PBS journalist Gwen Ifill has passed away at the age of 61, The Daily Beast is reporting. NPR reports she died after a battle with cancer.
WETA president Sharon Percy Rockefeller confirmed the news in the following statement.
"I am very sad to tell you that our dear friend and beloved colleague Gwen Ifill passed away today in hospice care in Washington," WETA president and CEO Sharon percy Rockefeller wrote in an email to staff at the public TV station Monday. "I spent an hour with her this morning and she was resting comfortably, surrounded by loving family and friends... Earlier today, I conveyed to Gwen the devoted love and affection of all of us at WETA/NewsHour. Let us hold Gwen and her family even closer now in our hearts and prayers."
Earlier this year, Ifill took a two-month hiatus from PBS due to unspecified health issues.
Ifill was the moderator and managing editor of PBS' Washington Week and co-hosted PBS' "NewsHour" with Judy Woodruff. The two moderated the sixth Democratic debate in Wisconsin back in February. Ifill also moderated the 2008 vice presidential debate between Sarah Palin and Joe Biden and the 2004 vice presidential debate between John Edwards and Dick Cheney.
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