Scott Pelley To Receive Paul White Award

The Radio Television Digital News Association has chosen Scott Pelley as the winner of the 2019 Paul White Award, which recognizes a lifetime of achievement and service to the profession of broadcast and digital journalism. Pelley has been a correspondent on the CBS News program 60 Minutes since 1999. He served as anchor and managing editor of the CBS Evening News from 2011 to 2017 and is the author of a new memoir, Truth Worth Telling.

“In more than 30 years at CBS News, Pelley has covered the major stories of our times and interviewed the news makers who have changed our world,” said Jerry Walsh, chair of the Radio Television Digital News Association. “He is one of the most experienced and awarded correspondents in broadcast journalism, and we are proud to recognize him as our 2019 Paul White Award winner.”

Pelley has interviewed presidents, Supreme Court justices, sitting Federal Reserve chairmen and the first Navy SEAL to speak publicly about the bin Laden raid. He has reported from around the world, including: the Americas, the Middle East and throughout Africa and Asia. His investigative reports have shined a light on gas attacks in Syria, the treatment of terror suspects and tainted medication.

Pelley joined CBS News in 1989. He covered the Persian Gulf crisis from Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Kuwait; the Oklahoma City bombing and ensuing trial; the 1992 presidential campaigns of Bill Clinton and Ross Perot and the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center.

In 1997, Pelley was named CBS News’ chief White House correspondent. While covering the Clinton White House, Pelley reported on the impeachment of President Clinton and was first to report that President Clinton had been subpoenaed to testify before the grand jury.

On 9/11, Pelley was among the first reporters to arrive on the scene of the twin towers. His award-winning live reports from Ground Zero and the subsequent search and recovery operations exhibited his innate ability to provide a deeper understanding of news events.

Prior to joining CBS News, Pelley, a Texas Tech University alum who was born in San Antonio, reported from several local TV stations in Texas.

Pelley has won a record 37 Emmys for field work, nearly all of them for 60 Minutes stories, which also have been recognized with five Edward R. Murrow awards, three George Foster Peabody awards, three Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Silver Batons, a George Polk award, as well as honors from the Society of Professional Journalists, the Overseas Press Club of America, Investigative Reporters and Editors and the Writers Guild of America.

Pelley will be presented with this year’s Paul White Award on Friday, Sept. 6, at Excellence in Journalism 2019 in San Antonio, Texas.