CNN producer Audrey Gruber and the entire staff of “Anderson Cooper 360°” received the 2006 Joanie Award for excellence in journalism related to lung cancer. The award and $10,000 prize are given annually by Joan’s Legacy: The Joan Scarangello Foundation to Conquer Lung Cancer.

Ms. Gruber and her team won the Joanie Award for their special, “Lung Cancer: The Quiet Killer.” Broadcast March 7 in the wake of the death of Dana Reeve, this two-hour broadcast used a combination of taped segments, live guests and viewer phone calls to bring to light a disease that is taking the lives of tens of thousands of women, including those who have never smoked.

“Using truth, accuracy and compassion, the CNN team from “Anderson Cooper 360°” created an important report that shone a spotlight on a disease that – despite its deadliness and prevalence – has been largely ignored,” said Patrick T. McNeive of ABC News, president of Joan’s Legacy and chairman of the Foundation’s Joanie Award Committee. “In the finest tradition of broadcast journalism, this CNN team, under the direction of Audrey Gruber, told a complete story about a complex topic, including personal stories of triumph and loss, scientific reports on news from the lung cancer research front, and medical advice for viewers concerned about the risks of the disease.”