Jonathan Dienst of NBC 4 to Receive
Peter Kihss Award for 2020 on Sept. 16

Jonathan Dienst

Emmy-winner Jonathan Dienst, who has been covering New York City and its environs as a television reporter for close to three decades, has been named this year’s recipient of the Silurians’ prestigious Peter Kihss Award. Dienst is the chief investigative reporter for NBC 4 New York (WNBC), as well as a contributing correspondent for NBC News. At WNBC, Dienst and his investigative team have specialized in breaking major stories on topics that include terrorism, political corruption, corporate scandals and crime. He also files for the Today Show, NBC Nightly News, MSNBC and CNBC, and has appeared on Dateline.

He will be honored at a Silurian ZOOM event at noon on Wednesday, Sept. 16. Details on how to participate in that event will be forthcoming.

In addition to the Kihss Award, the Dennis Duggan Award will be presented at the same event. The award is given annually to a student at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY who, in the opinion of the faculty, best exemplifies the qualities of Dennis Duggan, the late Newsday columnist who focused on covering the lives of ordinary New Yorkers. This year’s winner is Rachel Sherman.

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NEW SILURIAN SLATE FOR 2020-21

Michael Serrill Named President,
Joseph Berger Editor of Silurian News

Michael Serrill

MICHAEL SERRILL, A VETERAN journalist and former foreign correspondent, has been nominated as the 72nd president of the Silurians Press Club, heading a new slate of officers put forth by the Nominating Committee for the 2020-21 season.  Serrill will succeed David A. Andelman, who will return to the Board of Governors following a sterling two-year term as president.

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75TH SILURIANS AWARDS GALA
A Dazzling Display of Journalistic Talent,
But If You Missed It, It’s All on YouTube

If you missed seeing the Silurians’ Excellence in Journalism Awards Gala, held on the evening of June 24, do not despair. And if you were there and can’t wait to see it again, there’s good news for you, too.

It’s available at this very moment on YouTube.

Simply click on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrpOT0NGIZ4&feature=youtu.be and settle back for a splendid 90-minute presentation of the Silurians’ 75th anniversary gala in which the best of New York City’s journalism was put on dazzling display.

It was virtual, but it was vibrant, and you will see every aspect of the gala evening, including:
• Tom Brokaw’s stirring keynote address on the role of a free press in today’s challenging climate.
• Comments from many of the evening’s winners, who revealed behind-the-scenes details of how their stories were put together.
• Excerpts of some of the prize-winning entries from print and broadcast media.
• The “passing of the gavel” from president David A. Andelman, who concluded a splendid two years in that role, to Michael Serrill, our incoming president.

The evening’s activities were presided over by Andelman and they put an emphatic exclamation point to his two years in office. Jack Deacy was again our Awards chairman, ably assisted by Silurians Aileen Jacobson, Allan Dodds Frank and Scotti Williston as well as our indefatigable intern, Ben Long.

For a complete list of individuals and news organizations that were honored with Medallions or Certificates of Merit, see story below.

2020 Silurians Press Club Excellence in Journalism Awards

New York Times, Newsday Take Top Honors
At 75th Anniversary Awards Competition

A THREE-YEAR INVESTIGATION by Newsday that documented widespread housing discrimination on Long Island and an extraordinary photo essay by New York Times photographers that captured the excitement of a summer full of New York City block parties won The President’s Choice Awards — top honors in the 75th Anniversary Excellence In Journalism Awards conducted by the Silurians Press Club. The awards honored outstanding work in print, broadcast and digital media during 2019.

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