(
Bill Plante has been a CBS News White House correspondent during the administrations of Ronald Reagan (beginning in 1981), Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama. During the administration of the first President Bush, he was CBS News’ State Department correspondent (1989-92). Plante’s reports are seen regularly on “CBS This Morning,” where he is Senior White House Correspondent, and the “CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley.”
Plante served as a correspondent in the Chicago bureau (1966-76) after he joined CBS News in June 1964 as a New York-based reporter/assignment editor. During that time, he served two of his four tours of duty in Vietnam, reporting on the bombing strikes over North Vietnam, the Vietnamization and pacification programs in the south and the fall of the governments in Vietnam and Cambodia. Plante also covered the civil rights movement in Mississippi and Alabama, including Dr. Martin Luther King's historic march from Selma to Montgomery. Plante recently returned to Selma, Ala. in March 2012 to cover a commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King’s historic march.
In addition to Emmy Awards for his coverage of the death of Princess Diana, the Reagan-Gorbachev summit and Reagan's 1984 reelection campaign, he won an Emmy for his investigative report on the U.S.-Soviet wheat deal broadcast on the "CBS Evening News" (1972). Plante’s international work was recognized with a 1971 Overseas Press Club Award for his reports on the India-Pakistan War, and a second in 1975 for Best Radio Spot News Reporting for his coverage of the fall of the South Vietnam and Cambodian governments and evacuation of American personnel.
The honorees are expected to make remarks at the dinner, which is attended by more than 500 people. The black-tie event begins with a reception at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 15th at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, 1150 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC. For table and sponsorship information, contact Jen Wafalosky at 216.409.8314 or jenwafalosky@sbcglobal.net
Tickets for the event are available by registering on the RTDNF website.
Funds raised at the First Amendment Dinner help support RTDNF’s work to promote excellence in electronic journalism through research, education and training for news professionals and journalism students. The foundation’s work is also supported by contributions from foundations, corporations, members of the Radio Television Digital News Association and other individuals.
