkable, and her professionalism embodies everything that Walter Cronkite valued in journalism,” said Battinto L. Batts Jr, dean of ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. “Her approach to covering important events and interviewing politicians, leaders and celebrities is unparalleled. It’s an honor to present Gayle with this prestigious award.”
The three-time Emmy winner’s work has led her to cover pivotal moments in national history, from the legalization of same-sex marriage to the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. She’s interviewed former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama, along with musical stars like Taylor Swift, Cher and convicted felon R. Kelly. King also hosts her own weekly radio show on SiriusXM, “Gayle King in the House.”
“The work myself and other journalists do is important, but I don’t do it alone,” King said. “My colleagues at CBS News also share in this honor and I’m inspired by the unique and meaningful stories we tell.”
Also in today’s television news:
PROGRAMMING
BET is continuing its 50th-anniversary celebrations for hip-hop with the video tribute “Dear Hip Hop.”
Rapper Black Thought wrote and performed the four-and-a-half-minute video celebrating the genre’s past, present and future, and Benny Boom produced it.
“This is a love letter to hip-hop for me, because hip-hop is the love of my life,” said Black Thought in a statement. “No matter what medium that it is that you’re working in, if you’re painting a picture, if you’re writing a book, if you’re writing a song, those works of art that resonate the most are when you actually pour your true self into it.”
BET is honoring hip-hop across all its platforms under the banner of “In Hip Hop We Stand” and will continue to provide hip-hop programming this year.
“Since its inception in 1973, hip-hop is a driving force that continues to influence culture nationally and globally. Rooted in self-expression, its impact on music, fashion, art, and business is unmatched. BET is celebrating the genre’s tremendous contributions, legends, and future icons all year long,” said BET’s EVP and CMO Kimberly Paige. “From ‘106 & Park’ and ‘Rap City’ to our award-winning ‘BET Hip Hop Awards,’ BET is proud of its support of and partnership with the hip-hop community. The powerful and mesmerizing message in Black Thought’s prose celebrates the origin of the hip-hop movement and leaders who continue to express the power and diversity of the lived Black experience.”
Check out the video below.
STREAMING
“Elaine Stritch at Liberty,” an autobiographical one-woman show, will be available for global viewing on BroadwayHD starting March 1, the streaming platform announced last week.
The show is an amalgamation of anecdotes about the late actor Elaine Stritch’s life and theatrical legacy, complete with monologues and musical performances regaling her experiences with fame, drinking and finding love. The Broadway production received the 2002 Tony Award for Best Special Theatrical Event.
“Elaine Stritch is a tour de force of stage and screen, and we are thrilled to bring her unique story to our platform so that more people can learn about her historic career,” BroadwayHD co-founders Stewart F. Lane and Bonnie Comley said in a joint statement.
“Elaine Stritch at Liberty” was produced by George C. Wolfe and penned by Stritch and John Lahr. The production premiered off-Broadway in 2001 before opening on Broadway in February 2002.
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