Kerger said anchor leads with passion, integrity, purpose

PBS NewsHour’s anchor and managing editor Judy Woodruff will receive PBS' Beacon Award, the noncom service announced at its annual meeting in Nashville Friday.

The award goes to an individual "whose leadership, service and work inspire Americans and enrich our nation."

Related: Woodruff, Ifill Named Cronkite Award Winners

Along with the late Gwen Ifill, Woodruff was one of the first two women to co-anchor a network nightly newscast.

Presenting the award to Woodruff, PBS president Paula Kerger said: "Judy leads with passion, integrity and purpose. She continues to inform and inspire millions of Americans through her exceptional reporting."

Woodruff joined PBS in 1983 as chief Washington correspondent for the then MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour, moved to Fronline in 1984 and returned to NewsHour in 2007 as senior correspondent. She is a past recipient of the Leonard Zeidenberg First Amendment Award, named after the late senior correspondent for Broadcasting & Cable.