The University of Georgia Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication’s national broadcast society, DiGamma Kappa, presented Tony Barnhart, also known as “Mr. College Football,” with its annual Distinguished Achievement in Broadcasting and Cable Award.
 
The award was presented Feb. 24 at DiGamma Kappa’s annual awards banquet at the Richard B. Russell Building Special Collections Libraries.
 
“Tony embodies the passion and the dedication that we all strive for,” said Daniel Bignault, director of development for DiGamma Kappa, at the awards ceremony. “Thank you, Tony, for inspiring us and being such an incredible role model that we can look up to and follow.”
 
Barnhart recently completed his 41st year of covering college football for newspapers, radio, television and the internet.
 
He has also written five books about college football, including “Dooley: My 40 Years at Georgia” and “From Herschel to a Hobnail Boot: The Life and Times of Larry Munson.”
 
A former national college football writer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Barnhart is currently a college football analyst on the SEC Network and an active blogger with Gridironnow.com and on his own website, TonyBarnhart.com. He has also been a contributing reporter for “College Football Today” and was the host of “The Tony Barnhart Show,” both on the CBS Sports network.
 
“Being a journalist was the furthest thing from my mind when I went to college,” Barnhart said during his comments at the awards ceremony. “I was going to be a football coach. I loved football from the minute I walked into Sanford Stadium in 1965.”
 
Barnhart encouraged students in the audience to listen to smart people, dress professionally, be over-prepared and arrive early.
 
He also offered advice about keys to being a good journalist.
 
“Always be skeptical; never be cynical,” Barnhart said. “You’ve got to be curious. You can’t be in this business without being curious. Skepticism opens doors and gets to the truth and to what you need. Cynicism is lazy and close-minded … and, it’s almost always wrong.”
 
His final insight, and what he called the most important, was inspired by Grady College Dean Charles Davis.
 
“When we get it right and stick to the fundamentals, we are not the enemy of the people,” he concluded. “We are their servants and it is our honor to serve.”
 
Among his numerous honors are the Bert McGrane Award given by the Football Writers Association of America and the Furman Bisher Award for Media Excellence given by the Atlanta Sports Council.
 
The Distinguished Achievement in Broadcasting and Cable Award is presented by DiGamma Kappa and is co-sponsored by the Georgia Association of Broadcasters and Grady College. Previous winners include David Chandley (2016), Amy Robach (2015) and Gale Anne Hurd (2013).
 
DiGamma Kappa celebrates its 78th anniversary this year. It is the nation’s oldest student broadcast society and was founded at Grady College. DiGamma Kappa encourages student participation in all phases of production for television and radio, and fosters professional competence among its members. It also strives to promote a high quality of broadcast journalism while adhering to outstanding ethical standards.