News Releases

Fred Young of Hearst-Argyle to Receive RTNDA’s 2009 Paul White Award

News Release

Contact:  Stacey Staniak, 202-467-5214, staceys@rtnda.org

For Immediate Release:  December 17, 2009

Fred Young of Hearst-Argyle to Receive RTNDA’s 2009 Paul White Award

Washington – Fred Young, senior vice president for news at Hearst-Argyle Television, will receive the 2009 Paul White Award from the Radio-Television News Directors Association. The Paul White award is the highest honor bestowed by RTNDA. Young will be honored during the RTNDA convention in Las Vegas on April 20, 2009. Young, who will retire from Hearst-Argyle later this month, is the first Paul White honoree since 1984 who has spent his career working exclusively in local news.

Young oversees news executives managing new operations in 26 markets for Hearst Argyle stations in 22 states. He has served as vice president, news, since Hearst-Argyle’s formation in August 1997. He also oversees the Hearst-Argyle Washington News Bureau, which provides news from the Nation’s Capital to the company’s television news departments.

Under Young’s leadership, Hearst-Argyle stations have been the recipients of many of television's highest awards for excellence in journalism, programming and community service, including the Edward R. Murrow Award, the Peabody, the du Pont-Columbia Journalism Award, the National Headliner Award, the Emmy and the National Association of Broadcasters Service to America Award.

Dave Busiek, news director at Hearst-Argyle’s KCCI-TV and former RTNDA chairman, said "There's no one in local news more deserving of this distinguished award.  Fred has spent a career fighting for what's right in broadcast news, insisting on integrity, and supporting hundreds of people in their careers.  And he's done it with intelligence, grace and a rich sense of humor."

Young joined Hearst Broadcasting in October 1962, serving for 25 years at WTAE-TV, Pittsburgh, as vice president and general manager, news director, and in other news management positions. During his years there, WTAE-TV received numerous local and national awards for quality programming and community service. He was also instrumental in the original campaign to admit television cameras into Pennsylvania courtrooms.

"Fred has long been one of my broadcasting heroes because his roots are here in Pennsylvania," said KYW radio’s Bill Roswell, who also serves as chair of RTNDA’s Paul White Award nominating committee.  "He remains a local legend because of his early leadership at WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh, and his work with the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters."

Barbara Cochran, president of RTNDA, said, “Fred has not only led Hearst-Argyle to outstanding achievements in news, he has also contributed in a major way to upholding best practices for the entire industry. Fred has always been ready to help RTNDA with his wisdom and experience, and I’m enormously grateful to have received the benefit of his counsel for all these years.”

Young is a past president of the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters, from whom he received a Broadcaster of the Year Award. He is also past chairman of the Telecommunications Advisory Committee of Pennsylvania State University. In 2002 Young received the RTNDF First Amendment Award. He became a member of RTNDA in 1970. Young serves as a judge for the Hearst Journalism Awards for college journalism students and is a member of the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications. A graduate of Duquesne University, Young recently received the University's Outstanding Alumnus Award.

RTNDA established the Paul White Award in 1956 to honor the broadcast news pioneer who served as the first news director at CBS. The award recognizes an individual’s lifetime contribution to electronic journalism. Past recipients include Christiane Amanpour, Charles Gibson, Tom Brokaw, Dan Rather, Peter Jennings, Ed Bradley, Bob Schieffer, Ted Koppel, Pauline Frederick and Edward R. Murrow.

RTNDA@NAB, which will take place at the Las Vegas Hilton April 19-22, is the premier conference and exhibition for radio, television and online news. To learn more about RTNDA@NAB and the Paul White Award, visit the new RTNDA.org.

RTNDA is the world’s largest professional organization devoted exclusively to electronic journalism. RTNDA represents local and network news executives in broadcasting, cable and other electronic media in more than 30 countries.