KBTC Public Television’s Tom Layson receives James Andersen Award
Posted: March 03, 2026
Northwest Now host honored for advancing government transparency awareness across Washington
KBTC Public Television, owned and operated by Bates Technical College, announced that Tom Layson, managing editor and producer/host of “Northwest Now,” will receive the Washington Coalition for Open Government’s James Andersen Award. He will be recognized at the organization’s annual breakfast on March 13, 2026, in Bellevue.
The James Andersen Award recognizes a person or organization who does something extraordinary to advance the coalition’s cause. The award is named for the late James Andersen, a former legislator and chief justice of the state Supreme Court who was a founding member of WashCOG’s board.
Layson is being recognized for 14 annual “Northwest Now” programs that educated viewers about Washington state’s strong transparency laws, including the Public Records and Open Public Meetings Acts. He organized discussions in the studio and traveled throughout the state to spotlight proponents of government transparency.
“I am deeply honored to win the Andersen award. We put a lot of time and effort into the open government programs we did over the years not only convening crucial conversations in-studio in Tacoma, but also traveling all across the state to profile the champions of government transparency that were frequently winners of Wash-COG’s Key Awards for the work they did using public records to hold government accountable,” said Layson.
He added, “The Washington Coalition for Open Government is on the right side of history when it comes to government transparency standing up to direct attacks against the Public Records Act that was overwhelmingly approved by voters decades ago. I greatly appreciate their willing participation on Northwest Now over these many years.”
A veteran journalist with more than 40 years of experience, Layson has covered politics, natural disasters, courts and crime, economic development, personal finance and the environment. As host of “Northwest Now,” he has consistently focused on issues that impact communities throughout Western Washington.
Executive Director and General Manager of KBTC Public Television DeAnne Hamilton said, “We are grateful to be recognized along with Tom Layson in receiving the James Andersen Award. We congratulate Tom Layson on his work and his commitment to reporting on open government over the years. This is a well-deserved honor.”
Award-winning “Northwest Now” is currently in its 17th season and highlights the issues and people shaping Western Washington. The program airs every Friday at 7:30 p.m. on KBTC and via livestream. It is also available on demand on the free PBS app.
To learn more about KBTC, go to kbtc.org.
