2011 Governors Arts Awards

Voice of New Hampshire Award
Award Recipient: Fritz Wetherbee

The New Hampshire State Council on the Arts periodically presents a special award to individuals who have made a unique contribution to the cultural life of New Hampshire. In 2011, a special award was presented to Fritz Wetherbee, an individual who represents for all of us “The Voice of New Hampshire.”

A New Hampshire native who was born in Nashua, grew up in Milford, and now resides in Acworth, Fritz and his distinctive voice and uniquely NH outlook are familiar to most of us through his hosting of Public Television’s New Hampshire Crossroads from 1985-95. 

Fritz is also known to many people in our state through his current work with WMUR’s New Hampshire Chronicle, for which he won a 2004 Emmy for Outstanding Achievement as On Camera Talent for the whole of New England.  And that is only one of his five Emmy Awards. 

Fritz has also brought the New Hampshire spirit to national audiences as a reporter on National Public Radio’s All Things Considered and WGBH-TV. You might also recall his voiceover on the first episode of Ken Burns’ film Baseball.  In 2009 Rivier College granted Fritz Wetherbee an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters as one of New Hampshire’s outstanding broadcast media personalities. 

In selecting Fritz for this honor, the NH State Council on the Arts acknowledges Fritz’s contribution to the cultural life of our state, to his unswerving commitment to preserving and exploring cultural identity, and doing so with grace, humor and wit.

We are proud to call him our own!