The RTDNA Foundation is using its 2026 First Amendment Awards to spotlight radio’s enduring role in press freedom, honoring both local commercial journalism and public media through recognitions for former WGN-AM anchor Steve Bertrand and NPR.
Bertrand has been named the recipient of the First Amendment Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing his four-decade career in broadcast journalism. He retired from WGN Radio in November after first joining the station as an intern in the 1980s and moving into an anchor role in 1992, where he served across multiple dayparts.
Alongside Bertrand, the RTDNA Foundation is recognizing NPR for the role of public radio in providing noncommercial news and public affairs programming nationwide. The Foundation cited NPR’s continued commitment to independent journalism amid political pressure and funding challenges, positioning public radio as a critical pillar of civic information and democratic engagement.
PBS was also included in the recognition its contributions to public-interest journalism on the television side.
The 2026 First Amendment Awards ceremony will be held on March 12 at The Watergate Hotel in Washington, DC.
RTDNA Foundation President Tara Puckey said, “At a time when the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment are challenged on every front, the journalists, organizations and individuals we honor today stand as powerful examples of courage, integrity and unwavering commitment to the free flow of information.”
RTDNA Foundation Chair Sheryl Worsley added, “Exposing wrongs and telling the truth, no matter the consequence, is core to our job as journalists. We honor those who have paid a high price while standing up for the First Amendment by raising awareness in their communities.”
