Hearst Television Names Journalism Fellowship For Former Executive Fred Young; Selects Students For 2016 Program

NEW YORK, May 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Hearst Television has formally named its journalism fellowship program in honor of its longtime top news executive, Fred Young, who retired from his post as the company's senior vice president of news in 2008, concluding a distinguished 46-year career.  

The company has selected Amina Lovell from Columbia University, Courtney Sonn from Boston University and Alexis Porter from Howard University as 2016 Summer Fellows. 

The Fred Young Hearst Television Producing Fellowship recognizes Young's four decades of news industry leadership. The hands-on, 10-week paid training program is designed for graduating college seniors who have demonstrated a desire to become news producers for television, digital and mobile platforms. The program selects Fellows graduating in the May/June and December timeframes; each is assigned training at a Hearst station and then, upon successful completion, is placed in a producing job at a Hearst station.  

"Finding the best people and helping them become strong leaders was a hallmark of Fred's legacy at Hearst," said Barbara Maushard, Hearst Television vice president, news.  "With this program we seek to blend the strong journalistic values that Fred and Hearst Television represent, and the modern delivery of the important content on which local news audiences depend."

"I am pleased to be honored as a person who, during my career, was committed to the continuing development of television news production, management and journalistic talent," Young said.  "This program will recruit and develop college graduates who want to build long-term careers in TV news."

Hearst began the program in spring 2014; in addition to Boston University, Columbia University and Howard University, Fellows selected to date have come from the University of Missouri, Syracuse University, the University of Maryland, and City University of New York. 

Any graduating college senior with a demonstrated interest in television/digital producing is welcome to apply. Applications for the winter 2017 program will be accepted beginning in November 2016.  More details about the Fellowship can be found here.

During Young's tenure as its top news executive, the Hearst station group earned dozens of national journalism awards, including five consecutive USC Annenberg Walter Cronkite Awards for excellence in television political journalism, and a number of Peabody, duPont and Murrow Awards.    Hearst television stations' journalism has spurred community and regulatory action in support of environmentalism, government accountability and children's safety, among other causes.

In April 2009, the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) presented Young with the Paul White Award, its highest honor; Young was one of only two of the Award's 53 recipients (which have included Walter Cronkite and Edward R. Murrow) to have been a career local-TV news professional.   Young's other honors have included a First Amendment Service award from the RTDNA, honors from the Pennsylvania Association of  Broadcasters and the Associated Press Broadcasters, and a distinguished alumnus award from Pittsburgh's Duquesne University.

Young joined Hearst Television predecessor company Hearst Broadcasting in 1962, serving for 25 years at WTAE-TV as vice president and general manager and, before that, as news director and in other news management positions.  He joined Hearst Broadcasting's corporate staff in New York in 1986 and participated in the growth of what is now Hearst Television from three to more than two dozen news-producing stations.

Since retiring, Young has been immersed in journalism education; in addition to teaching and lecturing, he has been involved with the Hearst Collegiate Journalism Awards and the College Journalism Accreditation Council, among other organizations.

About Hearst Television
Hearst Television owns and operates local television and radio stations serving 26 media markets across 39 states reaching over 21 million U.S. television households. Through its partnership with nearly all of the major networks, Hearst Television distributes national content over nearly 70 video channels including programming from ABC, NBC, CBS, CW, MY Net, MeTV, This TV, Estrella and more.  Hearst Television is recognized as one of the industry's premier companies, and has been honored with numerous awards for distinguished journalism, industry innovation, and community service.  Hearst Television is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hearst.  The Company's Web address is www.hearsttelevision.com.

SOURCE Hearst Television

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