Journalism Excellence Awards
The 2024 Journalism Excellence Awards are now closed. To see past award recipients, click here.
AAJA recognizes excellence in journalism by working journalists across a number of categories and platforms. Submissions that display outstanding storytelling, in-depth reporting that moves the industry and cultural understandings forward, and pieces that demonstrate impact* are highly encouraged. Special consideration is given to top-notch journalism about the AAPI community, in the U.S. or abroad.
Freelance journalists are welcome to submit their work. Contest entrants are limited to active AAJA members only, however, journalists may join the organization prior to submitting their awards application. AAJA is open to all journalists, regardless of ethnic or racial identity.
Judges reserve the right to award more than one winner in any category, or not to award any winner in any category.
*Impact can be demonstrated in a number of ways, including audience engagement or reach, policy change, attention from lawmakers or people in positions of power or in the publication of the work itself if the topic or story has never been told publicly before.
Journalism Excellence by Medium
Written Reporting
Excellence in Written Reporting, News
This award recognizes excellence in a news story (or series of stories) of national, regional or local significance. Stories will be judged for compelling subject matter, strength of reporting and sourcing and investigation of fresh angles in cases of heavy media coverage. Submissions are welcome from journalists, newsrooms, wire services, magazines, journals and other professional outlets.
Submit Your Work Produced in 2023
Excellence in Written Reporting, Features
This award recognizes excellence in feature reporting. An outstanding feature reveals a subject of human or cultural interest through in-depth storytelling. As important as the reporting is the quality of the writing. Submissions are welcome from journalists, newsrooms, wire services, magazines, journals and other professional outlets.
Submit Your Work Produced in 2023
Student Excellence in Written Reporting
This award recognizes excellence in reporting a news or feature story by a student journalist for a student or professional outlet. Stories will be judged on strength of subject matter, reporting and storytelling skills. Stories must have been published when the writer was a high school, undergraduate or graduate student.
Photojournalism
AAJA Photo Awards recognize the best visual journalism by AAJA members. Both awards will be judged by a group of veteran photographers and editors with a variety of expertise and specializations for multiple rounds. We will recognize one winner and one runner-up in each category (Single/Stories). Entries need to meet eligibility criteria. AAJA's photo awards follow the National Press Photographers Association's code of ethics.
Judging of Photojournalism categories proudly sponsored and powered by Visura, a platform empowering the visual community.
Excellence in Photojournalism, Single Photo
This award honors excellence in still photojournalism storytelling of a single photograph of news, sports, portraiture and features. It is open to all AAJA members in good standing at the time of submission.
Submit Your Work Produced in 2023
Excellence in Photojournalism, Photo Story
This award honors excellence in still photojournalism storytelling of multiple photographs of news, sports, portraiture and features that present as a visual story. It is open to all AAJA members in good standing at the time of submission.
Submit Your Work Produced in 2023
Student Excellence in Photojournalism, Single or Photo Story
This award honors excellence in still photojournalism storytelling of news, sports, portraiture and features that present as an individual photo or a visual story with multiple photos. It is open to all AAJA student members in good standing at the time of submission.
Video
Excellence in Video Storytelling, Short-Form or Social
This award honors excellence in video storytelling of a single video piece, segment or series of videos not exceeding 10 minutes in total run time. Eligible pieces must have been aired (or published) on professional news or video-based outlets or their social media accounts, including but not limited to commercial or public broadcast T.V. stations, cable channels, digital platforms, streaming services. News and feature submissions are eligible. Package series and talent compilation reels will not be considered for this award.
Submit Your Work Produced in 2023
Excellence in Video Storytelling, Long-form & Programs
This award honors excellence in long-form video and newscast storytelling exceeding 10 minutes in total run time. Submissions are open to standalone packages, documentaries, newscasts and specials. Eligible pieces must have been aired (or published) on professional news or video-based outlets, including but not limited to commercial or public broadcast T.V. stations, cable channels, digital platforms and streaming services. Documentaries that have not aired or been published but have been selected for screening at a competitive film festival are eligible. This category is open to both news and feature submissions. Package series and talent compilation reels will not be considered for this award.
Submit Your Work Produced in 2023
Student Excellence in Video Storytelling, Long-form, Short-form or Social
This award honors excellence in video storytelling of a single video piece or series produced by students not exceeding 30 minutes in total run time. Social videos submitted – either as a single video or as a series – must not exceed 10 minutes total. Video(s) must have been published when the creator was a high school, undergraduate, or graduate student. Video pieces produced for social media, student publications and professional outlets are eligible. This category is open to news and feature submissions.
Audio
Excellence in Audio Storytelling, News Feature
This award honors excellence in short news feature journalism told through audio, including radio, podcasts and other audio works. The judges will consider the journalism and storytelling behind the submissions, including production quality and storytelling techniques.
Submit Your Work Produced in 2023
Excellence in Audio Storytelling, Long-form
This award honors excellence in long-form journalism told through audio, including radio, podcasts, shows and other audio works. The judges will consider the reporting, production and storytelling.
Submit Your Work Produced in 2023
Student Excellence in Audio Storytelling
This award honors student excellence in journalism told through audio, including radio, podcasts and other audio works. The judges will consider the reporting, production and storytelling. Audio stories must have been published when the creator was a high school, undergraduate or graduate student.
Online/Digital Journalism
Excellence in Online/Digital Journalism – Engagement
This award honors excellence in planning and executing an audience engagement campaign. This could include outreach before writing a story — for instance, searching for sources of anecdotes — to promotion of a story or series after publication. Engagement can include formats ranging from social media posts to texting campaigns to virtual events.
Submit Your Work Produced in 2023
Excellence in Online/Digital Journalism – Data
This award honors outstanding journalism that centers around data. This could include a story inspired by data, or one that prominently features data or data visualizations.
Submit Your Work Produced in 2023
Excellence in Online/Digital Journalism - Immersive Storytelling
This award honors excellence in immersive or interactive storytelling through the creative use of web design and backend coding.
Submit Your Work Produced in 2023
Student Excellence in Online/Digital Journalism
This award honors excellence in audience engagement, data journalism and immersive storytelling by students. Work must have been produced when the creator was a high school, undergraduate or graduate student.
Journalism Excellence by Subject
Excellence in Investigative Reporting
This award recognizes outstanding achievements in investigative journalism, with a focus on storytelling and impact. This award is open to all mediums, including single pieces of journalism or multi-part series.
Excellence in Sports Reporting
This award honors best-in-class sports journalism, including but not limited to breaking news, game coverage or analysis, athlete profiles and features and investigations.
Excellence in Science / Environment / Health Reporting
This award recognizes outstanding achievements in scientific, environmental or health-related journalism.
Excellence in Arts & Culture / Entertainment Reporting
This award recognizes outstanding achievements in arts, culture and entertainment journalism, including but not limited to features, investigations, profiles and reviews.
Excellence in Business / Consumer / Tech Reporting
This award recognizes outstanding achievement in business, economic, consumer and technology coverage.
Excellence in Political Reporting
This award recognizes outstanding journalism about elections, the elections process, campaigns, candidates and beyond at the local, state or national level. Pieces will be gauged based on their level of depth and impact. Work that shows significance to the AAPI community is highly encouraged but not required. Submissions are open to outlets of any size.
Excellence in International Reporting
This award recognizes the finest international reporting by our members. Eligible entries must be published in English. We accept submissions in all media formats. They can be a single story or a series of stories in a reporting project in any media format.
Excellence in Pacific Islander Reporting
This award honors journalism that illuminates the complexity and humanity of Indigenous Pacific Islander communities and experiences. Submissions to this category must center around Pacific Islander stories. This award specifically recognizes journalism about Pacific Islanders but it is not the only category to which PI-centered stories can be submitted; such stories can be submitted to any category for which it is eligible. In the spirit of PI inclusion, Indigenous Journalists Association (IJA) members may also submit PI journalism for consideration.
Excellence in Commentary / Op-Ed / Perspective
This award recognizes outstanding opinions, editorials, essays and writings with distinct points of view.