Laura Barrón-López to emcee 2026 First Amendment Awards
Laura Barrón-López, MS NOW White House Reporter, will emcee the 2026 First Amendment Awards, the RTDNA Foundation announced on Wednesday. The 35th annual First Amendment Awards will be held March 12 at the Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C.
This year’s First Amendment Awards honorees are Juju Chang, ABC News; Vladimir Duthiers, CBS News; Kevin Goldberg, Freedom Forum; Jennifer Griffin, Fox News; Tom Llamas, NBC News; NPR and PBS News; Bill Owens, (former) 60 Minutes; Manu Raju, CNN; Jim Rodenbush, (former) Indiana Daily Student; Vitus “V” Spehar, Under the Desk News; Citation of Courage honoree Asal Rezaei, CBS News Chicago; and Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Steve Bertrand, (ret.) WGN Radio.
The First Amendment Awards honor individuals and organizations that exemplify responsible journalism and practice their constitutionally guaranteed duty to seek and report the truth.
“We are thrilled to have Laura Barrón-López as the emcee for this year’s First Amendment Awards,” said RTDNA Foundation President Tara Puckey. “Laura’s dedication to fearless, fact-based reporting and her deep understanding of the forces shaping our democracy make her the perfect voice to guide our celebration of the First Amendment.”
Barrón-López’s most recent reporting for MS NOW includes President Trump’s judicial appointments, the White House’s relationship with FBI Director Kash Patel and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, the ICE-related shootings in Minnesota, and more regarding the Trump Administration.
Prior to joining MS NOW, Barrón-López was the White House Correspondent for the PBS NewsHour and was also a CNN political analyst. She covered the Biden administration for POLITICO, where she focused on the power dynamics between the White House and Capitol Hill, covering the president's agenda on gun violence, immigration, voting rights, infrastructure, and more.
Previously for POLITICO, Barrón-López was a national political reporter, focusing on voter demographics and policy shifts within the Democratic Party.
Barrón-López was honored with a Peabody Award in 2024 as part of the PBS NewsHour team’s coverage of the Israel-Hamas war.