Five journalists honored for sustaining rigorous journalism through ingenuity, adaptability and perseverance

NEW YORK, Sept. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Neal Conan Prize for Excellence in Journalism today named Nikole Hannah-Jones, Latif Nasser, Lydia Polgreen, Pablo Torre and Lauren Williams its inaugural class of Neal Conan Laureates for 2027.

The one-year honor recognizes journalists whose ingenuity, adaptability and perseverance have sustained rigorous work through accelerating change in the profession. They have found new ways to report, reach audiences and build newsrooms as journalism’s business models, formats and institutions change. Their careers show how journalism’s highest standards can endure beyond any one institution—and offer aspiring journalists examples of how to carry those standards forward.

Author Gretel Ehrlich, Neal Conan’s widow and a founding member of the Prize’s selection committee, wrote of his approach to reporting: “He understood that his job as a journalist was to know the context and history of every zone where conflict was occurring. ‘If you don’t know about a place, find out! Educate yourself and remember it all.'”

The Laureates honor is distinct from the Neal Conan Prize, which awards one mid-career journalist $50,000 in unrestricted support each year. The 2026 Prize recipient will be announced this fall.

The 2027 Neal Conan Laureates

Nikole Hannah-Jones is the creator of The 1619 Project and a staff writer at The New York Times Magazine. She is also the Knight Chair in Race and Journalism at Howard University, where she founded the Center for Journalism & Democracy. She won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary.

Latif Nasser is co-host of WNYC Studios’ Radiolab and host and executive producer of Netflix’s Connected. He holds a doctorate in the history of science from Harvard University and brings that research background to his audio and television work.

Lydia Polgreen is an Opinion columnist at The New York Times. Previously editor-in-chief of HuffPost and managing director of Gimlet, she returned to a byline after leading newsrooms and working in audio. She won the 2026 Hillman Prize for Opinion & Analysis Journalism.

Pablo Torre is the host, executive editor, and co-owner of Pablo Torre Finds Out. The show’s staff won the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for Audio Reporting. He previously wrote for Sports Illustrated and ESPN The Magazine.

Lauren Williams is the co-founder and chief executive officer of Capital B, the nonprofit local and national news organization serving Black communities. Previously senior vice president and editor-in-chief of Vox, she moved from leading an established newsroom to building a new one.

The Prize will recognize the Laureates at its invitation-only celebration in New York in November. They will also take part in a half-day symposium with journalism students and independent journalists in spring 2027. Laureates bring forward nominations for the Prize; a selection committee chooses the recipient.

Laureate perspectives

Nasser, who brought his training in the history of science to audio journalism, described how it became an advantage:

“At first I was bummed out that I was 6 years behind. But then I realized that the research skills I gained in those six years could help me find stories and add perspectives that none of my peers in the field had.”

Reflecting on Capital B’s aim to deliver rigorous reporting and accountability journalism that brings meaningful change to Black communities, Williams said:

“We knew we couldn’t do that without investing deeply in building the kind of staff and community-informed news-gathering processes that would foster trust and understanding. Community engagement has been the foundation for our growth and ambition.”

Spring 2027 symposium

The spring 2027 Neal Conan Symposium will be co-sponsored by the Journalism Protection Initiative at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY, with journalism safety and press freedom among its themes.

“At a time of mounting threats to press freedom and journalism safety in the United States and around the world, we are delighted to co-sponsor a symposium that will help journalists, and particularly young journalists, develop the skills, resources, and knowledge they need to work effectively in a more adversarial environment,” said Joel Simon, founding director of the Journalism Protection Initiative.

About the Neal Conan Prize for Excellence in Journalism

The Neal Conan Prize for Excellence in Journalism supports rigorous, human-centered journalism and the work still to come. Named for the late journalist Neal Conan, the annual Prize recognizes excellence in the craft and provides unrestricted support to one mid-career journalist. Learn more at nealconanprize.org.

About the Neal Conan Laureates

The Neal Conan Laureates are named annually by the Neal Conan Prize for Excellence in Journalism. The one-year honor recognizes journalists whose ingenuity, adaptability, and perseverance have sustained rigor and excellence as the profession changes. Their careers show how journalism’s highest standards can endure beyond any one institution and offer aspiring journalists models for carrying them forward. Laureates take part in the annual celebration and spring symposium with journalism students and independent journalists and bring forward nominations for the Prize. Laureates receive an honorarium in recognition of their participation in the program.

About the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY

The Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY is a public graduate journalism school that prepares students from diverse economic, racial, and cultural backgrounds to produce high-quality journalism. In 2024, the school launched a campaign to provide free tuition, in perpetuity, to all of its students.

The Journalism Protection Initiative at the Newmark J-School was established in February 2023 to support research, convenings, and education related to press freedom and media safety.

Meet the Laureates: nealconanprize.org/laureates

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SOURCE Neal Conan Prize