KTIV NewsChannel 4 Sioux City IA: News, Weather and SportsCouric receives Neuharth Award at University of South Dakota

Couric receives Neuharth Award at University of South Dakota

Vermillion, SD (KTIV) - It's her first trip to South Dakota, but former NBC Today Show anchor now CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric, brought with her some advice for young journalists and a perspective on the national news media.

Couric is in Vermillion to accept the 2009 Al Neuharth Award for Excellence in the Media and spoke to a crowd Thursday night in the Dakota Dome.

She says she never thought when she got into the news business in 1979 that there would two women anchoring network newscasts. Diane Sawyer is about to take the helm at ABC. Couric calls it a great achievement for women.

"Women make up more than half of this country so I guess it's only right that two of the three broadcasts be anchored by women," said Katie Couric, CBS Evening News Anchor.

She also shared advice with students at the University of South Dakota. She told them to be persistent and passionate about the career they choose.

"Young people, especially who are coming into any kind of business, who are self starters, who are willing to work weekends, who are always there offering to work hard. I think that's really noticed and appreciated," said Couric.

The Neuharth Award is named after Freedom Forum and USA Today founder Al Neuharth who is a University of South Dakota graduate.