WASHINGTON, D.C. — The RTDNA Foundation has announced the recipients of the 33rd annual First Amendment Award, and one of the honorees is NewsChannel 5's Phil Williams.
The award recognizes the efforts made to promote responsible journalism and preserve constitutionally guaranteed rights to do that.
“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,” said RTDNA Foundation Chair Allison McGinley. “It is a true honor to get a chance to recognize these outstanding recipients.”
Five individuals and organizations will be among those honored on March 9 at The Watergate Hotel.
Winners include:
- Lauren Chooljian, New Hampshire Public Radio
- ProPublica
- Rep. Jamie Raskin
- Clarissa Ward, CNN
- and our very own Phil Williams.
The RTDNA Foundation states that Williams was selected "because his career as an investigative reporter has served as a model for what great journalism can do in a community. His reporting has uncovered corruption in the Tennessee government and numerous political scandals and has helped drive national conversations on important issues."
Serving as chief investigative reporter for NewsChannel 5's nationally award-winning investigative team, Williams has set the standard for investigative journalism on the state and local level. Last year he became the 2023 recipient of the prestigious John Chancellor Award for Excellence in Journalism.
He is the only TV journalist to ever receive a coveted Toner Prize for political reporting and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service at the start of his print career.
There are still so many families in East Tennessee hurting following the floods from Hurricane Helene in September. That made this year's running of the Santa Train extra special for many families in the northeast part of the state. This special Santa Express has been making an annual run in part of Appalachia for over 80 years.
-Lelan Statom
