KSTP Sports Director Joe Schmit to receive Sid Hartman Media Award

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS’ longtime sports director is getting a big honor.

Joe Schmit was announced as this year’s Sid Hartman Media Award winner by the Minnesota Chapter of the National Football Foundation on Wednesday. The award was created in honor of Sid Hartman, the late media legend and Twin Cities fixture for more than 75 years.

“Joe Schmit has been a fixture in the Twin Cities sports market for decades,” Todd Fultz, president of the Minnesota Chapter of the National Football Foundation said in announcing the news. “When people tune in to Channel 5, Joe’s passion, insight and excitement captivate a statewide audience. More importantly, his genuine personality and relationship-building skills have helped him develop respect among those he covers on a daily basis. We can’t wait to honor Joe during this summer’s Minnesota Football Honors television broadcast.”

An 18-time Emmy Award winner, Schmit has been a key part of KSTP-TV and the community since his arrival at the station in 1985. His celebrity golf tournament raised over $3 million for charities during its 16-year run, and he’s also a former president and board member of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Greater Twin Cities. Additionally, he’s received multiple honors for his community work, commitment to youth mentorship and work with other charities, including Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund, MG Charities, Fairway Foundation and VEAP.

Schmit has also served as a keynote speaker at various events and is in the Minnesota Speakers Hall of Fame, and he’s an author. Earlier this year, he penned a book about kindness inspired by Minnesota Twins great Joe Mauer, “The Right Thing to Do: The Joe Mauer Story.” The proceeds from that book benefit two local charities.