WASHINGTON—The Radio Television Digital News Foundation has unveiled its list of seven winners for the 30th annual First Amendment Awards. The First Amendment Awards honor the role that journalists play in local and national media promoting the First Amendment.

Winning the 2020 Leonard Zeidenberg First Amendment Award is ABC News’ David Muir. The Leonard Zeidenberg Award, named after the late Broadcasting & Cable senior correspondent, is presented to a radio or TV journalist or news executive who made a major contribution to the protection of First Amendment freedoms. Muir, in his role as ABC World News Tonight anchor, offers dispatches from Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Beirut and other global hotspots.

The simply named First Amendment Award, which recognizes an outstanding individual or organization that champions the First Amendment and press freedoms, went to CBS News’ “60 Minutes.” On air for 52 seasons, “60 Minutes” is known for shedding light on important subjects and holding its subject accountable, per RTDNF.

Robert Horner of NBC News was the honoree for the First Amendment Service Award, given to a professional in local or network news that works off-air, behind the scenes. Horner is the creator and was president for 27 years of NBC News Channel, a feed service for local NBC affiliates and NBC’s international partners.

The First Amendment Leadership Award was won by Barbara Maushard, the senior vice president of news at Hearst Television. The Leadership Award is presented to a business, government or other leader that contributed to the freedom of the press.

Recognizing a journalist that went to extreme lengths to provide meaning and context to a complicated news story or issue of extreme importance, the 2020 First Amendment Clarity Award was presented to Lori Montenegro, the Washington Bureau Chief of Telemundo.

Earning the First Amendment Defender Award for taking a public stand in support of press freedom was Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.)

Lastly, the Lifetime Achievement Award recognized Steve Andrews, senior investigative reporter from WFLA-TV in Tampa, Fla. His career has spanned 35 years, covering stories that in many cases have helped change laws.

“This year’s honorees are a mix of local and network journalists that provide illuminating reporting, a respected national news program which holds the powerful accountable and a visionary who defends the public’s right to know,” said Jerry Walsh, RTDNF chairman and vice president of local content development at Nexstar Broadcasting.

All of the winners will receive their awards at the First Amendment Awards Dinner & Show on March 5 in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.firstamendmentawards.org. 

WASHINGTON—The Radio-Television Digital News Foundation has named its 2018 First Amendment Award winners at a time when journalists are under siege from the President.

“We are experiencing an unprecedented number of attacks to our integrity and role in society,” says Dan Shelley, executive director of RTDNA/RTDNF, adding: “Showcasing and celebrating responsible journalism matters more than ever.”

The awards will be given out March 8 at a dinner in Washington, where the current assault on journalists from the White House will likely get plenty of attention in the acceptance speeches. The pair have been a target of the President, but RTDNF says its awards “are shining a light on individuals and news organizations who seek and report the truth ethically and responsibly.”

NBC's “Meet the Press,” moderated by NBC Political News Director Chuck Todd, will get the First Amendment Award for “outstanding individual or organization.”

Jot Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, of MSNBC's “Morning Joe,” will receive the Leonard Zeidenberg First Amendment Award, which goes to a journalist or news executive who has made a “major contribution to the protection of First Amendment freedoms.” The award is named for the late B&C senior correspondent.

David Rhodes, president of CBS News, will receive the First Amendment Service Award for those in a primarily off-air or management capacity.

Gretchen Carlson, the famously former Fox News anchor, gets the First Amendment Leadership Award for significant contributions to freedom of the press.

Robin Roberts, co-anchor of “Good Morning America,” will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.

This story first appeared on TVT's sister publication B&C. 

WASHINGTON—Recipients of the Radio Television Digital News Foundation’s 2017 First Amendment Awards have been announced. Of five honorees, three have strong radio connections.

Vice President and General Manager of ABC News Radio Steve Jones will receive the First Amendment Service Award for his management and behind-the-scenes work at the network. Under his leadership, the organization said, ABC News Radio has received more than a dozen Edward R. Murrow Awards, 10 International Radio Festival Awards, five National Headliner Awards and three New York Festivals Awards. Jones joined ABC Radio in 1986 as a writer and editor and previously led ABCNews.com before taking his current leadership role.

Hubbard Broadcasting’s CEO Stanley Hubbard will be awarded the First Amendment Leadership Award for his significant contribution to the protection of the First Amendment and freedom of the press, RTDNF said. Hubbard oversaw the building of the first successful UHF television station in a VHF market and helped create, along with others in Hubbard Broadcasting, the world’s first satellite news gathering organization, Conus Communications.

NPR News’ legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg will take home the RTDNF Lifetime Achievement Award. Totenberg was instrumental in leading NPR News to receiving a Peabody Award for the coverage she anchored of Clarence Thomas’ Supreme Court confirmation hearings and for her exclusive interview with Anita Hill. This RTDNF award will be adding to many accolades she has received including honors like the Joan S. Barone Award for excellence in Washington-based national affairs and public policy reporting and the 1998 Sol Taishoff Award for Excellence in Broadcasting from the National Press Foundation. Totenberg joined NPR in 1975.

Also being honored: Bill Whitaker of CBS News will be honored with the Leonard Zeidenberg First Amendment Award for his contributions to protecting press freedoms through his journalism career as a television broadcaster. Whitaker has worked in local television news with WBTV-TV in Charlotte, VA and KQED-TV in San Francisco, has worked for “CBS Sunday Morning” where he won an Emmy Award for his reports on the collapse of Jim and Tammy Bakker’s television ministry and has taken up posts in several CBS News bureaus across the globe. Today he is a correspondent for CBS’ “60 Minutes.”

Taking the honor for The RTDNF’s First Amendment Award is Mark Halperin and John Heilemann, co-managing editors of Bloomberg Politics and hosts of the news analysis show “With All Due Respect,” which airs on Bloomberg TV. The pair are also the creators of the Showtime weekly political documentary series “The Circus” and have co-authored two New York Times bestsellers “Game Change” and “Double Down.” Halperin has served as editor-at-large and senior political analyst for TIME. Heilemann previously was the national affairs editor for New York magazine and NYMag.com. 

The awards ceremony will be held in March at the Grand Hyatt in Washington.

CINCINNATI—The Radio Television Digital News Foundation has announced the honorees for the 2016 First Amendment Awards, the 26th annual ceremony that honors those who show dedication to First Amendment rights.

“Supporting and defending the First Amendment requires bravery, integrity and perseverance,” said Amy Tardiff, chair of RTDNF. “Our honorees have demonstrated their commitment to press freedom, and their words and actions inspire us to follow their lead.”

Here is the full list of honorees:

• First Amendment Award: Jason Rezaian, Washington Post
• Leonard Zeidenberg First Amendment Award: Cami McCormick, CBS News
• First Amendment Service Award: Robert Garcia, National Public Radio
• First Amendment Leadership Award: Rich Boehne, E.W. Scripps Company
• First Amendment Defender Award: Tim Tai, University of Missouri
• RTDNF Lifetime Achievement Award: Tom Brokaw, NBC News

The event also plans to honor journalists Alison Parker and Adam Ward, who were killed during the Roanoke shooting in August.

The awards will be presented on March 16 at the Grant Hyatt in Washington D.C.