Freedom Forum Celebrates 10 Years of the Free Expression Awards, Announces 2026 Honorees

Wolf Blitzer, Maria Ressa and the Committee for the First Amendment, with actor Sam Waterston accepting on its behalf, to be honored in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 16, 2026) — Freedom Forum, a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to fostering First Amendment freedoms for all, today announced the honorees for the 2026 Free Expression Awards and the recipient of the Al Neuharth Award for Excellence in the Media. The 10th annual awards gala will take place on Thursday, June 25, at The Anthem in Washington, D.C.

First held in 2016, the Free Expression Awards recognize individuals and organizations that have championed or celebrated free expression and the First Amendment in ways that have inspired others. The ceremony also includes the presentation of the Al Neuharth Award for Excellence in the Media, named for USA TODAY and Freedom Forum founder Al Neuharth. The annual award is given to outstanding journalists and media innovators who share Neuharth’s fierce dedication to a free and fair press and the First Amendment. This year’s honorees are:

Wolf Blitzer, Al Neuharth Award for Excellence in the Media recipient

An award-winning CNN anchor, Blitzer has been a trusted voice in journalism for more than 50 years, known for his in-depth reporting on political, international and breaking news. During his 35-year career at CNN, he has interviewed world leaders, moderated town halls and debates, and reported from the Middle East, Moscow and North Korea. Blitzer has earned top honors including Emmy, Peabody, DuPont and Edward R. Murrow awards.

Maria Ressa, Free Expression Award honoree

A Nobel Peace Prize winner recognized for her “efforts to safeguard freedom of expression,” Ressa has faced repeated arrests and legal challenges for reporting that exposed political corruption and wrongdoing by the Filipino government. Before co-founding the Manila-based news site Rappler, she reported for CNN from Southeast Asia for nearly two decades and later led multimedia news operations for ABS-CBN, the largest news organization in the Philippines.  For her work on disinformation, Ressa was a Time magazine “Person of the Year” in 2018 and was among the magazine’s "100 Most Influential People" in 2019.

Committee for the First Amendment, Free Expression Award honoree

Accepted by actor Sam Waterston

The Committee for the First Amendment was founded in 1947 by a group of actors and artists in Hollywood. During the McCarthy era, when the government targeted and accused entertainers of having communist sympathies, the committee’s members, including Henry Fonda, Judy Garland and Gene Kelley, challenged these attacks on the film industry. In 2025, actor and activist Jane Fonda relaunched the committee to defend free speech and free expression from government interference. Today, it includes thousands of artists, actors, entertainers and musicians who are using their voices and platforms to defend the First Amendment. Golden Globe-winning actor Sam Waterston will accept the award on behalf of the committee.

“This year’s honorees reflect the enduring importance of free expression and the vital role it plays in American life and around the world,” said Jan Neuharth, chair and CEO of Freedom Forum. “As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Free Expression Awards, we are proud to recognize individuals and organizations whose courage and conviction continue to inspire and inform.”

Award-winning WUSA9 anchor Lesli Foster will host the evening program, which will feature remarks from honorees Blitzer, Ressa and Waterston. There will be live entertainment from indie pop singer-songwriter MORGXN and the Children’s Chorus of Washington.

Previous Free Expression Award honorees include Secretary of State Colin Powell, U.S. Congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis, filmmaker Ava DuVernay and singer-songwriter Eric Church.

For tickets, sponsorship opportunities or more information, visit FreeExpressionAwards.org.