For the primary time, three streaming companies (Netflix, Max and Paramount+) have earned duPont-Columbia Awards, broadcasting’s equal of the Pulitzer Prizes, in a single yr.
Columbia Journalism College introduced the 16 winners of the 2025 duPonts on Wednesday evening throughout a ceremony on the Higher Manhattan campus of the Ivy League college.
Whereas the streamers led the listing of notable newer winners, a variety of duPont perennials, together with Frontline, 60 Minutes, CNN and broadcast information networks didn’t make the minimize this yr.
Invoice Whitaker, a correspondent with 60 Minutes and Steve Inskeep, NPR Morning Version host, co-hosted the occasion, which unfolded as clouds shaped over the media enterprise within the early days of Donald Trump’s second presidential time period. Previous to the ceremony, Trump appointee Brendan Carr, who chairs the Federal Communications Fee, on Wednesday revived complaints in opposition to ABC, CBS and NBC. The complaints had been dismissed by Jessica Rosenworcel, Carr’s Democratic predecessor, for being “at odds with the First Modification.”
Whitaker (and the recipients giving acceptance speeches) opted to not deal with the incoming White Home administration immediately or point out Trump by title. However Whitaker described the present second as “a fraught time for journalism. With wars in Europe, the Center East and host spots across the globe, the Committee to Defend Journalists calls this one of many deadliest durations for journalists in current historical past. Right here at dwelling, highly effective politicians name us ‘enemies of the individuals’ and increasingly more information shoppers doubt our trustworthiness. Tv information audiences and budgets have shrunk.”
He continued, “So, journalists, as we used to say manner again within the 1970’s, ‘Carry on retaining on.’ Just like the reporters, these public servants whose excellence we honor tonight, we have now to maintain digging, hold wanting underneath rocks, hold shining gentle into the shadows, hold giving voice to the unvoiced and hope to the hopeless. Hold reporting with honesty, integrity and information. Our democracy requires it.”
Inskeep later added, “Some media broadcast for individuals who already care, who already purchase a story. In a divided nation, and a aggressive surroundings, we construct an viewers after we get the story throughout to individuals who don’t care but. Many individuals don’t belief the media. And fellow journalists, respectfully: That’s good! It could be higher if extra individuals have been skeptical of sure issues they’re instructed. However we have to meet that problem. To show what we are saying…and to maintain returning to the story, day after day, with an open thoughts. With tonight’s awards, we recommit to our proper to do our job – for so long as we’re allowed to do it.”
Winners produced by streamers included docuseries Homicide in Boston, from HBO | Max, Little Room Movies & The Boston Globe, with a companion podcast from the Globe and HBO; documentary Birthing A Nation: The Resistance of Mary Gaffney from MTV Documentary Movies and Paramount +; and Netflix-Lucernam Movies documentary You Are Not Alone: Preventing the Wolfpack.
The subject of race in America was a subject for a lot of honorees, with 5 Silver Batons awarded to journalists who re-examined the subject at numerous factors in U.S. historical past. These acknowledged tasks included 40 Acres and a Lie from The Middle for Public Integrity, Mom Jones, Reveal & PRX; The House Race from Nationwide Geographic Documentary Movies, The Kennedy/Marshall Firm, Alegria Movies & Cortés Filmworks; and The Unsuitable Man from KFOR, Oklahoma Metropolis and Ali Meyer. Birthing a Nation and Homicide in Boston additionally heart on race.
Amongst three audio winners have been NPR for its protection of the conflict in Gaza; ProPublica & On the Media WNYC Studios’ podcast collection We Don’t Speak About Leonard, and We Remorse to Inform You, co-produced with Reveal, and The Investigative Reporting Mission at UC Berkeley.
First-time honorees included the non-profit journalism group The Outlaw Ocean Mission for its investigative collection, China: The Superpower of Seafood, and Scripps Information for its ongoing investigation Maine Shootings: Missed Warnings.
Vice Information gained a duPont for its on-line movie Battleground Texas, and Songbird Studios & Imaginary Lane have been honored for Porcelain Struggle in regards to the conflict in Ukraine.
4 native information retailers took dwelling duPonts: WTVF-TV, NewsChannel 5 Nashville and Phil Williams, KFOR, Oklahoma Metropolis & Ali Meyer, KPRC-TV, Houston & Amy Davis and ABC10 KXTV, Sacramento & Andie Judson.
The duPont-Columbia Awards have been based in 1942. Since 1968, they’ve been administered by Columbia College’s Graduate College of Journalism. A jury made up of trade veterans chosen 30 finalists and 16 winners. The pool of entries contains conventional nationwide and native information retailers from throughout the nation, in addition to streaming and leisure retailers.
The 2025 duPont-Columbia jurors have been Madhulika Sikka (Jury Chair), Nina Alvarez, David Bauder, Lee Kamlet, Mark Lukasiewicz, Geraldine Moriba, David Rummel, Robert Smith, and Betsy West.
