Awards to be given to YouTube and reporters covering Afghanistan and Somalia

Washington, D.C.—Veteran journalists Bob Woodward of The Washington Post and Wolf Blitzer of CNN will be featured at the 2012 International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) Awards Dinner on Nov. 13.

Woodward will deliver the keynote one week after the presidential election. Blitzer will serve as master of ceremonies. NBC correspondent Ann Curry, who has covered many global hot spots, will be a presenter.

At the gala, ICFJ will present YouTube with its News Innovation Award for revolutionizing the way video news is distributed. CEO Salar Kamangar will accept the honor on behalf of the company. YouTube has empowered citizens and journalists to break news in real time.

John S. and James L. Knight Foundation President and CEO Alberto Ibargüen will present two Knight International Journalism Awards. Afghan broadcaster Sami Mahdi has transformed Afghanistan’s media landscape with debate forums and programs on domestic violence. Kenyan investigative reporter Kassim Mohamed has provided unparalleled coverage of the Somali pirates.

“We are delighted that the finest reporters and media innovators will be on stage this year,” said ICFJ President Joyce Barnathan. “They represent the top-notch journalism that ICFJ seeks to promote through our international programs.”

The ICFJ dinner brings together some 600 media luminaries and supporters to the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center to honor colleagues whose high-impact work has helped improve societies worldwide.

Best-selling author Woodward is one of America’s pre-eminent investigative reporters. His 41 years as a reporter and editor for the Post were defined early on by his coverage of the Watergate scandal. Woodward’s 17th book, “The Price of Politics,” was recently released.

Blitzer, CNN’s lead political anchor, has reported on breaking stories that have shaped the international political landscape. He has interviewed every U.S. president from Gerald Ford to Barack Obama as well as global leaders, including the Dalai Lama, former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and former South African President Nelson Mandela.

YouTube CEO Salar Kamangar developed Google’s first business plan, started its early legal and finance functions and helped found the company’s first product team. With a small engineering team, he designed and launched Google’s AdWords program, the company’s major revenue source.

NBC’s Curry has traveled to remote areas of the world for underreported stories. She has covered breaking stories like the Japanese tsunami and the Haitian earthquake and conducted interviews with major political figures.

She will join ICFJ in paying tribute to one of the world’s most outstanding photojournalists, David Hume Kennerly. A Pulitzer Prize winner, he has captured every president since Nixon.

Two sets of Kennerly’s special Presidential Collection of 20 photographs will be auctioned. One set will be sold individually and the other as a collection. To bid, click here. The online auction will run Oct. 1-Nov. 11. The auction will close at the Awards Dinner on Nov. 13.

For more on the Awards Dinner or to purchase a table or ticket, click here. Press may register to cover the event by completing a registration form.

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ICFJ advances quality journalism worldwide. Our hands-on programs combine the best professional practices with new technologies. We believe that responsible journalism empowers citizens and holds governments accountable. For more information, go to www.icfj.org.

Knight Foundation supports transformational ideas that promote quality journalism, advance media innovation, engage communities and foster the arts. We believe that democracy thrives when people and communities are informed and engaged. More at www.knightfoundation.org.