2026 Fourth Estate Award Gala honoring Martha Raddatz of ABC News

Join the National Press Club in honoring Martha Raddatz, chief global affairs correspondent for ABC News, with its highest honor. Martha Raddatz, ABC News’ chief global affairs correspondent and co-anchor of "This Week," will accept the National Press Club’s Fourth Estate Award during a gala in her honor on Nov. 12 in Washington, D.C. The Fourth Estate Award recognizes journalists who have made significant contributions to the field and is the National Press Club’s most esteemed prize. At a time when press freedom is under pressure around the world, the National Press Club’s Fourth Estate Award is not just a recognition of excellence, but a reminder of the essential role journalism plays in sustaining informed, democratic societies. “The greatest privilege of my career is the trust people place in me when they share their stories — trust that doesn’t end when the cameras turn off as I stay with them long after the news cycle fades,” Raddatz said. “I am deeply honored to receive this award and humbled by what it represents, as it is a powerful reminder of all stories we have reported and the people we have touched.” Raddatz has reported extensively on global conflicts, beginning with the war in Bosnia and continuing through Iraq and Afghanistan, where she embedded with U.S. forces on dozens of missions. She has delivered exclusive reporting on major international developments, including details of the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, U.S. military operations against ISIS, and ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. “Martha’s work reflects the very best of our profession: rigorous reporting, clarity under pressure, and an unwavering commitment to informing the public on matters of global consequence,” said Mark Schoeff Jr., the National Press Club’s 119th president. “Her reporting demonstrates not only exceptional skill, but also a deep sense of responsibility to the public. That combination embodies the spirit of the Fourth Estate Award, the Club’s highest honor.” Raddatz has consistently gone where the story is, often at great personal risk. Her reporting has taken her inside military operations, onto naval vessels in active conflict zones, and face-to-face with world leaders and decision-makers shaping the global order. In addition to her field reporting, Raddatz has played a prominent role in political coverage. She moderated the 2012 vice presidential debate and has co-moderated multiple presidential primary and general election debates. She reported from the U.S. Capitol during the January 6, 2021, attack and has conducted high-profile interviews with U.S. and international leaders, including multiple interviews with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Just as importantly, Martha’s work reflects the evolving demands of journalism in a rapidly changing media environment. At a time when misinformation spreads quickly and trust in institutions is under strain, her reporting stands out for its depth, accuracy, and unwavering commitment to the public’s right to know. Whether moderating presidential debates, reporting from authoritarian states, or interviewing leaders on all sides of a conflict, she brings accountability, context, and credibility to every assignment. “Martha Raddatz represents the very best of journalism, fearless reporting, unwavering integrity, and a deep sense of humanity in every story she tells,” said ABC News President Almin Karamehmedovic. “There is no one more deserving of this recognition. Martha’s work has informed, inspired, and challenged all of us, and her example continues to set the standard for journalists everywhere.” The Fourth Estate is the top honor bestowed on a journalist by the National Press Club Board of Governors. Previous winners include: Christiane Amanpour, Dean Baquet, Marty Baron, Wolf Blitzer, Tom Brokaw, Walter Cronkite, Lester Holt, Gwen Ifill, Andrea Mitchell, Clarissa Ward, Kristen Welker, and Susan Zirinsky. About the gala When: 6 p.m. Nov. 12, 2026 This year’s Fourth Estate Gala will begin with a reception at 6 p.m. ET followed by dinner and the awards program starting at 7 p.m. Where: National Press Club, 529 14th St. NW, Washington, DC Information on getting to the National Press Club. Tickets: $200 (National Press Club members); $350 (members of the public) Recipients of the Club’s John Aubuchon Press Freedom Awards and Neil and Susan Sheehan Award for Investigative Journalism will also be recognized during the gala. Honorees for the Aubuchon and Sheehan awards will be announced at a later date. Sponsor the gala The gala is a fundraiser for the Club’s nonprofit affiliate, the National Press Club Journalism Institute. The Institute equips journalists with the skills and tools they need to navigate a rapidly changing landscape — whether that’s adapting to new technologies, strengthening ethical decision-making, or reporting in increasingly complex and sometimes hostile environments. But that work is in service of something larger: ensuring that journalists can continue to do their jobs freely, safely, and effectively. Tables and sponsorship packages are available here. Please reserve early to guarantee your placement. Learn more about Martha Raddatz Martha Raddatz is ABC News’ chief global affairs correspondent and co-anchor of “This Week with George Stephanopoulos.” She has covered national security, foreign policy and politics for decades — reporting from the State Department, the White House, and conflict zones around the world. She began covering wars during the crisis in Bosnia in the late 1990s, but Iraq and Afghanistan are where she has spent most of her time overseas. Even during her stint as a White House correspondent during former President George W. Bush’s administration, she continued to make regular trips to war-torn Iraq. Raddatz was embedded with U.S. forces during dozens of trips abroad, from the sands of Al Anbar province to the mountains of the Hindu Kush. She is the only television reporter allowed to fly in an F-15 fighter jet on combat missions over Afghanistan, spending nearly 10 hours in the air on two separate missions. In 2011, she reported exclusive details on the raid that killed Osama Bin Laden. That same year, she was one of the few reporters on the last major convoy out of Iraq. She also had an exclusive interview on the USS Kearsarge, off the coast of Libya, with the Marines who helped rescue two American pilots who had gone down in Libya. In 2012, Raddatz was on a U.S. destroyer as it made its way through the Strait of Hormuz. She reported exclusively from the USS George H.W. Bush, covering the airstrikes against ISIS in Syria and Iraq in 2014, and again in March 2016 from the USS Truman. In 2015, Raddatz was granted exclusive access to the anti-ISIS command center at an undisclosed location in the Middle East, and she anchored “This Week” from an airbase conducting drone warfare. Raddatz also covered both summits between former President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and was one of only a handful of journalists who reported from North Korea in 2018. In addition, her reporting trips have taken her to Yemen, Iran, Pakistan, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, India, Turkey, Libya, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and numerous countries in Africa and in Asia. In October 2012, Raddatz moderated the only vice presidential debate between Congressman Paul Ryan and then Vice President Joe Biden, covering both domestic and foreign topics. Post-debate, Raddatz received an outpouring of praise for asking pointed questions on a range of issues while asserting control over the conversation. She received the Walter Cronkite Award for excellence in political journalism with a special commendation for debate moderation.