For more than four decades veteran broadcaster Christopher T. Moore has made Pittsburghers think about social issues with his colorful commentary on WQED, PCNC and KDKA Radio.
The Grambling State University graduate, who hails from Little Rock, Arkansas, was awarded for his years of dedicated service by being inducted into the Silver Circle Society.
“What spoke to me was the fact that they expect you to be a respected mentor and a creative contributor,” said Moore, an Emmy award-winning host, documentarian and producer. “Those are two things I’ve done with the diligence they are looking for. I’m glad to have mentored a lot of people, I’m still doing stuff like that today.”
The Silver Circle Society is an honor society for those who have made contributions in the broadcast industry for 25 years or more. He received the award on Oct. 13 in Philadelphia by the Mid-Atlantic chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
Also inducted into the Silver Circle Society with Moore were Bill Wallace, lead photographer at WPSU Penn State; Mark Hiller, anchor, reporter, and producer at WBRE in Wilkes-Barre; Kim Lemon, news anchor at WGAL in Lancaster; Sue Serio, Good Day Philadelphia weather anchor at Fox29 in Philadelphia; Ray Tipton, producer and director at NBC Sports in Philadelphia; and James DePury, retired news director at WPMT in York and WBRE in Wilkes-Barre.
To make the event even more special, Moore’s wife, Joyce Meggerson-Moore, arranged a surprise dinner that included longtime friends from high school who traveled from California, Atlanta, Little Rock and his buddy from the Vietnam War.
“It was this table full of people and we just laughed and talked and had a great time,” Moore told the New Pittsburgh Courier in an exclusive interview, Oct. 15. “And the fact that they spent their own money and came to share in the occasion with me made it more special. Each one of us talked about a teacher that made our time in school special and better in a segregated school in Little Rock we had the least books and the least sports equipment and the least of everything, but our teachers made it special. Our teachers instilled in us a sense of giving back. Some of the same things they said to us then, we say to young people today. We are obligated to give back. Our teachers would not let us do anything wrong and they knew our parents, so when you did something wrong your goose was cooked cause you got it when you got home.”
Moore, a longtime member of the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation who helped spearhead the organization’s Frank Bolden Urban Media Workshop for the betterment of high school students, shows no signs of slowing down. He plans to continue mentoring young journalists and giving Pittsburgh his “One ‘Moore’ Thought.”
“I’m excitedly looking forward. I don’t look back,” he said. “I’m always looking for the next thing to shine a light on. That’s the job of a journalist.”
Moore’s primary television outlet, WQED, won 11 Regional Emmy awards during the Oct. 13 event. In a release, Deborah Acklin, WQED president and chief executive officer, said, “WQED is extremely honored to receive these Emmy Awards, especially the award for Community Service. The awards are truly testaments to the hard work of everyone at WQED who strives to produce programming that makes an impact on our community.”
Darieth Chisolm was the host of “IQ Smartparent,” on WQED, which won an Emmy for “Interview/Discussion Series.”
WTAE-TV won multiple Regional Emmys, including in the category of “Team Coverage,” where Chandi Chapman reported (and Mary Davies produced) on “Search for A Killer.”
WPXI-TV won in the category of “Spot News,” where Lisa Sylvester and Damany Lewis were anchors for the award-winning “Flooding & Fire in Pittsburgh.” Lewis also took home honors for best General Assignment Reporter.
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