Journalist Frank Ucciardo is a 2023 Professional Excellence Awardee

The Association of Foreign Press Correspondents is thrilled to announce that Frank Ucciardo has been named a 2023 Professional Excellence Awardee. He will be honored at our 2023 Foreign Press Awards ceremony on December 11.

Ucciardo is an Emmy Award-winning television journalist working as the United Nations Correspondent for TRT World. Ucciardo previously covered the U.N. for CBS and reported breaking news from Europe and Asia. He also served as a Correspondent for NBC and CNN and was the Evening Anchor for the HD News Channel.

Ucciardo’s Investigative reporting received The Society of the Silurians Gold Medal for a series of reports that forced the Department of Energy to shutdown a nuclear reactor leaking radioactive waste into drinking water. Ucciardo has also covered the terrorist attacks on 9/11 and the crash of TWA Flight 800. Ucciardo’s U.N. and overseas reporting has received awards from the Society of Professional Journalists, the U.N. Correspondents Association Broadcast Journalism Medal and the New York Festivals Award for International Reporting.

Frank Ucciardo

In his pro bono work, Ucciardo served as a Judge at The Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma, and as a two-term President of The Society of Professional Journalists and Board Member of The Deadline Club of New York. He graduated with Honors from The New York Institute Of Technology with a Masters Degree and BFA.

The following interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

What was the primary reason you chose to pursue your Master's studies in the United States as a foreign journalist?

As a Graduate Fellow I taught Communications while pursuing my Master’s Degree and also worked as a journalist at the same time. I followed this up with two fellowships overseas covering the European Union, Germany and Türkiye.

You’ve received a Professional Excellence award from the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents in the United States (AFPC-USA). How did you feel about this recognition?

I have been reporting on international aaffairs for more than two decades and this is clearly one of the most prestigious awards that I have received. I am grateful to the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents in the United States for their consideration of my work. It also serves as professional feedback and encouragement outside the immediate workplace that is valuable.

Why do you think the work of AFPC-USA is important and what are your thoughts on its impact on the journalism field at large?

This is a time where journalism is being marginalized by a business that is shrinking; newspapers are going out of business, radio and television stations are coming under the influence of a few powerful corporations and owners. Journalists overseas are literally under fire like never before and being targeted by governments for their work in speaking truth to power.

The work of the AFPC-USA is critical to a free press and supports journalists with its educational and resource programs for the working press and those pursuing careers in the field of journalism.

What made you decide to become a journalist? 

The work of journalists can and does make a difference. I saw this growing up with the remarkable reporting being done in the Vietnam war. The wartime reports and pictures coming out of that country exposed the horrors and war crimes being committed and changed the face of politics in the United States.

How do you hope to make an impact in the journalism field of your country of origin? 

I have been fortunate enough to be able to work as both an investigative journalist and a foreign correspondent. My investigative work saved lives and exposed a U.S. government run operation that was polluting the drinking water for hundreds of thousands of people, causing disease and deaths. My foreign affairs reporting involves speaking truth to power and bringing clarity to geopolitical topics that are often distorted on social media. Digital platforms present a challenge to professional journalists because the platforms are easily manipulated and accessible to those with no journalism pedigree.

What is the state of press freedom in your country of origin and how do you hope that your work will encourage more people to access independent and credible information?

My pro bono work has included being elected President of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ). This role enabled me to mentor and encourage students wanting to pursue a career in journalism.  Also, the SPJ promoted and fostered standards as well as a code of ethics. This helped people to become more clear-eyed and question their media sources.

What do you think is the greatest threat to journalism today?

As mentioned earlier, governments that target journalists, not only abroad but also in the United States, where this includes both the federal and local governments.