First Amendment Awards

The First Amendment Awards honor individuals and organizations that exemplify responsible journalism and practice their constitutionally guaranteed duty to seek and report the truth.

About the Awards

The RTDNA Foundation, the charitable arm of the Radio Television Digital News Association, honors those who practice, promote and defend journalism each year at the First Amendment Awards. We celebrate these honorees at our First Amendment Awards, a black-tie dinner held in March each year in Washington, D.C

Past honorees include local reporters, network anchors, members of the U.S. House of Representatives and multiple U.S. Senators. The awards honor the First Amendment and the bold and brave efforts many take — whether in an instant or throughout their careers — to protect it.

The Foundation works for an America in which the press is able to hold the powerful to account, shine a light on corruption, and act as a catalyst for positive change in local communities without denial of access, undue restriction, or fear of attack. We train and equip local journalists and journalism students to know their rights and seek and report truth ethically — upholding your right to know.

More About the 2024 Recipients

Attend the

First Amendment Awards

The 2025 First Amendment Awards will be held Thursday, March 6 at The Watergate Hotel. Ticket info will be available soon.

Past Honorees

2024

2023

2022

- - Mary Louise Kelly¹
  - Jessica Rosenworcel²
  - Kim Godwin³
  - “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan”
  - Steve Kornacki*

2021

- - Cesar Conde¹
  - First Draft²
  - Mike Allen and Jim VandeHei³

2020

- - David Muir¹
  - Barbara Maushard²
  - Robert (Bob) Horner³
  - “60 Minutes”
  - Lori Montenegro*
  - Senator Richard Blumenthal^

2019

- - Shepard Smith¹
  - David Begnaud²
  - James Goldston³
  - CNN
  - NBC News/MSNBC 2019 “Road Warriors"*
  - Senator Amy Klobuchar^

2018

- - Joe Scarborough & Mika Brzezinski¹
  - Gretchen Carlson²
  - David Rhodes³
  - Meet the Press
  - Congressman Eric Swalwell^

2017

- - Bill Whitaker¹
  - Stanley S. Hubbard and Stanley E. Hubbard²
  - Steve Jones³
  - Mark Halperin and John Heilemann

2016

- - Cami McCormick¹
  - Rich Boehne²
  - Robert Garcia³
  - Jason Rezaian
  - Tim Tai^

2015

- - Ann Compton¹
  - Kathy Kirby²
  - Perry Sook³
  - James Risen

2014

- - Lester Holt¹
  - David Lougee²
  - Robin Sproul³
  - The Associated Press

2013

- - Candy Crowley¹
  - Robert Decherd²
  - Lloyd Siegel³
  - Twitter

2012

- - Martha Raddatz¹
  - Steve Capus²
  - Marci Burdick³
  - Jim Bohannon

2011

- - Wolf Blitzer¹
  - David Barrett²
  - Susana Schuler³

2010

- - Brian Williams¹
  - David Westin²
  - Harvey Nagler³
  - Barbara Cochran
  - Marcellus Alexander

2009

- - Cokie Roberts¹
  - Google, Inc.²
  - Susan Grant³
  - John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

2008

- - Bob Schieffer¹
  - Tom Curley²
  - Paula Madison³
  - Richard Wiley

2007

- - Bob Woodruff and Kimberly Dozier¹
  - Roger Ailes²
  - Philip Balboni³

2006

- - Gwen Ifill¹
  - Hurricane Katrina Station Groups²
    - Belo Corp. (WWL-TV)
    - Clear Channel Broadcasting (WBUV-FM, WKNN-FM, WMJY-FM,WQYZ-FM, KHEV-FM, WNOE-FM, WODT-AM, WQUE-FM and WYLD-AM/FM)
    - Emmis Communications (WVUE-TV)
    - Entercom Communications (WWL-AM)
    - Hearst-Argyle Television, Inc. (WDSU-TV)
    - Liberty Corporation (WLOX-TV) and
    - Tribune Broadcasting (WGNO-TV)
  - William Wheatley³

2005

- - Ed Bradley¹
  - Jim Keelor²
  - Wendy Walker Whitworth³

2004

- - Andrea Mitchell¹
  - Charles Grassley and Patrick Leahy²
  - Walter Ulloa³

2003

- - Judy Woodruff¹
  - Floyd Abrams²
  - Susan Zirinsky³

2002

- - Sam Donaldson¹
  - Katharine Graham²
  - Fred Young³

2001

- - Jim Lehrer¹
  - Don Hewitt²
  - Gary Wordlaw³

2000

- - Diane Sawyer¹
  - R. E. “Ted” Turner²
  - Lee Giles³

1999

- - Christiane Amanpour¹
  - Bob Wright²
  - Marty Haag³

1998

- - Mike Wallace¹
  - Roone Arledge²
  - Betty Cole Dukert³

1997

- - Jane Pauley¹
  - Robert L. Johnson²

1996

- - Carole Simpson¹
  - Howard Stringer²

1995

- - Walter Cronkite¹
  - Tom Johnson²

1994

- - David Brinkley¹
  - James Quello²

1993

- - John Chancellor¹
  - Frank Stanton²

1992

- - James Snyder¹
  - Allen Neuharth²

_{¹ Leonard Zeidenberg First Amendment Award
² First Amendment Leadership Award
³ First Amendment Service Award
* First Amendment Clarity Award
^ First Amendment Defender Award}

Citation of Courage

This award is presented in recognition of distinguished service to journalism and extraordinary courage.

2024: Dylan Lyons
2024: Jesse Walden
2024: Joan and Eric Meyer
2023: Jeff German
2022: Kevin Nishita
2019: Jamal Khashoggi
2019: Journalists of the Capital Gazette
2015: James Foley
2015: Steven Sotloff

Lifetime Achievement Award

2024: Phil Williams
2023: Boyd Huppert
2022: Jayne Miller
2020: Steve Andrews
2019: Dale Hansen
2018: Robin Roberts
2017: Nina Totenberg
2016: Tom Brokaw
2015: Bob Simon
2014: Bill Plante
2012: Andy Rooney