PULLMAN, Wash. – Legendary journalist and sports broadcasting figure Keith Jackson has confirmed he will be in Pullman for a dedication ceremony to name a building in his honor at The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication.
Jackson graduated from Washington State University in 1954 before embarking on a celebrated broadcasting career spanning more than 40 years. The Facilities Naming Committee at WSU’s Pullman Campus formally approved the initiative to re-name Murrow College building, subject to approval by the WSU Board of Regents.
“I hope they aren’t going to send me the bill for upkeep,” Jackson deadpanned when informed of the honor. The building is currently named Murrow West and houses the college’s television broadcast facilities.
Jackson’s career began at KOMO radio and TV in Seattle. From there he moved on to ABC Sports, where he would serve as a mainstay for more than more than 40 years (1966–2006). Jackson was the first play-by-play announcer on Monday Night Football and was a fixture on ABC’s Wide World of Sports. He coined the term “The Big House” for Michigan’s stadium and christened the Rose Bowl “the granddaddy of them all.” His distinctive delivery and ‘down to earth’ manner has been compared to that of Edward R. Murrow. Both Jackson and Murrow are graduates of the WSU Department of Speech, a precursor to what is now the Murrow College.
A strong supporter of WSU, Jackson has long helped raise the profile of the Murrow College. Since graduation, Jackson has given more than $1 million to the university to support both the Murrow College and WSU Athletics. Jackson was also an instrumental figure in building support to construct the WSU Lewis Alumni Centre. The idea of naming a building in his honor gained unanimous support of Murrow faculty, many of whom offered their own letters of recommendation in making the case for the name change.
The dedication ceremony for the new Keith M. Jackson Hall is set for Sept. 12, 2014 at 3 p.m.
The public is invited.
Contact:
Darin Watkins (Murrow ’84), Director of Communications, The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, 509-335-4456, darin.watkins@wsu.edu