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June 17, 2004updated 17 May 2007 11:30am

OBEs for news icons Rippon and Whiteley

By Press Gazette

ITV News Channel anchor Angela Rippon and former Yorkshire Television news presenter Richard Whiteley received OBEs as part of the Queen’s birthday honours for services to broadcasting, writes Wale Azeez.

Rippon, who came to prominence on the BBC’s Nine O’clock News in 1975, was Britain’s first female television newsreader. She returned to the screen as newscaster to front coverage of the Iraq War on the ITV News Channel last year after a 20-year break from news. Her award also acknowledged her work for charity.

Whiteley, presenter of the Channel 4 daytime quiz show Countdown since its launch in 1982, was anchor for Yorkshire Television’s regional news bulletin Calendar for 27 years, before retiring from the programme in 1995.

Mike Smarrt, former editor-in-chief, BBC News Interactive, also received an OBE for services to broadcasting as did Margaret Fay, former managing director of Tyne Tees Television Caroline Diehl, chief executive of charity The Media Trust received an MBE for services to the media. The charity, which includes the BBC, Sky Television, Channel 4 and Guardian Media Group, puts media professionals, such as Channel 4 News anchor Jon Snow, to work for the voluntary sector on a pro bono basis.

David Witherow, former executive chair of the Radio Authority – now part of regulator Ofcom was awarded a CBE for services to broadcasting.

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