Patt Morrison, Times Writer and Columnist, Honored with Distinguished Journalist Award

On Oct. 25, the Society of Professional Journalists Greater Los Angeles chapter honored Patt Morrison, writer and columnist for the Los Angeles Times, with the Distinguished Journalist Award. The award, which honors journalists who have produced an impressive body of work and demonstrated a deep commitment to their craft, was presented at the Omni Hotel in downtown L.A.

Morrison is a longtime writer, columnist and podcaster for The Times who has a share of two Pulitzer Prizes. She’s covered stories from presidential campaigns to the Super Bowl and the death of Princess Diana, and interviewed historic figures from Elie Wiesel and DNA scientists James Watson and Francis Crick to Supreme Court justices and the late Prince Philip.

For hosting her own public television and radio programs, she has won six Emmys and a dozen Golden Mike awards. She is a regular on The Times’ news magazine show with Spectrum News 1, “L.A. Times Today” and is often a guest on NPR stations, television news and documentary programs.

Morrison’s latest book, “Don’t Stop the Presses!: Truth, Justice and the American Newspaper,” is a bestseller, as was her influential nonfiction book, “Rio L.A.: Tales from the Los Angeles River,” about the city’s phantom waterway.

Over the years, she has become an iconic figure across L.A. — so much so that Pink’s, the legendary Hollywood hot dog stand, named its vegetarian hot dog The Patt Morrison “Beyond” Veggie Dog in her honor.

Morrison was introduced at the Wednesday evening ceremony by longtime friend, comedian and author Paula Poundstone.

In her acceptance speech, Morrison talked about what a privilege it is for journalists to be “an instrument of democracy, of justice.”

To learn more about the awards, visit spjla.org.