Former TIME editor-in-chief Nancy Gibbs to give annual Amanpour lecture

Will address ‘Our Information Emergency: Truth and Trust in a Polarized Age’

KINGSTON, R.I. – Oct. 3, 2024 – Nancy Gibbs, former editor-in-chief of TIME who covered four presidential campaigns in her three decades at the magazine, will deliver the 2024 Christiane Amanpour Lecture on Thursday, Oct. 10, in Room 105 of the Beaupre Center for Chemical and Forensic Sciences at 5 p.m. 

Gibbs, the Edward R. Murrow Professor of Practice and director of the Shorenstein Center of Media, Politics and Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, will discuss “Our Information Emergency: Truth and Trust in a Polarized Age.” 

“Nancy Gibbs’ extensive experience in writing, editing, and political reporting make her an excellent choice for the annual Amanpour lecture,” said Daniel Hunt, chair and professor of journalism and public relations. “In addition to numerous awards for her writing, Gibbs has a successful background in leading initiatives that move journalism forward by adapting to the technological changes of the new media environment.”

Gibbs’ lecture, which is free and open to the public, will also be streamed live on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Registration is requested. The Amanpour lecture is presented by the Harrington School of Communication and Media.

“At a time when political polarization challenges trust in the news media, journalists serve an important democratic role,” said Hunt. “Gibbs will address how journalists, leaders, and the public can better navigate the current information environment. This topic is important for the entire URI community, especially students planning to embark on a career in journalism.”

Gibbs was named TIME’s 17th editor-in-chief in 2013 – the first woman to hold the position – and served until 2018. Leading the magazine during a period of media upheaval, she is credited with building the largest audience in its history, accelerating its transformation into a global, 24/7 digital news operation. Her legacy includes launching a documentary division and new products in photography, e-commerce and live events. In her final year at Time Inc., she served as editorial director of the Time Inc. News Group, overseeing multiplatform content for TIME, Money and Fortune.

Along with covering four presidential campaigns, she is the author of more cover stories than any writer in TIME’s nearly 100-year history – a list that includes a black-bordered September 11 special issue that won the National Magazine Award in 2002. Gibbs, who interviewed five U.S. presidents and a staggering number of political leaders, was dubbed by Politico as the “The Poet Laureate of Presidents,” and the Chicago Tribune named her to the Top Ten Magazine Writers in the country.

She is the co-author, with Michael Duffy, of two best-selling presidential histories: “The President’s Club: Inside the World’s Most Exclusive Fraternity,” which spent 30 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller list, and “The Preacher and the Presidents: Billy Graham in the White House.” Her columns have appeared in the Washington Post, as well as TIME, and she has appeared on news shows such as “Meet the Press,” “CBS This Morning,” “PBS Newshour,” “Morning Joe,” “World News Tonight,” “This Week,” and the “Today Show.”

Along with the public lecture, Gibbs will spend time in two journalism classes – Foundations of American Journalism and News Media Law and Ethics – along with having a chance during lunch to informally talk with students and with faculty members over dinner.

“It is important for the Amanpour speaker to spend time with URI students during their campus visit,” Hunt said. 

The Christiane Amanpour Lecture is endowed and named for Amanpour ‘83, Hon. ‘95, chief international anchor for CNN and host of its award-winning, flagship global affairs program, “Amanpour,” as well as “Amanpour & Co.” Launched in 2008, the speaker series has attracted well-spected journalists to campus annually – including Pulitzer Prize-winning war correspondent C.J. Chivers of the New York Times (2011), freelance photographer David Goldman (2011), CNN anchor and senior political correspondent Abby Phillip (2021), Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and filmmaker Mstyslav Chernov, and Amanpour herself (2019).