The RTDNA Foundation has unveiled its 2024 First Amendment Award recipients, including New Hampshire Public Radio’s Lauren Chooljian. The group of 13 individuals and organizations is celebrated for their commitment to upholding responsible journalism.
Chooljian is being recognized for her investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against a prominent New England addiction treatment provider, despite facing vandalism, threatening graffiti, and a libel lawsuit in retaliation for her reporting.
The ceremony will also highlight the diverse achievements of other journalists and advocates for press freedom, from Gio Benitez’s on-the-ground reporting of the Maui wildfires to Evan Gershkovich’s wrongful imprisonment in Russia, and Clarissa Ward’s insightful coverage of conflict zones.
All honorees will be celebrated at the 33rd annual First Amendment Awards ceremony on March 9 at The Watergate Hotel in Washington, DC. They join the ranks of 141 past recipients who have demonstrated unwavering support for First Amendment values.
RTDNA Foundation President Dan Shelley said, “It is our sacred duty to promote, protect and defend the First Amendment, which makes journalism the only vocation specifically protected in our Constitution. The individuals represented in this group of recipients embody the spirit of such journalism. And, their work reminds us why it is so important to defend the First Amendment each and every day.”
Foundation Chair Allison McGinley noted, “The First Amendment Awards gives us all a chance to pause and reflect on the brave and brilliant work done in the name of journalism. It is a true honor to get a chance to recognize these outstanding recipients.”
