PULLMAN, Wash. — Sir Howard Stringer, chairman and chief executive officer of Sony Corporation of America, is the latest recipient of Washington State University’s Edward R. Murrow Award for International and Intercultural Communication.
In presenting the award on Nov. 25 at a luncheon attended by many of the “who’s who” in broadcasting, WSU President Dr. V. Lane Rawlins said Stringer symbolizes characteristics that qualify him for the highest awards his profession can offer.
“WSU takes this award very seriously,” Rawlins said. “We are aware of the importance of our relationship with Ed Murrow and the Murrow family and the obligation we have to recognize the professionalism, commitment, and courage that the Murrow name symbolizes. To Ed Murrow, WSU was not just a place he happened to attend college. He maintained life relationships and continued to learn from the faculty,” the WSU president said. “We do not consider Ed Murrow just a famous graduate. He symbolizes characteristics we hope our faculty will strive to teach and our students will take into the world from our university.”
“Howard Stringer has shown these qualities. The Murrow award from WSU is given on the advice of professionals and leaders in a university that, as I said, takes it very seriously. We are honored that Howard Stringer has agreed to accept the award,” Rawlins said.
“Mr. Stringer acknowledged the support of his colleagues at Sony and CBS, many of whom attended the luncheon honoring him,” said Alex Tan, director of the Murrow School at WSU. “It was clear that Mr. Stringer and luncheon guests held Edward R. Murrow in very high regard. Thanks to President Rawlins, they now know that the Murrow tradition lives on at WSU and the Murrow School of Communication.”
The WSU School is named for Murrow, a graduate of the university and perhaps the most respected reporter in broadcast history.
The Murrow Award recognizes a person or organization exemplifying, through service or performance, the professional ideals of Edward R. Murrow. Each year at a symposium and scholarship dinner, the school recognizes a journalist who exemplifies the standards Murrow set during his career. Earlier this year, Christiane Amanpour, CNN’s Chief international correspondent accepted the Edward R. Murrow 2002 Award for Distinguished Achievement in Broadcast Journalism. In April 2002, The Murrow Award for Lifetime Achievement was presented to Daniel Schorr, senior news analyst for National Public Radio.
Previous award winners include: Bernard Shaw, Ted Turner, Keith Jackson, Al Neuharth, Walter Cronkite, Frank Blethen and Sam Donaldson.
“Sir Howard Stringer’s name deserves to be among this elite group,” said Tan. “Stringer exemplifies the vision and accomplishment deserving of this award. “Considering his impressive list of journalistic accomplishments and honors, his achievements in the realm of technology and international commerce are doubly impressive.”
After joining Sony Corporation of America (SCA) as president in May 1997, Sir Howard Stringer became chairman and chief executive officer in December 1998, responsible for Sony Music Entertainment Inc. (SME), Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE), Sony Electronics Inc., as well as Sony’s extensive Internet and new media interests and its retail and location-based entertainment businesses in the United States. He was named to the Corporation’s Board of Directors in June 1999.
Before joining Sony, Stringer was chairman and CEO of TELE-TV, the media and technology company formed by Bell Atlantic, NYNEX and Pacific Telesis, from February 1995 to April 1997.
Prior to that, Stringer had a distinguished 30-year career as a journalist, producer and executive at CBS Inc. As President of CBS from 1988 to 1995, he was responsible for all the broadcast activities of the company including entertainment, news, sports, radio and television stations. Under his leadership, the CBS Television Network became the first network to rise from last to first place in one season. In 1993, in what became one of the most chronicled coups in television history, Stringer convinced David Letterman to bring his critically acclaimed late night show to CBS.
From 1986 to 1988 as President of CBS News, Stringer was responsible for the development of three new award-winning programs: 48 HOURS, CBS THIS MORNING and WEST 57TH. Prior to that, during his tenure as executive producer of the CBS EVENING NEWS with Dan Rather from 1981 to 1984, that program became the dominant network evening newscast of its day. From 1976 to 1981, while Mr. Stringer was executive producer of CBS REPORTS, that documentary unit won virtually every major honor, including 31 Emmys, four Peabody Awards, three Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Awards, three Christopher Awards, three Overseas Press Club Awards, an ABA Silver Gavel and a Robert F. Kennedy Grand Prize.
Among those attending the awards luncheon were Dan Rather (CBS), Andrew Heyward (CBS), Leslie Stahl (CBS), Morley Safer (CBS), Connie Chung (CNN), Fred Cohen (President of the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences), Ralph Baruch (Foundation Chairman of the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences), Casey Murrow (Edward R. Murrow’s son) and Moriyoshi Saito (Chairman, Mainichi Broadcasting System Inc.)
