PORTLAND, Ore. — Journalist Ann Curry recently received the Edward R. Murrow Lifetime Achievement Award in Broadcast Journalism from the Washington State University Murrow School of Communication.
The award recognized her four decades of reporting on humanitarian issues, world changing events, covering war zones, genocide, and natural disasters around the globe.
Bruce Pinkleton, dean of WSU's College of Communication, said Curry's work stands as a testament to using communication for the common good. Curry said she was honored to receive the award named in recognition of one of her journalistic heroes.
"I think of Edward R Murrow's high ideals of integrity, courage and also humanity. I think for anyone to have their work be compared to that is incredibly humbling, and of course delightful," she said.
Curry's career began at KTVL in Medford, where she was the first female reporter and only reporter who wasn't white. From there, she headed to Portland where she worked as a reporter at KGW in the early 80s, before landing a job at KCBS in Los Angeles, and eventually becoming the second longest serving news anchor on the Today Show until her departure in 2015.
Shortly after receiving her Lifetime Achievement Award, Curry sat down with KGW's Laural Porter at Portland's Behind the Museum Café for a wide-ranging conversation about her reflections on her career, the most powerful stories she's covered, restoring trust in journalism, the importance of local journalism and why Oregon still holds a special place in her heart.
"It's always such a warm hug when I come back to Portland, even now when it's emerging from COVID. It's like good medicine. It's really great to be back. So, hello Portland, hello Oregon," Curry said.
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