Geoff Bennett to Deliver Institute on Media Ethics Keynote The author and broadcast journalist will discuss the state of modern journalism and ethics in the news business on Nov. 5.

Department of Journalism and Mass Communications
October 23, 2026

Washington and Lee University’s 82nd Institute of Media Ethics, a two-day symposium designed to spark discussion of journalism ethics in the real world, will feature a conversation with author and broadcast journalist Geoff Bennett at 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 5 in University Chapel.

The event, sponsored by the Knight Foundation and W&L’s Department of Journalism and Mass Communications, is free and open to the public.

Bennett is co-anchor and co-managing editor of PBS NewsHour and the author of “Black Out Loud: The Revolutionary History of Black Comedy from Vaudeville to ’90s Sitcoms,” published in March 2026. In his talk, Bennett will discuss the themes of his book as well as the state of modern journalism, ethics in the news business and more.

“Both on and off camera, Geoff has been a model of ethical journalism, reporting for some of the most storied names in television news and pushing for more inclusion in the field,” said Eric Deggans, the Knight Chair of Journalism and Media Ethics at W&L. “I’m eager to give students at W&L and the wider community the chance to hear how he’s risen through the ranks of journalism and continues to produce great work, day after day.”

Bennett has covered six presidential elections and reported from the White House under three administrations. His work with the PBS NewsHour team has earned two Peabody Awards and a Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism. Prior to joining PBS in 2021, Bennett worked for NBC News, where he served as a White House correspondent and frequent MSNBC anchor. He launched his journalism career at ABC News’ “World News Tonight with Peter Jennings” following his graduation from Morehouse College.

Committed to expanding opportunity in the field, Bennett established a scholarship at Morehouse College for English and journalism majors. He also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, the nation’s largest living history museum.