TAMPA, Florida (Nov. 16, 2025) — Legendary television journalist Jane Pauley of CBS Sunday Morning was awarded the Poynter Medal for Lifetime Achievement in Journalism on Saturday at the Poynter Institute’s Bowtie Ball.
Pauley has a trailblazing career that spans more than 50 years, from being the first woman to anchor an evening news broadcast in Chicago, to being a host on NBC’s Today show at age 25, to the anchor of Dateline to her nearly decade-long tenure with Sunday Morning.
Poynter President Neil Brown presented Pauley with the award and talked with her about her career at the event at the JW Marriott Tampa Water Street. The annual gala is the nonprofit Poynter Institute’s premiere fundraising event, and this year marked the 50th anniversary of Poynter’s founding in 1975.
“We are inspired by the intellect, class and disarming decency of Jane Pauley, who became a pioneer for a new kind of broadcaster – one who shows us that empathy in journalism doesn’t dilute the truth, it adds to it,” Brown said during the event.
Doonesbury creator Garry Trudeau and Dean Baquet of The New York Times speak during the VIP reception at Poynter’s Bowtie Ball Saturday, where both were honored with Poynter’s Distinguished Service to Journalism Award. (Tina Russell/Poynter)
In addition to honoring Pauley, Poynter also bestowed its Distinguished Service to Journalism Awards to Garry Trudeau, the Pulitzer-Prize winning creator of Doonesbury – and Pauley’s husband – and to Dean Baquet, the former executive editor of The New York Times and currently the executive editor of its Local Investigations Fellowship.
Poynter is a global nonprofit that strengthens democracy by improving the relevance, ethical practice and value of journalism. It is a leader in the professional development of journalists, fact-checking, media literacy and strengthening local news organizations.