NATIONAL TELEVISION ACADEMY PRESENTS
26th ANNUAL NEWS AND DOCUMENTARY EMMY AWARDS

Lifetime Achievement Award Presented to Sheila Nevins,
President, HBO Documentary and Family

Dan Rather Receives Special Tribute

New York, September 19, 2005 – The 26th Annual News and Documentary Emmy Awards were presented by the National Television Academy tonight at a black-tie ceremony at the Marriott Marquis hotel in New York. The evening featured an impressive line-up of prominent newsmakers and industry executives including Charlie Rose, host of PBS-TV’s The Charlie Rose Show; Christiane Amanpour, CNN chief international correspondent; Bob Schieffer, interim anchor of The CBS Evening News and moderator of CBS News’ Face The Nation; Elizabeth Vargas, ABC News correspondent and co-anchor, 20/20; and Jose Diaz-Balart, Telemundo news anchor, who presented the awards to a distinguished group of broadcast journalists.

During the ceremony, the Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Sheila Nevins, president of HBO Documentary and Family. Nevins was honored for her contributions to the art of the documentary: this is the first time the National Television Academy has awarded Lifetime Achievement recognition to a documentarian. Presenters of the Lifetime Achievement Award included Mike Wallace, CBS News and 60 Minutes correspondent; actress Rosie O'Donnell; actress and singer Elaine Stritch; actress Mary Tyler Moore; and filmmaker Lee Grant.

“For more than a quarter century, the National Television Academy has honored the work of the medium’s best news and documentary practitioners,” said Peter Price, president of the National Television Academy. “Tonight, we’re pleased to honor Sheila Nevins, as well as all of this year’s honorees, for their innovative and profound contributions in their respective fields.”

In addition to the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award, CBS News’ anchor and correspondent Dan Rather received a special tribute in recognition of his 55 years as a correspondent and anchor. Special guests who participated in this tribute include anchor and managing editor of ABC News Nightline Ted Koppel; anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News Brian Williams; former Secretary of Defense William Cohen; executive producer of CBS News' 48 Hours Susan Zirinsky; MSNBC president Rick Kaplan; Nightline executive producer Tom Bettag; and Marvin Kalb, director of the Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics, and Public Policy at Harvard University and host of The Kalb Report. NBC News correspondent Tom Brokaw made a special tribute via video. The late Peter Jennings’ extraordinary contributions to broadcast journalism were also remembered during the event.

As part of the Lifetime Achievement Award festivities, the Academy hosted a panel discussion with Sheila Nevins and Dan Rather earlier today at Fordham University.

The 26th Annual News and Documentary Emmy Awards ceremony will be televised by C-SPAN on a date to be announced.

Shashi Tharoor, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, presented two awards on behalf of the International Academy of TV Arts and Sciences at this year’s News and Documentary ceremony in the categories of Breaking News and Continuing Coverage. International Awards are tabulated by the international accounting firm Ernst & Young.

The News and Documentary Emmy Awards recognize outstanding achievement by individuals and programs broadcast throughout the 2004 calendar year. The finalists were chosen by blue ribbon panels composed of broadcast industry professionals. The numerical breakdown, by broadcast and cable entities, as compiled by the independent accountancy firm of KPMG, LLP, follows:

International Finalists

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The National Television Academy is a professional service organization dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of television and the promotion of creative leadership for artistic, educational and technical achievements within the television industry. It recognizes excellence in television with the coveted Emmy Award for News & Documentary, Sports, Daytime, Creative Craft, Public & Community Service, Technology & Engineering/Advanced Media and Business & Financial Reporting. Excellence in Prime Time programming and international programming is recognized by its affiliate, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Local Emmys are given in 19 regions across the United States. Beyond awards, the National Academy has extensive educational programs including National Student Television and its Student Award of Excellence for outstanding journalistic work by high school students, as well as scholarships, publications, and major activities for both industry professionals and the viewing public. For more information, please visit the website at www.emmyonline.tv.

Cheryl Daly
Communications Director
National Television Academy
212-586-8424
cdaly@emmyonline.tv