Freedom Forum Announces 2007 Free Spirit Honoree

Freedom Forum Announces 2007 Free Spirit Honoree

WASHINGTON, March 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Bob Schieffer, chief Washington correspondent for CBS News and host of "Face the Nation," has been named the 2007 Free Spirit Honoree.

Schieffer was selected for his free-spirited achievements in the field of journalism. During a career spanning nearly 50 years, Schieffer has exemplified the Free Spirit ideals of "Dream, Dare, Do."

Each year the Freedom Forum honors one or more individuals for accomplishments that have stirred the public's hearts and souls by demonstrating the human capacity to dream, dare, do. A free spirit can be a risk-taker, a visionary, an innovator, an entrepreneur or a courageous achiever who accomplishes great things beyond his or her normal circumstances. Schieffer will receive the award at a ceremony March 21 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Past Free Spirit honorees include Aung San Suu Kyi, Barbara Bush, Terry Anderson, Chuck Yeager, Supreme Court Justices Thurgood Marshall and William J. Brennan, Greg Mortenson, Brian Lamb and Eileen Collins.

"This award celebrates Schieffer's distinguished career," said Charles L. Overby, chairman, chief executive officer and president of the Freedom Forum. "His outstanding work has helped to set the standard for quality journalism."

The ceremony coincides with the annual Al Neuharth Free Spirit Scholarship and Conference program, during which 102 top high school seniors -- two from each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia -- meet in Washington for a four-day journalism conference. The program awards a total of $200,000 in college scholarships to students who are interested in pursuing journalism careers and who demonstrate qualities of "free spirit."

Schieffer anchored the "CBS Evening News" from March 10, 2005, until Aug. 31, 2006. Schieffer has covered Washington for CBS News for more than 30 years and has served as the moderator of "Face the Nation," CBS News' Sunday public affairs broadcast, since 1991. He is also CBS News' chief Washington correspondent.

Schieffer is one of the few broadcast or print journalists to have covered all four major beats in the nation's capital -- the White House, the Pentagon, the State Department and Capitol Hill.

He has been chief Washington correspondent since 1982 and congressional correspondent since 1989. He has been a floor reporter at all of the Democratic and Republican National Conventions since 1972.

Prior to joining CBS News in 1969, Schieffer was a reporter at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and, in 1965, became the first reporter from a Texas newspaper to report from Vietnam. Schieffer later became news anchor at WBAP- TV Dallas/Fort Worth, a post that eventually led to his joining CBS News.

Schieffer is the author of three books: "Face the Nation," which was published on the 50th anniversary of the program; the 2003 New York Times best-seller, "This Just In, What I Couldn't Tell You on TV;" and the best- selling "Acting President," published in 1989.

Schieffer is a member of the Broadcasting/Cable Hall of Fame and is the recipient of the 2003 Paul White Award presented by the Radio-Television News Directors Association. The award recognizes an individual's lifetime contribution to electronic journalism. Schieffer also has won six Emmys and two Sigma Delta Chi Awards. In 2002, the National Press Foundation chose Schieffer as Broadcaster of the Year.

The Freedom Forum, based in Arlington, Va., is a nonpartisan foundation dedicated to free press, free speech and free spirit for all people. The foundation focuses on three priorities: the Newseum, the First Amendment and newsroom diversity.

The Freedom Forum funds the Newseum, an interactive museum of news under construction in Washington, D.C.; the First Amendment Center; and the Diversity Institute. The First Amendment Center and the Diversity Institute are housed in the John Seigenthaler Center at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. The First Amendment Center also has offices in Arlington.

The Freedom Forum was established in 1991 under the direction of Founder Allen H. Neuharth as successor to a foundation started in 1935 by newspaper publisher Frank E. Gannett. The Freedom Forum is not affiliated with Gannett Co. Its work is supported by income from an endowment of diversified assets.

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Source: Freedom Forum

CONTACT: Jean Caplanis of the Freedom Forum, +1-703-284-3593

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