Reporters Committee 50th Anniversary and Freedom of the Press Awards: A Virtual Celebration
On September 28, 2021, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press held a vibrant and engaging virtual celebration of the 2021 Freedom of the Press Awards and its 50th anniversary! Click here to watch the event.
We recognized the outstanding achievements of our honorees:
- J. Scott Applewhite, senior photojournalist at The Associated Press;
- Theodore J. Boutrous, Jr., media law attorney and partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP;
- Julie K. Brown, investigative journalist for The Miami Herald;
- Amal Clooney, co-founder and president, Clooney Foundation for Justice;
- Jane Mayer, staff writer and chief Washington correspondent for The New Yorker; and
- Rising Star Award winner Laura Moscoso, data journalist at the Puerto Rico Center for Investigative Journalism.
The Fred Graham Distinguished Service Award was presented to Tony Mauro, Contributor at ALM Media Properties, LLC, and Saundra Torry, Retired Member of USA TODAY’S Editorial Board, for their outstanding commitment to the Reporters Committee over the years.
Kristen Welker, co-anchor of “Weekend TODAY” and NBC News Chief White House Correspondent, hosted the 2021 Freedom of the Press Awards and Reporters Committee 50th anniversary celebration.
Welker joined “Weekend TODAY” as co-anchor in January 2020 and began covering the White House for NBC News in December 2011, travelling domestically and internationally with President Obama, the First Lady, and then-Vice President Biden. She also covered President Trump’s administration, the 2020 presidential race and is currently leading the network’s coverage of the Biden administration.
This engaging virtual celebration of our 50th anniversary and the annual Freedom of the Press Awards raised significant funds to support the pro bono work of the Reporters Committee. We provide critical legal services to thousands of journalists and newsrooms across the United States and your contributions fuel that work.
This year’s Freedom of the Press Awards were generously presented by:
Presenting Sponsor: Microsoft
Co-Chairs: Amanda Bennett; Donald E. Graham, Chairman, Graham Holdings; Norman Pearlstine; Brad Smith, President, Microsoft; and Steven R. Swartz, President & CEO, Hearst
Anniversary Champions: Apple; Jane Boon and Norman Pearlstine; Chan Soon-Shiong Family Foundation
Legacy Champions: Amanda Bennett and Donald E. Graham; Chevron; The Murray Fromson family; Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP; Hearst
Advocate Sponsors: Anonymous; The Associated Press; CNN; Davis Wright Tremaine LLP; Meredith Corporation; Perkins Coie LLP; Reuters; Cris Russell and Ben Heineman; Tegna; The Washington Post
View our full list of sponsors here. Learn more about sponsorship opportunities for this celebration.