Victor Hernandez, director of coverage for CNN/U.S., is the recipient of the Jim Tucker Media Service Award presented by the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism at California State University, Fresno for his journalistic accomplishments.
The award was established in 2004 by the department in tribute to Jim Tucker’s long service as a professor and chair to honor a journalist in or from the San Joaquin Valley who has performed with distinction over several years. Hernandez was announced as the recipient during the department’s graduation convocation today, May 21.
Hernandez, 36, who is based in CNN’s headquarters in Atlanta, is originally from Fresno and studied journalism at Fresno State.
“Victor has grown from a talented student in this department into an amazing media professional,” said Don Priest, the department chair. “What he has been able to accomplish in such a short period of time is astounding. The quality of his work and the respect he has garnered in the industry are worth celebrating, and that is what this award does.”
As director of coverage for CNN/U.S., Hernandez helps lead CNN’s domestic newsgathering operations including breaking news and in-depth coverage. Hernandez manages CNN’s innovative All Platform Journalist initiative and is a champion for emerging news technologies.
Hernandez is viewed as an organization leader in new media, social networking and multimedia journalism.
Hernandez previously was West Regional Desk Manager on the CNN National Desk and Weekend Evening National Desk supervisor. Since arriving at CNN Atlanta in 2003, Hernandez has been intimately involved with the network’s award-winning coverage of stories from Hurricane Katrina to the shooting at Virginia Tech shooting to the historic 2008 presidential race.
Hernandez spent several years with local NBC television stations in Fresno and San Diego.
He won a Peabody award for CNN coverage of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath.
Hernandez is involved with journalism curricula at the Poynter Institute of Media Studies and is a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, Investigative Reporters and Editors and Society of Professional Journalists.
Last year, the Tucker Award was presented to Bruce Batti of Jeffrey Scott Advertising. Previous winners include Ray Steele, former publisher of the Fresno Bee; Jim Boren, Fresno Bee editorial page editor; and Stefani Booroojian, a KSEE-24 news anchor.
Tucker retired in 2007 after 39 years as a journalism professor at Fresno State. He was department chair for 12 of those years.
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