Arlington, VA (May 9, 2024)—PBS NewsHour today received a Peabody Award for its coverage of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in the Middle East. The George Foster Peabody Awards are administered by the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia. A live ceremony for the 84th Annual Peabody Awards will take place on Sunday, June 9, 2024, in Beverly Hills, California.
“We are so honored by the Peabody jurors’ recognition of our coverage of the early days of the war between Hamas and Israel,” said NewsHour’s senior executive producer Sara Just. “Our small but focused team did not hesitate to meet the moment required by the horrific breaking news – and has been covering it with compassion, context and depth ever since.”
The Peabody judges described NewsHour’s “War in the Holy Land” coverage by saying: “Just six days after October 7, PBS Newshour aired this impressive hour-long special report capturing the horror of the Hamas attack on Israel and Israel’s brutal retaliation in Gaza. Through emotional interviews with families of Israeli hostages, Palestinians under siege, anguished veterans of the shattered peace process, experts, and blunt critics of both Hamas and the Israeli government, PBS’ reports showed compassion and a sophisticated understanding of the politics of the region.”
About PBS NewsHour’s “War in the Holy Land” Series and Special:
The shape and scope of Middle East history changed following Hamas’ October 7th attacks on Israel; what followed was the most consequential war in the long history of the Arab-Israeli conflict. PBS NewsHour mobilized to cover the war, and bring its reality to viewers with immediacy, fairness and vital context. NewsHour’s Middle East-based special correspondent Leila Molana-Allen arrived on Monday, October 9th, and for six weeks reported every facet of this new and bloody war. With a small team, including a local producer and videographer, she provided the most nuanced, careful and comprehensive coverage of the beginning weeks of this war on American television; combining deep knowledge of the conflict and region, and the time to tell stories from many perspectives.
In addition to daily reports, the NewsHour team put together an hour-long primetime special days after the start of the war, which provided viewers with the history of the conflict and the path forward for the Middle East and rest of the world. Co-anchored by Amna Nawaz from Israel and Geoff Bennett from the nation’s capital, the special included reports from Nawaz, Molana-Allen, and John Yang, as well as interviews and analysis from various experts, officials, scholars, and historians.
Reports included in “War in the Holy Land” Series and Special:
War in the Holy Land: A PBS News Special Report
Hundreds killed in strike on Gaza hospital as Israeli-Hamas war worsens
Israeli airstrike hits Greek Orthodox church in Gaza, killing more than a dozen
Israel steps up raids and deadly strikes in occupied West Bank
The horrific task Israelis face in finding and identifying Hamas terror attack victims
Some civilians trapped in Gaza allowed to cross into Egypt as Israeli airstrikes continue
How thousands of Gazans became stranded in Israel when war started
Palestinian Authority not going ‘to Gaza on an Israeli military tank,’ PM says
West Bank Palestinians try to save their homes from Israeli extremists
Survivors, rescuers in Hamas music festival attack recount the day’s horrors
Credits:
Leila Molana-Allen, Special Correspondent; Amna Nawaz, Co-Anchor; Geoff Bennett, Co-Anchor; John Yang, Correspondent; Nick Schifrin, Correspondent; Laura Barrón-López, Correspondent; Morgan Till, Senior Producer, Foreign Affairs; Emily Carpeaux, Senior Producer; Daniel Sagalyn, Deputy Senior Producer, Foreign Affairs; Mike Fritz, Producer; Sam Lane, Producer; Murrey Jacobson, Senior Producer; Eric O’Connor, Videographer & Editor; Shams Odeh, Videographer & Producer; Diana Odeh, Producer; Jorgen Samso Nielsen, Videographer & Editor; Tanya Aizikovich, Videographer; Karl Bostic, Producer; Erez de Costa, Producer; Nidal Rafa, Producer; Tamer Obeidat, Producer; Daniel Yaacobi, Producer; Noa Aharonovici, Producer, Abed Shanas, Producer; Hitham Shanas, Producer; Mahmoud Abed Alraham, Producer; Stuart Cohen, Editor; Richard Coolidge, Senior Managing Producer; Gretchen Frazee, Senior Broadcast Producer; Anne Azzi Davenport, Senior Producer; Stephanie Kotuby, Senior Editorial Producer, Rachel Wellford, Executive Producer, PBS News Weekend; Andrew Corcoran, Producer; Zeba Warsi, Producer; Teresa Cebrian Aranda, Associate Producer; Juliet Fuisz, Editorial Producer; Frank Carlson, Producer; Laura Santhanam; Coordinating Producer for Polling; Maea Lenei Buhre, Producer, Sarah Clune; Producer; Diane Lincoln Estes; Producer; Mary Fecteau, Producer; Ryan Connelly Holmes, Producer; Layla Quran, Producer; Sam Weber; Producer; Rawan Elbaba, Producer; Madison Staten; Associate Producer; Solveig Rennan, Associate Producer; Jonah Anderson, Associate Producer; Eliot Barnhart; Associate Producer; Joe Camp; Director; Janice Huey; Associate Director; Jason Johnson; Associate Director; Martin Gruber; Cameraperson; Ali Jaafar, Cameraperson; Ryan Primmer; Cameraperson; Elvin Sangano; Cameraperson; Carol Wetovich, Cameraperson; Kojo Boateng, Creative Director; Michael Harry, Graphic Artist; Daniel Davis, Graphic Artist; Bobby Cohen, Motion Designer; Wesam Sorour, Graphic Artist; Yasmeen Sami Alamiri, Editor; Hamada Hanoura, Editor; Jon Miles, Editor; Dan Knapp, Editor; Bob Hartman, Editor; John Morgan, Editor; Sara Just, Senior Executive Producer.
Contact: Ella Richardson, erichardson (at) newshour (dot) org
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