Lehrer said while online bloggers are increasing in popularity and ratings of major news programs are plummeting, there is still reason to believe true reporters hold a vital role in society, The Arizona Republic reported Saturday.

"Bloggers are … commentary, not reporters," the 74-year-old said at Friday's event at the Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa. "Search engines search, but they don't report. Every single one of them needs news to exist and survive."

Lehrer and MacNeil were honored at the event marking the 25th anniversary of the university's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication with the school's annual journalism award.

The Republic said the anchor pair received the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism for their long-standing service to the journalism community and the public at large.