
Journalism Program Director Sissel McCarthy hosted the 2024 Foreign Press Awards at the National Press Club in Washington DC, on Dec. 4. In her opening remarks, McCarthy called on members of the audience to reflect on the names in the program of the nearly 200 reporters and media workers who had been killed in the previous two years, one of the most deadly periods in history for journalists around the world.
“A core part of the Association of Foreign Press Correspondent’s mission is to raise awareness of their sacrifices, demand accountability for their deaths, and advocate for the safety of journalists everywhere, no matter where they report the news,” said McCarthy.
She noted the news industry faces insidious and dangerous challenges as it heads into 2025. “Democracy is eroding around the world,” McCarthy said, noting the brief declaration of martial law in South Korea in early December. “The rise of authoritarianism is undeniable, and its methods disturbingly familiar. We all know their playbook.”
She explained the first thing authoritarian leaders do is discredit journalists and call fact-based reporting “fake news.” Then, they spread propaganda through complicit media outlets and social media platforms and, ultimately, stamp out an independent press.
“But the press has its own playbook,” McCarthy continued. “A proven one. A powerful one to counter these tactics and reclaim the Fourth Estate’s role as a public servant.”
She says it begins with reporting truthfully on the news of the day without fear or favor and holding power to account through relentless investigative journalism. It also means refusing to amplify government propaganda and falsehoods, resisting self-censorship and being prepared to defend the truth.
“This is how the news industry wins back the public’s trust. And this is how journalism reclaims its rightful role as a guardian of democracy,” she said to an audience of nearly 250 journalists, news executives and corporate supporters.
The evening’s highest honors went to Jodie Ginsburg, the president of the Committee to Protect Journalists, and Emily Wilkins, the president of the National Press Club, who each won a Professional Excellence Award for 2024.
“These two extraordinary women inspire us all with their courage, dedication, and tireless efforts to uphold the values we cherish,” said Nancy Prager Kamal, president of the AFPC.
The AFPC also honored seven journalists for their work and contributions to the news industry, including FOX Pentagon reporter Jennifer Griffin, New York Times climate reporter Somini Sengupta, Baron’s David Cho and Andrew Freedman of Axios.
The next generation of newsroom leaders was also celebrated with four scholarships for foreign correspondents who want to earn their master’s degree in journalism in the United States.