鈥淭he Kalb Report鈥 has won the Gold World Medal in the 2018 New York Festivals International Radio Program Awards as the 鈥淏est Talk/Interview Special.鈥 The honor marks the third time in six years that an edition of 鈥淭he Kalb Report鈥 has been awarded the gold medal.
This year鈥檚 winning program鈥斺淭he Kalb Report: Guardians of the Fourth Estate鈥濃攆eatured moderator Marvin Kalb in discussion with New York Times Executive Editor Dean Baquet and Washington Post Executive Editor Marty Baron about the administration鈥檚 threats to press freedom and the extraordinary relationship between the president of the United States and the media.
The program, produced last October at the National Press Club in Washington, was honored at a June 18 gala in New York City where it bested entries from networks and local stations across the U.S. and around the world.
Michael Freedman, the program鈥檚 executive producer and UMUC senior vice president for communications, accepted the award on behalf of the partnership that produces it, led by UMUC and the National Press Club鈥檚 Journalism Institute.
鈥淩arely have the roles, responsibilities and indeed, the basic integrity of the American press been under such scrutiny as now,鈥 he told the gathering in explaining the program鈥檚 premise. 鈥淔acing allegations ranging from blatant bias to reporting fake news, public trust and even public understanding of journalism appear in doubt.鈥
During his remarks, Freedman noted key moments from the award-winning episode.聽 鈥淭ruth may be elusive, but there is such a thing as truth,鈥 Baquet of The Times remarked.
鈥淚f you tell the truth, if you are accurate, if you鈥檙e aggressive, and you鈥檙e fair, and you hold onto your principles, in the end, that鈥檚 the only way you can cover this president.鈥
And he quoted The Post鈥檚 Baron as saying, 鈥淲e鈥檙e not at war, we鈥檙e at work.鈥
鈥淭he Kalb Report鈥 previously was awarded Gold World Medals in 2012 and 2015. The program is carried by Sirius XM Satellite Radio nationwide and Federal News Radio in Washington.
For 24 years, 鈥淭he Kalb Report鈥 public broadcasting series has explored freedom of the press, media literacy, leadership in journalism and the roles and responsibilities of the press in our democracy.
Along with UMUC and the Journalism Institute, 鈥淭he Kalb Report鈥 is produced by a partnership with Harvard鈥檚 Shorenstein Center, George Washington University鈥檚 School of Media and Public Affairs, the Gaylord College of Journalism at the University of Oklahoma and the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland.
It is underwritten by a grant from the Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation.