Lily Tomlin Hosts 2013 Women's Media Awards Today

The Women's Media Center announced its honorees for The 2013 Women's Media Awards today, October 8th at 583 Park Avenue in New York City. Lily Tomlin will host the event.

The honorees are:

Christiane Amanpour, Chief International Correspondent for CNN and host of CNN International's nightly interview program Amanpour, and a Global Affairs Anchor of ABC News.

Sheila C. Johnson, Founding Partner of Black Entertainment Television; CEO of Salamander Hotels and Resorts; Ms. Johnson is Vice Chairman of Monumental Sports & Entertainment and President and Managing Partner of the WNBA's Washington Mystics. She is the only African-American woman to have ownership in three professional sports teams, including the NBA's Washington Wizards and the NHL's Washington Capitals; Executive Producer of four documentary films including Kicking It, A Powerful Noise, She Is the Matador, The Other City and Executive Producer of the newly released feature film Lee Daniels'The Butler.

Maria Teresa Kumar, Emmy-nominated contributor for MSNBC, and President and CEO of Voto Latino.
Makers, a 3-hour documentary event, Women Who Make America, plus a digital platform-the largest video archive of women ever assembled, showcasing thousands of compelling stories--so women will no longer be left out of history.

Mary Thom (in memoriam), author, Ms. Magazine editor, and Online Features Editor for The Women's Media Center

The Women's Media Awards recognize and honor game-changers for women in media. By deciding who gets to talk, what creates the debate, who writes, and what is important enough to be visible, the media shapes our understanding of who we are and what we can be. The Women's Media Awards shine a light on this important issue.

Pat Mitchell, President & CEO of The Paley Center for Media and Founding Co- Chair of The Women's Media Center, will present the Pat Mitchell Lifetime Achievement Award to Christiane Amanpour. "I admire Christiane for so many reasons...she's brave, courageous, committed, compassionate, and approaches her life and her work with unusual vigor and discipline," says Pat Mitchell. "Through a career characterized by reports from the most dangerous places on earth to the offices of the most powerful leaders and policy makers, Christiane's insistent pursuit of the truth has shaped a better understanding of the world in times where that understanding has been needed most. Her body of work as a journalist and the values that clearly define her choices as a journalist and as a woman, inspire and serve as a model for all journalists, and all women, on their path to a life of purpose and to work that matters and makes a difference."

Jane Fonda, two-time Academy Award-winning actress, humanitarian, activist and Co-Founder of The Women's Media Center, will present the Social Media Award. The honoree is selected online by a group of ten distinguished digital journalists, bloggers, and thought leaders. "Social media has brought news and differing perspectives to the world and changed the conversation," says Jane Fonda. "It is where the power to make significant change exists today."

Robin Morgan, best-selling author and award winning poet, Co-Founder of The Women's Media Center, and Host of WMC's Live with Robin Morgan, will present the Multi-Media Award for Groundbreaking Contribution to Women, History and America to the acclaimed PBS series MAKERS, The landmark documentary and digital platform featuring the largest video archive of thousands of women and their compelling stories.

"It's fitting that the first ever Women's Media Center Multi-Media Award goes to MAKERS," says Robin Morgan. "This project--a decade in the making--is an incredible, multi-faceted accomplishment. It finally makes visible the U.S. Women's Movement in all its power and diversity, and by so doing strengthens both journalism and democracy itself."

Gloria Steinem, Co-Founder of The Women's Media Center, will present the Visionary Role Model and Corporate Leader Award to Sheila C. Johnson. "Sheila is a true trailblazer in the world of media," says Gloria Steinem. "She has used her power and vision to change the landscape of media as we know it."

Carol Jenkins, former President of the Women's Media Center, will present the Carol Jenkins Emerging Journalist Award to Maria Teresa Kumar. "I have been so impressed by Maria Teresa, a deft and credible participant in news analysis, ever since we met," says Carol Jenkins. "We're proud to say she is one of ours-- a graduate of WMC's Progressive Women's Voices Media Leadership program. She has used her command of the media to build one of this country's best organizations, while at the same time exhibiting a consistently reliable expertise in political, social justice and economic matters. Hers is an invaluable voice in media."

Martha Nelson, Editor-in-Chief of Time Inc., Co-Chair of the Women's Media Awards, and a former Women's Media Center honoree, will present the Mary Thom Art of Editing Award to the family of Mary Thom. "I am pleased to help introduce this new WMC award for editing -- a rare opportunity to recognize the career of a brilliant editor and to highlight the often unsung work of editors across all media," says Martha Nelson. "Great editors are like conductors, who can coach and coax an individual to greater performance at the same time they work to orchestrate the whole. This award brings that complex role and the individuals that conceive, nurture and shape stories, working tirelessly without bylines or applause, into the spotlight."

The Co-Chairs for The 2013 Women's Media Awards are Jane Fonda, Robin Morgan, Gloria Steinem, Gayle King, Loreen Arbus, Pat Mitchell, Martha Nelson, Carol Jenkins, Jewelle Bickford, Lauren Embrey, Jodie Evans and Gloria Feldt.

The 2013 Women's Media Award Honorary Committee is Christine Baranski, Candice Bergen, Suzanne Braun Levine, Tina Brown, Jennifer Buffett, GrayDon Carter, Gail Collins, David Corn, Ann Curry, Rosario Dawson, Laura Dern, Linda Ellerbee, Sally Field, Sandra Fluke, Maya Harris, Anne Hathaway, Goldie Hawn, Sarah Jones, Catherine Keener, Christine Lahti, Diane Lane, Cindi Leive, Andrea Mitchell, Geneva Overholser, Anna Quindlen, Cecile Richards, Marlene Sanders, Regina Kulik Scully, Lesley Stahl, Martha Stewart, Michael Stipe, Marlo Thomas, Kathleen Turner, Katrina vanden Heuvel, Barbara Walters, Maggie Wilderotter and Julie Zeilinger.

The Women's Media Center works to make women visible and powerful in media. The Women's Media Center trains women experts to be in the media; does groundbreaking research and reporting on media inclusion and accuracy; produces media style guides, such as the first ever to cover reproductive issues (especially important now that reproductive freedom is under attack in states across the country); and documents and reports sexualized violence as a tool of war in Syria and other conflict regions. Its publication, The Status of Women in U.S. Media Report, is now the industry standard on where women stand, and serves as a map to where women need to go.

"The Women's Media Center exists to change the status of women in media. Because 51 percent of our population is women, and only 3 percent of all clout positions in media are held by women, the Women's Media Center Awards were created to honor champions for women who use their media platforms to tell the stories, facts, and solutions crucial to all viewers, and to advance opportunities for women in media," says Julie Burton, President of the Women's Media Center. "Because media tells our stories and influences the role of women in every part of society, we are proud to honor these amazing women who set the standard for what media should look like when it gives voice to the female half of the country."

For table and ticket purchase information, call Garwood Events at 212-678-0231 or e-mail Nicole@garwoodevents.com.