ESPN sports journalists Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon will receive the 43rd Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism from Arizona State University. The duo, recognized for their decades-long contributions to sports media and daily television, will accept the honor on Feb. 16, 2027, at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown.
Honoring Decades of Sports Journalism
The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication presents the award annually to prominent journalists, naming the honor after the late CBS News anchor Walter Cronkite. Previous recipients include Wolf Blitzer, David Muir, Robin Roberts, and Anderson Cooper. Batts Jr. stated that Kornheiser and Wilbon remain relevant because they are journalists first, committed to facts and informed opinions.
Kornheiser and Wilbon have co-hosted ESPN’s “Pardon the Interruption” (“PTI”) for 25 years, taping more than 3,000 episodes. The daily program stands as ESPN’s most-viewed daily studio program and has earned three Sports Emmy Awards. ESPN President Burke Magnus characterized their partnership as one of the most successful in the history of the genre.
Origins at The Washington Post
Before launching their television partnership, Kornheiser and Wilbon built their careers in the newsroom at The Washington Post. Kornheiser joined the newspaper in 1979 and went on to become a sports columnist, while Wilbon arrived a year later in 1980 following two summer internships, eventually moving into a columnist role as well. Both journalists continued writing for the newspaper even after starting “PTI” in 2001, and the publication previously recognized them with its Eugene Meyer Award for exemplifying journalism, business sense, and hard work.
“Mike and I have been doing this together for more than 45 years between our time at The Washington Post and ‘PTI,'” Kornheiser said. “Receiving the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism is unexpected and an incredible honor — and being able to share it with Mike makes it all the more meaningful.”
Wilbon expressed similar sentiments regarding the recognition from the Cronkite School, noting a personal connection to the area. “I’ve been fortunate to call Scottsdale home for a significant part of my life, so I feel a personal connection to the Cronkite School and I’m grateful that this recognition further strengthens that bond,” Wilbon said.
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