News Women Honor Diane Rehm for 'Excellence in Journalism'

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Mar 24, 2011, 09:46 ET

WASHINGTON, March 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The American News Women's Club (ANWC) will award WAMU and NPR radio talk show pioneer Diane Rehm its Excellence in Journalism Award for 2011. Emceed by veteran CBS News broadcaster Roger Mudd, "a Roast, Toast and Tribute to Diane Rehm" will be held at the National Press Club on Thursday, April 7, 2011 to benefit scholarships for aspiring journalists. Susan Page of USA Today and Sandra Pinkard, Managing Producer of the Diane Rehm Show, will enliven the event with their commentary among others colleagues and close friends of Diane Rehm.

"Excellent journalism is not only great reporting, it's great listening. Diane Rehm's intelligent and imaginative conversations with extraordinary people have inspired us all for decades," says ANWC Board Member and Benefit Chair, Claire Sanders Swift. "We are thrilled to celebrate her and the excellence she brings day in and day out to her listeners."

One of the first women in Washington to have her own radio program, Diane Rehm has developed a following of more than 2 million listeners. The Diane Rehm Show brings fresh perspectives from all points of the globe. She has hosted Audrey Hepburn, Sandra Day O'Connor, John McCain, Hillary Clinton, Norman Mailer, Carl Sagan, Lynn Cheney, Alan Greenspan and Cate Blanchett, to name a few.

Rehm has overcome many personal obstacles having to literally "find her voice" (also the name of her book Finding My Voice (Knopf, 1999), after being diagnosed in 1998 with a serious condition that caused her vocal chords to tighten. She transformed this disability into an asset becoming known for her signature slow and firm speaking style.

Among her many achievements, Rehm was named "Washingtonian of the Year," one of Washington's "100 Most Powerful Women," and one of the "150 Most Influential People in Washington" by Washingtonian magazine. In 2010, she won a Peabody Award, considered one of the highest honors in journalism. In 2000, Rehm became the first radio talk show host to interview a sitting president in the Oval Office.

The reception will begin at 6:30 pm, followed by the dinner and program at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices start at $225 and tables at $3,000. Please call 202.332.6770 or visit www.anwc.org to purchase seats. The National Press Club is located at 529 14^th St. in Washington, DC.

The American News Women's Club is a professional association for members of the journalism and the communications professions. Founded in 1932 by women reporters and writers employed by Washington's newspapers, today membership has expanded to men and women in all media and communications disciplines. With the mission of expanding the advancement of women in journalism and the media professions, ANWC serves its diverse membership with signature newsmaker programs, ongoing professional development, and senior level networking.

Past recipients of the award include Helen Thomas (1993); Catherine Filene Shouse (1994); Sarah McClendon (1995); Sam Donaldson (1996); Walter Cronkite (1997); Andrea Mitchell (1998); Larry King (1999); Jim Lehrer (2000); Al Neuharth (2001); Judy Woodruff (2002); Cokie Roberts (2003); Bob Schieffer (2004); Sally Quinn and Ben Bradlee (2005); Brian Lamb (2006); Katie Couric (2009); Eleanor Clift (2010).