AJC Presents Its National Mass Media Award To Mortimer Zuckerman, Editor-In-Chief Of US News & World Report

American Jewish Committee
Friday, 15 May 1998

The American Jewish Committee today presented its National Mass Media Award to Mortimer Zuckerman, editor-in-chief of U.S. News & World Report and co-publisher of the New York Daily News, for "his editorials, which have significantly advanced the American public's understanding of Israel."

The award ceremony took place during the closing session of AJC's 92nd Annual meeting, which was held this week at the Capital Hilton Hotel. Jack Lapin of Houston, Chair of AJC's Board of Governors, presented the award to Mr. Zuckerman.

Mr. Lapin described Mr. Zuckerman as an editor, philanthropist, businessman, professor, and urban planner, but also as "a true Renaissance man who leads in many fields in the Jewish and general communities. As a staunch supporter of Israel, he writes clearly of the most difficult issues facing the Jewish State in its ongoing quest for peace.

"His editorials in U.S. News & World Report confront hypocrisy in reporting about the Israeli-Arab conflict, while, at the same time, analyzing the manifold complexities of peace making in the Middle East. He has helped readers sift through half-truths and separate rumor from fact. In addition, as a frequent columnist on the dangers posed by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and international terrorism, Mr. Zuckerman has contributed to the public understanding of the new threats to both Israeli and American interests."

Past recipients of AJC's National Mass Media Award, which was created in 1960, have included Richard Cohen, Herbert Block, Clarence Page, The Jerusalem Report, National Public Radio, Steven Spielberg, Thomas Friedman, A.M. Rosenthal, Norman Lear, Theodore White, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Bill Moyers, Eric Sevareid, Barbara Walters, Katherine Graham, Walter Cronkite, and Fred Friendly.

For more information, or to contact American Jewish Committee, see their website at: www.ajc.org