The Associated Press, Bloomberg News, Wall Street Journal win awards in National Press Club journalism contest

WASHINGTON, July 9, 2025 -- National Press Club President Mike Balsamo today announced the 2025 winners of the prestigious National Press Club Journalism Awards.

This year’s honorees include news outlets from across the country, ranging from small newsrooms to major international organizations. Their award-winning work offered deeper insight into some of the most widely covered events of the year, brought critical self-reflection to the forefront, and demonstrated how investigative journalism continues to be a powerful force for change. 

“This year’s winners reflect the very best of what journalism can and should be — fearless, thoughtful, and deeply impactful,” said National Press Club President Mike Balsamo. “From small-town newsrooms to global outlets, these journalists brought clarity to complex issues, held power to account, and gave voice to those too often overlooked. We’re proud to recognize their work at a time when strong, independent reporting is more essential than ever.”  

The Associated Press staff won two awards this year. Their comprehensive online and print coverage of the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt on Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, received the Award for Breaking News in the print/online category. Additionally, AP journalists Margie Mason and Robin McDowell won the Consumer Journalism Award in the print/online category for their multi-part investigative series, Prison to Plate, which exposed how forced prison labor has infiltrated key food supply chains in the United States. 

Journalists at The Wall Street Journal received the Lee Walczak Award for Political Analysis for their timely and prescient reporting on President Joe Biden’s mental acuity — coverage that was published weeks ahead of his widely criticized debate performance. 

Bloomberg News earned two awards this year. Shirin Ghaffary was recognized with the Newsletter Journalism Award for Q&AI, for her insightful reporting on developments in the rapidly evolving artificial intelligence sector. A team of Bloomberg News journalists received the Joseph D. Ryle Award for Excellence in Writing on the Problems of Geriatrics for its in-depth investigation into how scammers target elderly victims to steal their life savings — and the failure of both private financial institutions and policymakers to offer adequate protection. 

Floodlight earned the Arthur E. Rowse Award for Examining the News Media for their investigation of how energy companies are quietly purchasing local news outlets and employing out-of-work journalists to lend legitimacy to industry messaging — a "news mirage" that masquerades as real journalism, often without readers’ awareness. Floodlight’s Media Manipulation in America was praised by the National Press Club Journalism Awards’ judges for its high-quality reporting, its narrative strength, and its ability to surface an urgent yet little-known issue at the intersection of media, power, and public trust. 

The awards dinner will be held at the National Press Club on Wednesday, August 27. The evening will begin with a 6 p.m. reception in the Holeman Lounge, followed by dinner and the awards program at 7 p.m. in the Club’s ballroom. 

Tickets are $75 for the general public and $65 for National Press Club members and can be purchased online.