Creator of "The Wire" to Speak at The University of Texas at Austin

March 10, 2008

Event: Author, journalist and television writer-producer David Simon, whose most recent television series, "The Wire," ended last night after five seasons, will deliver the College of Communication's 2008 William Randolph Hearst Fellow lecture.

This event is free and open to the public. Please RSVP to Wade Lee at 512-232-5466 or wade.lee@austin.utexas.edu.

When: 6 to 7:30 p.m., March 18.

Where: The Austin City Limits studio on The University of Texas at Austin campus, at the corner of Dean Keeton and Guadalupe streets. (Maps of The University of Texas at Austin can be obtained online.)

Background: A former police reporter at "The Baltimore Sun," Simon is an Emmy and Peabody Award-winning author, journalist and writer-producer. His books include "Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets" and "The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood." The books were parlayed into television dramas on NBC and HBO, respectively. Simon continues to work as a freelance journalist and author, writing for publications such as The Washington Post, The New Republic and Details magazine.

He recently completed the fifth season of HBO's "The Wire," which received an Edgar-Award and the George Foster Peabody Award for excellence in broadcasting. It is the third time Simon has received a Peabody; his work on "Homicide" and "The Corner" was similarly honored.

Simon is completing post production on his new HBO miniseries, "Generation Kill."

The William Randolph Hearst Fellow Award honors individuals whose distinguished careers in communication make them outstanding role models for students. The Hearst Fellow Award is one component of the college's William Randolph Hearst Visiting Professionals program, which was endowed by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation in 1990. Other components include the Professional in Residence program, which provides 30-day fellowships to visiting professionals, and the Lecturers program, which host visitors to the college for one to three days. Former Hearst Fellows recognized by the College of Communication include Helen Gurley Brown, Liz Carpenter, Walter Cronkite, Spike Lee, Dan Rather and Robert Rodriguez.

For more information, contact: Erin Geisler, College of Communication, 512-475-8071.