The annual Society of Editors Media Freedom Awards took place yesterday (12th November 2025) to celebrate ‘truly extraordinary journalism’ newsrooms and reporters.
Society of Editors Chief Executive Dawn Alford said the awards are a chance to “stand up and celebrate the truly extraordinary journalism that comes out of newsrooms across the UK,” noting this year’s exceptional standard of entries and the dedication of judges who reviewed hundreds of submissions.
The full Winners list is available at the Society of Editors’ dedicated webpage.
Individual Awards
– The Bob Satchwell Award
Andrew Norfolk, The Times
– Georgina Henry Award
Emma Guy for Subtext
– Commentator of the Year Broadsheet
Winner: Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, The i Paper
Highly commended: Matthew Syed, The Sunday Times
– Commentator of the Year Popular
Winner: Ian Birrell, Daily Mail
Highly commended: Darren Lewis, The Mirror
– The Ecotricity Impact Award for Environmental Journalism National
Winner: Jess Staufenberg, Atika Rehman, Anna Meisel, Paul Kenyon, SourceMaterial & BBC File on 4 Investigates
Highly commended: Simon Evans, Carbon Brief
– The Ecotricity Impact Award for Environmental Journalism Regional
Winner: Michael Crossland, The Yorkshire Post
Highly commended: The Sewage Scandal, BBC Northern Ireland
– Journalist of the Year Broadcast
Winner: Cathy Newman, Channel 4 News
Highly commended: Yogita Limaye, BBC News
– Journalist of the Year National
Winner: Sam Greenhill, Daily Mail
Highly commended: Susie Boniface, Daily Mirror
– Journalist of the Year Regional
Winner: Liam Thorp, Liverpool Echo
Highly commended: Jane Haynes, Birmingham Live
– Young Journalist of the Year National
Winner: Malak A Tantesh, The Guardian
Highly commended: Olive Enokido-Lineham, Sky News and Alice Giddings, Metro
– Young Journalist of the Year Regional
Winner: Lucy John, WalesOnline
Highly commended: Lewis Warner, ITV News Central
– Foreign Correspondent of the Year
Winner: Louise Callaghan, The Sunday Times
Highly commended: Stuart Ramsay, Sky News
– Political Journalist of the Year
Winner: Steven Swinford, The Times
Highly commended: Anushka Asthana, ITN
– Photo Journalist of the Year
Winner: Jack Hill, The Times
Highly commended: Stefan Roussea, PA Media
Group Awards
– Investigation of the Year – National
Winner: The Secret Afghan Airlift, Daily Mail
Highly commended: Beast of Birkenhead, Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday
– Investigation of the Year – Regional
Winner: FBA Brand Builder, Belfast Telegraph
Highly commended: Rough Project, MyLondon
– Investigation of the Year Broadcast National
Winner: Gaza: Doctors Under Attack, Basement Films/Channel 4
Highly commended: The Case Against the Archbishop, Channel 4 News
– Investigation of the Year Broadcast Regional
Winner: Kids on the Psychiatric Ward, Disclosure, BBC Scotland
Highly commended: I am Not OK, BBC Northern Ireland
– Podcast of the Year
Winner: Scam Inc, The Economist
Highly commended: Ukraine: The Latest, The Telegraph
– Campaign of the Year National
Winner: Transparency in the family courts, Hannah Summers and Louise Tickle
Highly commended: Carer’s Allowance Scandal, The Guardian
– Campaign of the Year Regional
Winner: Keep Hitachi on Track, The Northern Echo
Highly commended: Zoe’s Place, Liverpool Echo
– Regional News Organisation of the Year
Winner: Nottinghamshire Live
Highly commended: Belfast Telegraph
– Broadcast News Organisation of the Year
Winner: Sky News
Highly commended: Channel 4
– National News Organisation of the Year
Winner: The Times and The Sunday Times
Highly commended: Daily Mail
The awards were sponsored by Allwyn, Vodafone and Ecotricity and presented by Lucrezia Millarini from ITV News.
The Media Freedom Awards set the benchmark for recognising journalism that informs the public, exposes wrongdoing and upholds open debate across the UK. The awards spans all sectors of the industry, from national and regional titles to agencies and broadcasters.
Attended by many news executives who support the News Media Coalition (NMC), the awards spotlight on-the-ground witnessing journalism, verification and editorial accountability—the hallmarks of Primary Source Journalism (at organised news events and across public-interest topics) which is at the heart of the NMC’s initiatives at a time of fast-moving technological, news disruption and regulatory change.
