2025 Fourth Estate Award Gala honoring Robert Costa of CBS News

Robert Costa of CBS News, ‘CBS Sunday Morning’ to accept National Press Club’s highest honor

, a national correspondent for "CBS Sunday Morning" and chief Washington analyst for CBS News, will accept the National Press Club’s Fourth Estate Award during a gala in his honor on Dec. 9 in Washington. The award recognizes journalists who have made significant contributions to the field and is the Club’s most esteemed prize.

Costa's work at "Sunday Morning" includes coverage of national politics, in-depth interviews with newsmakers, and features on culture, literature and the arts. As chief Washington analyst for CBS News, Costa offers reporting and analysis across CBS News programs.

“The Fourth Estate Award is the National Press Club’s highest honor in journalism, reserved for those whose work has changed the way the public understands power and democracy. Robert Costa has done exactly that,” said Mike Balsamo, National Press Club president. “Through fearless reporting, unmatched sourcing, and sharp analysis, he has become one of the defining political journalists of his generation.”

Costa was named a national correspondent for "Sunday Morning" in February 2025 following three years of contributions to the broadcast, including an exclusive sit-down in the White House residence with President Joe Biden in August 2024. It was Biden's first interview after he announced his decision to not seek reelection. Costa and colleagues at "Sunday Morning" won an Emmy Award in 2023 for Outstanding Recorded News Program and the show remains the No. 1 Sunday morning program in viewers going on 22 consecutive seasons.

"The National Press Club is a wonderful and important institution that is part of our nation's civic fabric," Costa said. "I truly appreciate the Club's recognition of journalism that has been collaborative at every turn, from my work in print to my current endeavors at CBS News and ‘Sunday Morning.' I accept the award with gratitude for colleagues at news organizations, past and present, who have lifted me as a reporter and taught me lifelong lessons."

The Fourth Estate is the top honor bestowed on a journalist by the National Press Club Board of Governors. 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.

Costa previously served as chief election and campaign correspondent for CBS News. In that role, he focused on coverage of both Republicans and Democrats, with numerous scoops and exclusives during the 2022 and 2024 campaigns. He has also been a regular guest anchor on the CBS Television Network programs "CBS Evening News," "CBS Weekend News" and "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan."

“His coverage has informed millions, shaped national conversations at critical moments, and set a standard for rigorous, fact-based independent reporting,” Balsamo said. “By honoring Robert, we recognize not only his extraordinary contributions but also the indispensable role of journalism in strengthening our democracy.”

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. at the National Press Club.

The gala is a fundraiser for the Club’s nonprofit affiliate, the . The Institute provides training that equips thousands of journalists across the United States with skills and standards to inform the public, provides career support for journalists, and provides scholarships to aspiring journalists.

For information on sponsoring the gala please email Mitch Harle, development manager at the National Press Club Journalism Institute, at .

The evening also will honor the recipients of the John Aubuchon Press Freedom Awards and the Neil and Susan Sheehan Award for Investigative Journalism. Honorees for these awards will be announced at a later date.

Robert Costa is a national correspondent for "CBS Sunday Morning" and chief Washington analyst for CBS News.

Costa's work at "Sunday Morning" includes coverage of national politics, in-depth interviews with newsmakers, and features on culture, literature and the arts. As chief Washington analyst for CBS News, Costa offers reporting and analysis across CBS News programs.

In recent months, Costa’s “Sunday Morning” portfolio has included pieces on the Constitution, the federal workforce, Congress, and U.S. foreign policy, as well as conversations with Senator Bernie Sanders, former Trump White House counsel Donald McGahn, former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern, novelist Anne Tyler, historian Ron Chernow, and architect Annabelle Selldorf, among many others.

Costa was named a national correspondent for "Sunday Morning" in February 2025 following three years of contributions to the broadcast, including an exclusive sit-down in the White House residence with President Joe Biden in August 2024. It was Biden's first interview after he announced his decision to not seek reelection. Costa and colleagues at "Sunday Morning" won an Emmy Award in 2023 for Outstanding Recorded News Program.

Costa previously served as chief election and campaign correspondent for CBS News. In that role, he focused on coverage of both Republicans and Democrats, with numerous scoops and exclusives during the 2022 and 2024 campaigns. He has also been a regular guest anchor on the CBS Television Network programs "CBS Evening News," "CBS Weekend News" and "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan."

Prior to joining CBS News, Costa was a longtime national political reporter at The Washington Post. During his time at the newspaper, Costa served as the moderator and managing editor of "Washington Week" on PBS and was a political analyst for NBC News and MSNBC.

In 2021, Costa and Bob Woodward published "Peril," a No. 1 New York Times bestseller.

Costa holds a bachelor's degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame, where he is a former trustee, and a master's degree in politics from the University of Cambridge. Since 2022, Costa has served as a scholar at the University of Virginia's Center for Politics and contributed to several of the center’s academic books on U.S. elections. He is from Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

About the National Press Club

Founded in 1908, the National Press Club is the world’s leading professional organization for journalists. The Club has 3,000 members representing nearly every major journalism organization and is a leading voice for press freedom in the United States and around the world.

About the National Press Club Journalism Institute

The National Press Club Journalism Institute promotes an engaged global citizenry through an independent and free press, and equips journalists with skills and standards to inform the public in ways that inspire a more representative democracy. As the nonprofit affiliate of the National Press Club, the Institute powers journalism in the public interest.

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