New York State Broadcasters Association Names NBC's Brian Williams 2011 Broadcaster of the Year

ALBANY, N.Y., June 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The New York State Broadcasters Association (NYSBA) today announced that NBC News Anchor and Managing Editor Brian Williams will receive the 2011 Broadcaster of the Year award.

Williams will accept the honor on June 27th during the Tony Malara Awards Dinner, which will serve as the opening event of the NYSBA's two-day Executive Conference held at the picturesque Sagamore Resort Hotel on Lake George.

"Brian Williams isn't just a face and voice reporting the news," said NYSBA President Joseph A. Reilly.  "He is an example of how to be a true news reporter — get in there, get dirty, get the facts and tell the stories that matter. His work in the field and behind the anchor desk is top-notch and that's why we chose him as broadcaster of the year."

Williams, who joins other notable award winners, including Charles Gibson (2010), Barbara Walters (2007), Peter Jennings (2005), Dan Rather (2004) and Tim Russert (1999), is only the seventh anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News. A heavily decorated journalist, he has traveled the world extensively reporting on a breadth of news stories ranging from presidential elections to natural disasters.

Earlier in his career, Williams served as NBC News' chief white house correspondent and also is a former anchor and managing editor of MSNBC and CNBC's, "The News with Brian Williams."

During his tenure in the news business, Williams has received some of the industry's most coveted awards.  Among his honors are 11 Edward R. Murrow awards, 12 Emmy Awards, and the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism.  In 2006, he garnered the George Foster Peabody Award, the industry's highest honor, for his work covering the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

While Williams is best known to American audiences as a hardcore news veteran, he is also known for his comedic talent. He has appeared on such programs as Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock and various late night talk shows.

For more information on NYSBA's 49th Annual Executive Conference, call (518) 456-8888.

Founded in 1955, the New York State Broadcasters Association (NYSBA) represents the interests of more than 1000 television and radio stations in the NYS Senate and Assembly; the US Congress, and various other legislative bodies. NYSBA also offers a variety of services to help the broadcasters of New York State better serve their communities. For more information, call (518) 456-8888.

SOURCE New York State Broadcasters Association