Thursday, March 17, 2016

Hundreds Honor First Amendment Award Winners


The Radio Television Digital News Foundation (RTDNF) honored a distinguished group of journalists and First Amendment leaders for their commitment to press freedom at the 26th Annual First Amendment Awards Dinner.

Jason Rezaian
The event, held Wednesday evening in Washington at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, raises money for journalism scholarships, fellowships and training for the newsroom leaders of tomorrow.

"The Constitution enshrines freedom of the press in the First Amendment, but it takes exceptional people to make that promise live and breathe," said RTDNF Chair Amy Tardif. "We're proud to recognize those who have demonstrated a commitment to defending the rights of journalists."

"Our honorees have set a high bar," added RTDNF Executive Director Mike Cavender. "The money raised at tonight's event will grow our work in support of the First Amendment and help a new generation of journalism students enter our profession, looking up to outstanding role models like these."

First Amendment Award: Jason Rezaian, Washington Post

Washington Post Correspondent Jason Rezaian was held captive in Iran from July 22, 2014 to January 16, 2016. Accused of a number of charges including espionage, he was convicted and sentenced by Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, but no specific sentence was announced, and he was finally freed in the weeks following an agreement to ease economic sanctions on Iran, as the world watched a story of international relations and press freedom unfold. This award honors an outstanding individual or organization which champions the First Amendment
and press freedoms.

Other Awards:
  • 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
Wednesday's awards ceremony included a tribute to Virginia journalists Alison Parker and Adam Ward, who were murdered on the job in August of 2015.

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