Reporters Committee mourns the passing of Hodding Carter III

Hodding Carter III, a longtime journalist and former president of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation who also served as U.S. State Department spokesman during the Iran hostage crisis, passed away on May 11 at the age of 88.

As Knight Foundation president, Carter was instrumental in continuing Knight’s generous support of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press to advance its work to protect journalists’ newsgathering rights. He also served as a member of the organization’s Steering Committee for over a decade, including as a member of the Executive Committee.

“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Hodding Carter III and extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues,” said Stephen J. Adler, chair of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. “Hodding’s dedication and service to the Reporters Committee reflected his deep commitment to ensuring that First Amendment protections remained durable for journalists past, present, and future.”

The Reporters Committee regularly files friend-of-the-court briefs and its attorneys represent journalists and news organizations pro bono in court cases that involve First Amendment freedoms, the newsgathering rights of journalists and access to public information. Stay up-to-date on our work by signing up for our monthly newsletter and following us on Twitter or Instagram.