The Associated Press, Bloomberg News, LA Times, Reuters, TIME, and the Wall Street Journal won the National Press Club Journalism Awards 2025.
WASHINGTON, July 13, 2025 — National Press Club President Mike Balsamo announced the 2025 winners of the prestigious National Press Club Journalism Awards.
This year’s honorees represent a diverse range of news outlets from across the country, including both small newsrooms and major international organizations. Their award-winning work provided more profound insights into some of the most widely covered events of the year, emphasized the importance of critical self-reflection, and showcased how investigative journalism remains a powerful tool for driving change.
“This year’s winners showcase the pinnacle of journalism—fearless, thoughtful, and profoundly impactful,” stated National Press Club President Mike Balsamo. “From small-town newsrooms to international outlets, these journalists have clarified complex issues, held those in power accountable, and amplified the voices of those who are often overlooked. We are proud to commend their work during a time when strong, independent reporting is more essential than ever.”
The Associated Press (AP) staff received two awards this year. Journalists Margie Mason and Robin McDowell were honored with the Consumer Journalism Award in the print/online category for their investigative series, “Prison to Plate.” This multi-part series exposed how forced prison labor has permeated essential food supply chains in the United States.
Journalists at The Wall Street Journal received the Lee Walczak Award for Political Analysis for their timely reporting on President Joe Biden.
Bloomberg News received two awards this year. Shirin Ghaffary was honored with the Newsletter Journalism Award for her insightful reporting on developments in the rapidly evolving artificial intelligence sector, as featured in her work on Q&AI. Additionally, a team of Bloomberg News journalists was awarded the Joseph D. Ryle Award for Excellence in Writing.
Floodlight received the Arthur E. Rowse Award for Examining the News Media for its investigation into how energy companies are covertly buying local news outlets and hiring unemployed journalists. This practice lends legitimacy to industry messaging, creating a “news mirage” that pretends to be genuine journalism, often without readers realizing it.
- The awards dinner will be conducted at the National Press Club on Wednesday, August 27. The evening will commence with a reception at 6 p.m. in the Holeman Lounge, allowing attendees to network and enjoy refreshments. Subsequently, at 7 p.m., dinner will be served in the ballroom, followed by the awards program, which will recognize and celebrate outstanding achievements.
WINNERS
- Ann Cottrell Free Animal Reporting Award (Broadcast)
– Winners: Chiara Eisner and Nicholas McMillan, NPR for “That’s a Bloodbath: How a Federal Program Kills Wildlife for Private Interests.”
– Honorable Mention: ABC News and reporting partners KXTV, KSTP, and KTNV for “Investigating SeaQuest.”
- Ann Cottrell Free Animal Reporting Award (Print)
– Winners: Melody Gutierrez, Alene Tchekmedyian, and David Wharton, Los Angeles Times for “Pets for Profit.”
– Honorable Mention: The New York Times for “The Panda Factories.”
- Arthur E. Rowse Award for Examining the News Media
Winner: Floodlight for “Media Manipulation in America.”
- Breaking News Award (Print/Online)
– Winner: The Associated Press for “Attempted Assassination of Donald Trump.”
– Honorable Mention: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for “Coverage of the Trump Assassination Attempt.”
- Breaking News Award (Broadcast)
– Winner: ABC News for “The Attempted Assassination of Donald Trump.”
– Honorable Mention: ABC News for “Inside Syria: Assad Overthrown.”
- Consumer Journalism Award (Broadcast)
– Winner: Sinclair Broadcast Group’s “Spotlight on America” for “Toxic Inaction.”
- Consumer Journalism Award (Print/Online)
– Winners: Margie Mason and Robin McDowell, The Associated Press for “Prison to Plate.”
– Honorable Mention: The Outlaw Ocean Project for “The North Koreans Behind Global Seafood.”
- Edwin M. Hood Award for Diplomatic Correspondence
– Winners: Christopher Bing and Joel Schectman, Reuters for “Pentagon Ran Secret Anti-Vax Campaign to Undermine China During Pandemic.”
– Honorable Mention: The Wall Street Journal for “Exposing Putin’s Police State: From Inside a Russian Prison and Beyond.”
- Joan M. Friedenberg Online Journalism Award
– Winner: NBC News for “This is How a Russian Disinformation Campaign Starts.”
– Honorable Mention: Bloomberg News for “The Hidden Power Costs of AI.”
- Joseph D. Ryle Award for Excellence in Writing on the Problems of Geriatrics
– Winners: Ann Choi, Denise Lu, Tom Schoenberg, and Paige Smith of Bloomberg News for “Elder Fraud on the Rise.”
– Honorable Mention: Angela Couloumbis, Spotlight PA for “Unprotected.”
- Lee Walczak Award for Political Analysis
– Winner: The Wall Street Journal for “The Hidden Decline of Joe Biden.”
– Honorable Mention: Spencer Kent and Riley Yates, NJ Advance Media for “Project Extreme.”
- Michael A. Dornheim Award
– Winner: Tony Bartelme, The Post and Courier for “Eject!”
– Honorable Mention: Tara Copp, Aaron Kessler, and Kevin Vineys, The Associated Press for “V-22 Osprey Safety Record.”
- Nell Minow Award for Cultural Criticism
– Winner: Candice Norwood, The 19th for “The Road to Cowboy Carter.”
– Honorable Mention: Aki Ito, Business Insider for “From Entry-Level to Exec: Inside Workers’ Fracturing Relationship with Employers.”
- Newsletter Journalism Award
– Winner: Shirin Ghaffary, Bloomberg News for the “Q&AI Newsletter.”
- Sandy Hume Award for Excellence in Political Journalism
– Winner: Eric Cortellessa, TIME for excellence in political journalism.
– Honorable Mention: Stephen Caruso, Spotlight PA for “Vetting Shapiro.”
Judging panels this year decided not to present awards in the following categories: Washington Regional Reporting, News Photography, and Humor Writing.
Source: National Press Club, Washington, D.C.
— The editor of CitiTimes is a Member of the National Press Club, Washington, D.C.
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