Nomination of Robert John Hughes To Be an Assistant Secretary of State

The President today announced his intention to nominate Robert John Hughes as an Assistant Secretary of State (Public Affairs). He would succeed Dean E. Fischer. Secretary Shultz intends that Mr. Hughes will also serve concurrently as the spokesman for the Department of State.

Since July 1, Mr. Hughes has been serving as an Associate Director of the International Communication Agency for Broadcasting and Director of the Voice of America. Mr. Hughes joined the administration in July 1981 as an Associate Director of ICA for Programs. From 1979 until 1981, Mr. Hughes has been president, publisher, and editor of Hughes Newspapers, Inc., Orleans, Mass. He founded the company in 1977. He was director and consultant, News-Journal, Wilmington, Del., in 1975-1978; radio correspondent for the Far East for Westinghouse Broadcasting Co. in 1964-1970; weekly television commentator, WBZ-TV, Boston, Mass., in 1962-1964. From 1954 to 1979, Mr. Hughes was associated with the Christian Science Monitor as Africa correspondent, 1955-1961; assistance overseas news editor, 1962-1964; Far East correspondent, 1964-1970; managing editor, 1970; editor, 1970-1976; and editor and manager, 1976-1979.

A Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and former editor of the Christian Science Monitor, Mr. Hughes has also been the president of the American Society of Newspaper Editors and was a former Nieman Fellow at Harvard University. In 1971 he was awarded the Overseas Press Club's award for the best daily newspaper or wire service reporting from abroad.

Mr. Hughes was born April 28, 1930, in Neath, south Wales, educated in England, and worked for newspapers and wire services in England and South Africa before settling in the United States in 1954. He became an American citizen in 1965. Mr. Hughes is married to the former Libby Pockman and has two children.