CBS Sports' Lesley Visser to be honored with Gracie Award® by American Women in Radio & Television

Former AWSM Pioneer Award Winner To Receive Individual Achievement Award for Outstanding Reporter/Correspondent at 31st Annual Gracie Allen Awards® in June

CBS Sports' Lesley Visser has been named a 2006 Gracie Allen Award® winner by the American Women in Radio & Television (AWRT).

A pioneer and standard-bearer among women in the sports television and broadcasting industry, Visser will be honored with the Individual Achievement Award for Outstanding Reporter/Correspondent at the 31 st Annual Gracie Allen Awards® black-tie gala on June 19, 2006 in New York City.

“This is such an honor,” said Visser. “Gracie Allen had humor, wit and energy, and made it all look easy. I am humbled by the American Women in Radio & Television for recognizing me with such a distinguished award.”

The Gracies® are presented by the Foundation of AWRT, the philanthropic arm of AWRT that supports educational programs, charitable activities, public service campaigns and scholarships to benefit the public, the electronic media and allied fields. The Gracie Allen Awards®, established in 1975, honor programming and individuals of the highest caliber in all facets of radio, television, cable and web-based media, including news, drama, comedy, commercials, public service, documentary and sports. This year the AWRT celebrates its 55 th Anniversary making it the longest established professional association dedicated to advancing the impact of women in electronic media and allied fields.

Visser began her career in sports journalism in 1974 as a member of the Boston Globe sports staff on a grant from the Carnegie Foundation. Two years later she was assigned to cover the New England Patriots, becoming the first ever female NFL beat writer. While at the Boston Globe she covered the NCAA Final Four, Super Bowl, NBA Finals, World Series, Wimbledon , the Olympics and college football. She has covered the NFL for 33 years and is the only sportscaster in history who has worked on the network broadcast of the Final Four, Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals, Triple Crown, Olympics, U.S. Open and World Figure Skating Championship.

Visser has been honored with the Compass Award for “changing the paradigm of her business” and was one of the 100 luminaries commemorating the 75 th anniversary of the CBS Television Network in 2003.

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CBS Sports Contact: Jerry Caraccioli 212/975-7466 gwcaraccioli@cbs.com.