Alliance For Women In Media Foundation Announces CBS News' Erin Moriarty As Lifetime Achievement Honoree For 44th Annual Gracies Luncheon

NEW YORK, June 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The leadership of the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF) announces that Erin Moriarty, "48 Hours" correspondent, will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 44^th Annual Gracie Awards Luncheon to be presented to her by Susan Zirinsky, president and senior executive producer, CBS News. Hosting the luncheon will be another television news veteran, Sheinelle Jones, co-anchor of "Weekend TODAY" and co-host of the "3^rd Hour of TODAY." The annual Gracies Luncheon set for June 26 at Cipriani 42^nd Street in New York City honors individual achievement and outstanding programming at the local level for television and radio, public radio and students in television, radio and interactive media.

The Gracie Awards recognize exemplary content created by, for and about women in all facets of media and entertainment. Given this year to Moriarty, who has covered some of the biggest crime and justice stories for three decades for CBS News, the Gracies Lifetime Achievement Award honors a woman in media who exemplifies and embodies the essence of the iconic trailblazer, the late Gracie Allen, the namesake of The Gracie Awards.

"The Gracie Awards celebrate the bravery of storytellers to share relevant, compelling content while pushing boundaries to create an environment of equality," said AWM/F Chair Christine Travaglini, President, Katz Radio Group. AWM/F Executive Director Becky Brooks added, "Throughout her 40-year journalism career, Erin Moriarty's well-researched, diligent approach to covering stories about crime and justice, about consumer issues and much more has been consistent and illustrates why she is so worthy of this Lifetime Achievement Award. Through the Gracies, we are incredibly proud to honor and celebrate outstanding talent and content by, for and about women."

Highlights of Moriarty's award-winning career include:

• Moriarty earned a law degree from Ohio State University in 1977.
• In 1986, Moriarty began her career at CBS News as a consumer correspondent for "CBS This Morning" and "CBS Evening News with Dan Rather."
• She has served as correspondent on CBS News' "48 Hours" since 1990.
• She also reports for "CBS Sunday Morning."
• A three-time Gracie Award winner, she has also won nine Emmy Awards.

Due to her training as a lawyer, Moriarty has covered some of the most important social and legal issues in the last three decades, including cold cases, DNA testing of evidence in death-row cases, wrongful convictions and spousal abuse. She was also part of the team that covered the Newtown, Conn. elementary school shooting, which earned CBS News a dePont-Columbia award. 

"This is an incredible honor to receive this Gracie from the Alliance for Women in Media," said Erin Moriarty. "It is truly humbling to be recognized with this award and to join the list of notable women who have come before me. It is because of this organization that I, and so many others, have flourished in our profession."

Gracies Luncheon host Sheinelle Jones is a co-anchor of NBC News' "Weekend TODAY," a co-host of "3^rd Hour of TODAY" and she hosts "TODAY's" digital series, "Through Mom's Eyes" while co-hosting "Off the Rails," a Sirius XM radio show with NBC's Al Roker and Dylan Dreyer. Jones joined "TODAY" in 2014 and has since covered breaking news events and human-interest stories. Prior to joining "TODAY," she served as co-host of FOX's "Good Day Philadelphia."

"It's an honor to host the Gracies and to be among the most inspiring, empowering and talented women in our business," said Jones. 

Performing at the Luncheon will be singer-songwriter Brynn Elliott. In the past few years, Elliott has signed with Atlantic Records, graduated from Harvard University and played over 250 shows. Brynn has performed on the "TODAY" show, MTV's "TRL," and "Live with Kelly and Ryan" and has spent the last year touring with artists such as Why Don't We and AJ Mitchell. 

The National Gracie Award honorees were recognized at the Gracies Gala, May 21, at The Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills. A full list of recipients may be found on the Alliance for Women in Media website. For more information about the 2019 Gracies Luncheon or to secure tickets, please visit HERE.

About the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation and The Gracie Awards - The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (formerly known as The Foundation of American Women in Radio & Television) supports and promotes educational programs, and scholarships to benefit the media, the public, and allied fields. The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation has created partnerships and joint initiatives with the Emma Bowen Foundation, NCTA, NAB and other organizations that are philosophically aligned with the mission of the Foundation. In addition to giving $20,000 a year in scholarships to deserving female students, the Foundation also produces nationally acclaimed recognition programs, including the Gracie Awards that exemplary honor programming created by, for and about women.

For more information about The Alliance for Women in Media, please visit: allwomeninmedia.org and follow on Twitter, Instagram (@AllWomeninMedia) (#TheGracies), and Facebook. Sponsors of The Gracies Luncheon include Beasley Media Group, CBS Corporation, Cox Media Group, Cumulus Media, Discovery, Inc., Entercom, Hofstra, iHeartMedia, Inc., Katz Media Group, Lerman Senter, NAB, NBC, NCTA – The Internet and Television Association, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Tegna, Townsquare Media, and vCreative. 

SOURCE Alliance for Women in Media Foundation

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