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Wednesday, May 10, 2006

 

Religion Newswriters Names AP’s Richard Ostling as the 2006 William A. Reed / RNS Lifetime Achievement Award Winner

Religion Newswriters Association
For Immediate Release

May 10, 2006

Contact Debra L. Mason
614-891-9001, ext. 1#

The Religion Newswriters Association has named Associate Press’ Richard N. Ostling as the 2006 recipient of the William A. Reed / Religion News Service Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Religion Newswriters Board of Directors unanimously approved the selection at an April 28 meeting in Dallas.

Ostling will retire as the Associated Press’ religion reporter in July, although he will continue to write his weekly Bible column.

The Medill graduate landed on the beat 40 years ago after finishing a tour of duty as trombone player with the National Guard band in Wilmington, DE. After a stint at Christianity Today, he joined Time Magazine in 1969, writing 20 cover pieces for the magazine.

Ostling has interviewed everyone from Billy Graham to the Dalai Lama over the years and developed a reputation for understanding the nuances of religion news and for getting the story first.

“Dick would inform me, usually well ahead of anyone else, what John Paul's upcoming encyclical would say and who it would please and outrage,” recalled John Moody, a former Time executive and now senior vice president at Fox New Channel.

Dick moved to AP in 1998, where he played a key role in shaping religion coverage.

In addition to working as a print journalist, Dick did some pioneering work in broadcast journalism. He broadcast religion reports for CBS radio twice a week for 19 years. In 1991 he worked on PBS’ “MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour” (later “NewsHour with Jim Lehrer”) as the first correspondent regularly covering religion for a national TV newscast.

Ostling also wrote, or co-wrote, three books, including the critically acclaimed “Mormon America,” co-authored by his wife, Joan.

Ostling served as president of the Religion Newswriters Association from 1974-76, at a time when the RNA sought open meetings from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Ostling also wrote an early history of the organization.

He has earned virtually every prize in the religion newswriting field, including RNA’s Supple Religion Writer of the Year and Templeton Religion Reporter of the Year awards.

Despite the accolades, Ostling is “a great human being – gracious, witty, collegial–and of course, incredibly knowledgeable and patient in imparting that knowledge to others,” wrote John Affleck, Ostling’s editor at Associated
Press, in a nominating letter.

Today Ostling’s advice to young reporters is to resist the pressure to rush to print or broadcast without careful research and checking.

“I have never seen so much widely distributed misinformation, distortion and foolishness in my life,” he said. “You just have to try to hold to the old-fashioned virtues and verities of good journalism. Don’t put something out if you’re not sure it’s correct and if you’re not sure it’s fair. If you have to wait a day to make sure it’s right, then hold it for a day.

Ostling will receive his award this fall at the RNA Annual Conference in Salt Lake City Sept. 7-10, 2006. In addition to a plaque, Ostling receives a $1,000 check.

The prize is funded by Religion News Service, in honor of now-retired longtime editor David Anderson. The award is also named for Religion Newswriters’ first black president, William A. Reed, a religion writer for The Tennessean in Nashville.

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About Religion Press Release Services
Religion Press Release Services distributes press releases, press advisories, photos and other stories on behalf of religious organizations, denominational offices, think tanks, watchdog groups, advocacy groups, coalitions, foundations, colleges, universities, seminaries, publishers and others.

The organizations and/or individuals who submit materials for distribution by Religion Press Release Services are solely responsible for the facts in and accuracy of their materials. Religion Press Release Services will correct any errors brought to its attention.

Contact Us
To distribute press releases through Religion Press Release Services, contact Claudia Sans at csans@religionnews.com or 202-383-7870. For more information check out our PDF brochure.

Religion News Service, 1101 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036 (202) 463-8777





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About Religion Press Release Services
Religion Press Release Services distributes press releases, press advisories, photos and other stories on behalf of religious organizations, denominational offices, think tanks, watchdog groups, advocacy groups, coalitions, foundations, colleges, universities, seminaries, publishers and others. The organizations and/or individuals who submit materials for distribution by Religion Press Release Services are solely responsible for the facts in and accuracy of their materials. Religion Press Release Services will correct any errors brought to its attention.

Contact Us
To distribute press releases through Religion Press Release Services, contact Claudia Sans at csans@religionnews.com or 202-383-7870. For more information check out our PDF brochure.

Religion News Service, 1101 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036 (202) 463-8777

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