New York Times Chairman and CNN Correspondent to Receive Top Honors at Premier International Media Gala

By: ICFJ | 05/24/2018
Setting a High Bar: Arthur Sulzberger Jr. and Nima Elbagir have made extraordinary contributions to journalism.

The International Center for Journalists will honor Arthur Sulzberger Jr., chairman of The New York Times Company, and Nima Elbagir, CNN correspondent, at its Awards Dinner on Nov. 8 in Washington, D.C.

During a quarter-century as The New York Times publisher, Sulzberger steered the paper through turbulent times and shaped it into a digital powerhouse for domestic and international news. He will receive the ICFJ Founders Award for Excellence in Journalism for a lifetime commitment to the highest professional standards.

Elbagir, a senior international correspondent for CNN, provided intrepid reports on humanitarian crises such as modern-day slavery and the devastating effects of Ebola. She will receive ICFJ’s Excellence in International Reporting Award.

“The exceptional work of Arthur and Nima sets the bar high for everyone in our field,” said ICFJ President Joyce Barnathan. “We are delighted to honor their extraordinary contributions to journalism.”

CNN lead political anchor Wolf Blitzer will be master of ceremonies. At the event, ICFJ recognizes journalists whose work has made an outstanding impact on society.

Sulzberger was publisher of The New York Times from 1992 until January 2018. He has served as chairman of the company since 1997. During his 25 years as publisher, he led the paper’s transformation into a multi-platform juggernaut with 3.5 million paid subscribers, including 2.5 million digital customers.

As newsroom cutbacks became de rigueur during the digital news revolution, The Times, under his leadership, invested in high-quality reporting, international coverage and newsroom innovation. During his tenure, The Times won 61 Pulitzer Prizes.

Elbagir joined CNN in 2011 as a Johannesburg-based correspondent before moving to the network's Nairobi bureau and then to London. She travels frequently to Africa and, often in the face of great personal risk, to tell riveting stories about human rights abuses.

She traveled to Libya to expose the African slave trade with hidden cameras. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, she documented the use of child labor in mining cobalt, a key component in cell phone batteries. And in Liberia, she entered quarantine zones to report on the devastating effects of Ebola. Elbagir grew up in Sudan and London, and is fluent in Arabic and English.

The ICFJ Awards Dinner is Washington, D.C.’s top international journalism event, attracting about 600 media luminaries and supporters. At the gala, ICFJ will also honor the winners of the Knight International Journalism Awards. To learn more about the Awards Dinner or to purchase a ticket, please visit our dinner page.

For more information, please contact ICFJ Communications Director Erin Stock at estock@icfj.org.

ICFJ empowers journalists to deliver trustworthy news essential for vibrant societies. Working at the nexus of journalism and technology, we build the expertise and storytelling skills of reporters worldwide. We promote high-impact journalism that leads to better lives.

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