CPJ is honored to present its 2025 Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award, for extraordinary and sustained achievement in the cause of press freedom, to David McCraw, lead newsroom lawyer for The New York Times.
David McCraw serves as the lead newsroom lawyer for The New York Times and is the organization’s senior vice president and deputy general counsel.
McCraw has worked at The New York Times for over two decades, establishing himself as a staunch advocate for press freedom, supporting journalists who deliver revelatory reporting. His fearless defense of the rights of a free press has strengthened the ability of news organizations to obtain and publish information critical to public discourse.
Throughout his career, McCraw has supported Times journalists working in high-risk areas and has been responsible for crisis response when journalists have been kidnapped or detained abroad. By honoring McCraw, CPJ recognizes his tireless efforts to ensure our peers can continue to report the news.