George F. Will's intellectual approach to journalism has granted him the title of "perhaps the most powerful journalist in America", according to the Wall Street Journal in 1986.
George F. Will was born on May 4, 1941 in Champaign, Illinois. He had extensive studies as he graduated from Trinity College in Hartford, CT with a Bachelor's Degree in Religion, and furthered his education in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at Magdalen College, University of Oxford. As if this war not sufficient, he also received his MA and PhD degrees in politics from Princeton University.
From 1970 to 1972, Will traveled to Capitol Hill to serve on the staff of Senator Gordon Allott of Colorado. He also taught political philosophy at the James Madison College of Michigan State College, and at the University of Toronto.
Launching his journalistic career, Will then went on to become the Washington editor of National Review from 1973 to 1976. He ultimately fell out of favor with the magazine as he argued that President Richard Nixon deserved impeachment due to the Watergate Scandal. In 1974, he joined the Washington Post Writers group, writing a biweekly column that is still in circulation today, and syndicated to 450 newspapers.
In 1976, Will won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary with his wide range of newspaper columns. His Newsweek columns also granted him many journalistic awards, such as the 1978 National Headliners Award for his "consistently outstanding special features columns"(Washington Post), and a 1980 Silurian Award for editorial writing, regarding a column on New York City's finances. In 1985, The Washington Journalism Review named him the "best writer, any subject".
Following his true passion for writing, Will went on to write three books on political philosophy, two bestselling books concerning the game of baseball, and publish eleven compilations of his columns for the Washington Post and Newsweek.
Working his way into the realm of broadcast journalism, Will established himself as a regular panelist on the television program, "Agronsky & Company", from 1977-1984, and on NBC's "Meet the Press" in the late 1970s. Will is also well known for his role as news analyst for ABC since the early 1980s. Since the premiere of "This Week with David Brinkley" in 1981, he has become a regular contributor as an ABC News columnist and commentator for "This week with George Stephanopoulos. Will has just recently let ABC in early October 2013 to join Fox News as a contributor and commentator.
Will is particularly significant to the field of journalism as he brings an intellectual approach to his work. As a columnist, he was known to express quite unpredictable opinions. He was able to grasp the attention of millions across the nation by applying his intellect to an array of topics, ranging from national security to baseball. He has never failed in his quest to intrigue and provoke readers across the political spectrum. (Ritchie, 317).
Works Cited:
-Ritchie, Donald A. "More American Journalists to Remember." American Journalists: Getting the Story. New York: Oxford UP, 1997. 316-17. Print.
-"George Will." Fox News. FOX News Network, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2013.
-"George Will." ABC News. ABC News Network, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2013.
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