NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt accepted the 2016 NABJ Journalist of the Year Award from the National Association of Black Journalists during a reception tonight at 30 Rock.
“Lester is perhaps the hardest working person in this building and maybe the hardest working person in television journalism,” said NBCU CEO Steve Burke.
Holt discussed the people who came before him, including ABC’s Max Robinson and Carole Simpson, NBC’s Bryant Gumbel and CNN’s Bernard Shaw. “These are people that opened the doors for people like me to walk through and therefore it’s incumbent on all of us to remember that many of us are the products of great mentors,” said Holt. “Our diversity in newsrooms simply makes us better,” he added.
“He has done so much – the journalism excellence that he exudes day after day is the gold standard,” said Sarah Glover, NABJ President.
In addition to his NBC News colleagues, and NABJ members, Holt was joined by his wife Carol Hagen, and sons Cameron, (far right) and Stefan, with wife Morgan, who followed in his dad’s footsteps and is now anchor of WNBC’s 4 p.m. newscast. The night ended with a performance by Holt’s band, the 30 Rockers, with Holt on bass. Their set list included “Gimme Shelter” by the Rolling Stones, Van Morrison’s “Wild Night,” and “Jane” by Jefferson Starship.
