Christiane Amanpour and Tina Brown to Headline Premier International Journalism Event in DC

WASHINGTON, March 28, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Two outstanding journalists will be featured at the 2011 International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) Awards Dinner on Nov. 1. Christiane Amanpour, host of ABC's "This Week," will receive the ICFJ Founders Award for Excellence in Journalism. Tina Brown, editor-in-chief of Newsweek and The Daily Beast, will serve as master of ceremonies for Washington's largest international journalism awards dinner.

"Christiane and Tina set the benchmarks for journalism excellence around the world," said ICFJ President Joyce Barnathan. "Christiane has provided unparalleled on-the-scene reports of major world events, including the Egyptian revolution this year. And Tina is a stellar editor and innovator who is creating sustainable, successful models for the news industry."

ICFJ will honor Amanpour for her groundbreaking work as an international correspondent and anchor. In recent months, Amanpour has reported from global hot-spots including Egypt, Japan and Libya for her show "This Week." Prior to joining ABC News last September, she worked for 27 years at CNN, where she served as chief international correspondent. She has received every major broadcast award, including nine Emmys, an inaugural Television Academy Award and four George Foster Peabody awards. Now she joins the ranks of previous winners of the ICFJ Founders Award, including David Ignatius, Seymour Hersh, John F. Burns, Tom Brokaw and Bob Schieffer.

After serving as a top magazine editor, columnist, talk-show host and author, Brown co-founded The Daily Beast in 2008. The news website reaches more than 6 million readers. After it merged with Newsweek in November 2010, she became editor-in-chief of both publications. She has a reputation for revitalizing the organizations she leads. At age 25, she was named editor-in-chief of a nearly defunct society magazine, Tatler. Under her direction, its circulation rose 300 percent. She went on to dramatically increase the circulation of two major U.S. magazines, Vanity Fair and The New Yorker. Under her direction, The New Yorker received four George Polk awards, five Overseas Press Club awards and 10 National Magazine awards. Brown was the first magazine editor to be honored with the National Press Foundation's Editor of the Year Award.  

At the dinner, ICFJ will also give Knight International Journalism awards to two exceptional journalists for reporting that has had a lasting impact on their societies. A prestigious panel of judges will select the winners. On June 21, ICFJ will announce the winners at a Newseum event.

For more information on dinner sponsorship and tickets, please contact Vjollca Shtylla, vice president for development, at [email protected] or visit www.icfj.org/dinner. Press registration is required. Please sign up at www.icfj.org/dinner/press.

The International Center for Journalists, a non-profit, professional organization, promotes quality journalism worldwide in the belief that independent, vigorous media are crucial in improving the human condition. For 27 years, ICFJ has worked directly with more than 65,000 journalists from 180 countries. ICFJ offers hands-on training workshops, seminars, fellowships and international exchanges to journalists and media managers around the globe.

SOURCE International Center for Journalists