Reports indicate that after missing last week at work, PBS journalist Gwen Ifill has died at the age of 61. CNN Money has reported that she had ongoing health issues that caused her to take a leave in May and Louisiana Public Broadcasting has stated she died in hospice. Brian Stelter is reporting that the health issues were cancer-related.
Incredibly sad news. Gwen Ifill has died.
— Hadas Gold (@Hadas_Gold) November 14, 2016
She was best known for moderating PBS’s Washington Week in Review and being a senior correspondent on PBS NewsHour. As CNN points out, after being made co-host of NewsHour in 2013, she and co-host Judy Woodruff were the first women to co-host a nightly news broadcast. She also moderated debates, including the 2004 Vice Presidential Debate and a Democratic primary debate earlier this year.
She was a force in the world of political media who will be remembered for her level-headed and humane approach to reporting on candidates and public officials. Who could ever forget when she chided Stelter and Chris Cillizza for reporting on that time Hillary Clinton ducked the press to make a Chipotle run?
Few details are known but we will update this post as they become available.
UPDATE: 2:05 p.m. EST:
Louisiana Public Broadcasting has released a statement that sheds some light on the shocking revelation:
Ifill was in hospice care in Washington.
The glowing praise given to her by LPB was echoed by reporters across Twitter:
Just heartbroken about losing Gwen Ifill. She owned every beat she was on, whether at the @nytimes @NBCNews or @NewsHour or anywhere else
— Chuck Todd (@chucktodd) November 14, 2016
Oh, no! Gwen was one of the absolute best of the best.This is tragic. @jdickerson @gwenifill
— Eamon Javers (@EamonJavers) November 14, 2016
What the hell, 2016. Gwen Ifill? At 61??? ? #RestInPeace
— stacia l. brown (@slb79) November 14, 2016
Thank you for your work, Gwen Ifill.
— stacy-marie ishmael (@s_m_i) November 14, 2016
@KateNocera @gwenifill Even though I left the field, she still was a role model to me. How to conduct oneself as a person.
— Emelda Brown (@EmeldaBrown) November 14, 2016
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