Reporters Committee announces 2019 Freedom of the Press Award honorees
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press today announced the recipients of its prestigious Freedom of the Press Awards for 2019:
- David G. Bradley, Chairman of Atlantic Media, which publishes The Atlantic and National Journal.
- John Carreyrou, Pulitzer-winning investigative reporter at The Wall Street Journal.
- Andrea Mitchell, Chief foreign-affairs correspondent for NBC News and host of MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports.”
- April Ryan, White House correspondent and Washington bureau chief for American Urban Radio Networks and a political analyst for CNN.
David Cohen, executive vice president and chief diversity officer at Comcast, and Jeffrey Zients, chief executive officer of the Cranemere Group, will serve as dinner chairs.
Each year, the Reporters Committee presents the Freedom of the Press Awards to recognize the accomplishments of leaders in the news media and legal fields whose work embodies the values of the First Amendment.
“At a time when journalists face unprecedented challenges, this year’s honorees have relentlessly pursued their craft to ensure the public is informed and the powerful are held accountable,” said David Boardman, chair of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. “We are thrilled to recognize their contributions to journalism and dedication to First Amendment values.”
The Reporters Committee also gives an annual Rising Star Award to honor young leaders who are forwarding the cause of press freedom. This year’s Rising Star Award will go to the founders of City Bureau — Harry Backlund, Andrea Hart, Bettina Chang, and Darryl Holliday. City Bureau is a Chicago-based nonprofit civic journalism lab that brings journalists and community members together in a collaborative spirit to produce equitable media coverage, encourage civic participation and hold powerful forces to account.
“This year’s honorees represent some of the best and brightest in today’s fast-paced and ever-changing journalism,” said Bruce Brown, executive director of the Reporters Committee. “Their essential work, often done in the face of increasing threats, gives voice to a diverse range of stories that would otherwise go untold and helps us better understand and engage in the world around us — values that strike at the core purpose of our First Amendment.”
The honorees will be formally recognized at the 2019 Freedom of the Press Awards Dinner on May 7, 2019 at the Ziegfeld Theater in New York City. For information about sponsorships and ticket purchases, please visit rcfp.org/awardsdinner2019. Past Freedom of the Press Award winners are listed here.