The applause landed. The names — respected. But behind the velvet praise, something sharper stirred. Norah O’Donnell stood not just as an anchor, but as a symbol of what journalism still fights to protect. The award didn’t just honor legacy. It marked a fault line. Between clarity and compromise. And somewhere in that ballroom, the message wasn’t just spoken — it was felt

SEASIDE >> The Panetta Institute for Public Policy will honor three accomplished members of the national media at the 2025 Jefferson-Lincoln Awards next month.

This year, the awards will be presented to Christiane Amanpour of CNN, Dan Balz of the Washington Post and Nora O’Donnell of CBS at a black-tie gala dinner to be held at Spanish Bay in Pebble Beach, Nov. 15.

“Democracy depends on truth, and truth depends on a free and courageous press,”  Institute Chairman and Co-Founder Leon E. Panetta said in a press release. “Norah O’Donnell, Dan Balz, and

Christiane Amanpour represent the very best of American journalism. Through their dedication to accuracy, fairness, and integrity, they have helped inform citizens and strengthen our democratic institutions.”

Panetta, the former Secretary of Defense, added the Institute is proud to honor the three.

O’Donnell is a senior correspondent for CBS News and the former anchor and managing editor of CBS Evening News. She is also a correspondent for 60 Minutes. She has reported on the White House, Congress and every presidential election since 2000. She became the anchor of CBS Evening News in 2019, only the second woman to hold the role at the network. O’Donnell has received multiple Emmy Awards, a Peabody, and the Edward R. Murrow Award for her coverage of issues ranging from sexual assault in the military to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Balz served as the chief correspondent at The Washington Post from 1978-2025. He has covered every presidential campaign since 1976 and is known for his in-depth analysis of the nation’s political landscape. He is the author of several books on presidential elections, including “Collision 1996” and “The Battle for America 2008.” He is a regular panelist on PBS’s Washington Week and NBC’s Meet the

Press.

Christiane Amanpour is chief international anchor for CNN and host of Amanpour on CNN International, as well as Amanpour & Company on PBS. Amanpour has reported on conflicts in Iraq, Bosnia, Rwanda, and Afghanistan, often bringing attention to humanitarian crises ignored by others. She has interviewed figures ranging from Yasser Arafat to Nelson Mandela and countless U.S. presidents.. Amanpour has received every major broadcast journalism award, including eleven Emmys, four Peabodys, and the Courage in Journalism Award. In 2014, she was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame.