The White House Correspondents’ Association is pleased to announce the winners of its 2024 journalism awards.
This year’s awards honor work done in 2023, at outlets including Axios, National Public Radio, The New York Times, and the Washington Post.
“Our association is proud of the exceptional contribution to journalism made by our 2024 award winners. Their compelling work demonstrates deep knowledge, compelling story telling, insightful perspective and the stamina required to provide clarity under pressure,” said Kelly O’Donnell, Senior White House Correspondent for NBC News and president of the WHCA
“Readers, listeners, and news consumers are enriched by this excellent work. It is a credit to our field and a very real demonstration of why journalism matters in a free society.”
The awards will be presented at the WHCA Dinner on Saturday, April 27.
The Collier Prize for State Government Accountability, administered independently and honoring statehouse reporting, also will be presented at the WHCA dinner.
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The 2024 WHCA award winners:
THE ALDO BECKMAN AWARD FOR OVERALL EXCELLENCE IN WHITE HOUSE COVERAGE
The award for presidential news coverage recognizes a correspondent who personifies the journalistic excellence as well as the personal qualities exemplified by Aldo Beckman, the award-winning correspondent of the Chicago Tribune and former WHCA president. There is a prize of $2,500.
The Award goes to:
Barak Ravid, Axios
From the Judges:
Barak Ravid’s reporting displayed deep, almost intimate levels of sourcing in the U.S. and abroad that produced stories closely aligned to the events that subsequently transpired. His stories put the reader into the room as decisions were being made in the tumultuous aftermath of the Oct. 7 raids.
See the winning coverage here:
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THE AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN PRESIDENTIAL NEWS COVERAGE UNDER DEADLINE PRESSURE
The Award honors presidential news coverage under deadline pressure. It is given in two categories: broadcast and print. Each includes a prize of $2,500.
The Award for print goes to:
Peter Baker, New York Times
From the Judges:
Peter Baker’s coverage of President Joe Biden’s visit to Israel just days after the Oct. 7 attacks, filed on deadline from Tel Aviv, combined a comprehensive recounting of that whirlwind trip with expert, reporting-driven analysis of the president’s messaging and priorities at a fraught global moment. Baker’s carefully selected observations of public events, paired with well-sourced reporting of behind-the-scenes detail, smartly summarized the emotional cross-currents, diplomatic chaos and other challenges surrounding the journey. His story not only helped advance understanding of the latest developments in a fast-moving situation in real time, it included a sensitive assessment of the underlying dynamics and historic context that allowed it to stand as a definitive written account of the day despite being filed on deadline.
See the winning coverage here.
The Award for broadcast goes to:
Tamara Keith, NPR
From the Judges:
Tamara Keith’s gripping audio report of President Joe Biden’s trip to Israel expertly took listeners behind the scenes on the 31-hour trip to Tel Aviv, preparing her audience for the president’s statement to America later that night. Sound-rich and textured – and written on Air Force One while in route back to the United States – Keith’s story lays out Biden’s thinking and brings listeners on the trip along with her and onto Air Force One to hear the president himself announce breaking news. And Keith’s quick work as part of the White House press pool to share her audio also speaks volumes of her professionalism and of her dedication not only to her employer but also to her colleagues in the White House Correspondents Association and to Washington journalism.
Hear the winning coverage here.
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THE AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN PRESIDENTIAL NEWS COVERAGE BY VISUAL JOURNALISTS
The Award recognizes a video or photojournalist for uniquely covering the presidency from a journalistic standpoint, either at the White House or in the field. This could be breaking news, a scheduled event or feature coverage. It includes a prize of $2,500.
The Award goes to:
Doug Mills, The New York Times
From the Judges:
Judges praised the photo for showcasing three key elements: action, composition and feeling. They each also viewed the picture differently, agreeing that whether the picture is foreboding or optimistic, the interpretation is left to the viewer. They said that of the impressive batch of visual entries, this photograph best captured the newsmaking year.
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THE KATHARINE GRAHAM AWARD FOR COURAGE AND ACCOUNTABILITY
The award recognizes an individual or news gathering team for coverage of subjects and events of significant national or regional importance in line with the human and professional qualities exemplified by the late Katharine Graham, the distinguished former publisher of the Washington Post. It comes with a prize of $10,000.
The Award goes to:
The Washington Post
From the Judges:
“The Washington Post shows courage, sensitivity and originality in breaking with journalism industry norms to inform and show readers how the AR-15 weapon inflicts horrific damage to the human body. The Post was transparent about its reporting methodology, and courageous in publishing graphic images of victims of mass shootings, including children, and the aftereffects on survivors and families. It handled the sensitive subject well, with prominent warnings to readers that the images may be disturbing, and conversations with the families of the victims ahead of publication about the paper’s methodology and intentions. The Post’s executive editor, Sally Buzbee, also published a lengthy explanation outlining the newspaper’s choices. She acted with sensitivity toward the victims and the survivors and elevated our nation’s important national conversation about gun safety, gun ownership rights and the tragic blast effects of the AR-15. The Post’s decision to publish this story exemplifies the journalism courage and skill that Katherine Graham exhibited regularly under her publishing leadership.”
See the winning coverage here.
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Our Judges
We thank our judges, coordinated by Ellen Shearer. William F. Thomas Professor Emerita in Journalism, Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University
Aldo Beckman Award Judges
Jackie Jones. Dean and Professor, Morgan State University, School of Global Journalism & Communication
Yanick Rice Lamb. Professor of journalism, Department of Media, Journalism and Film, Cathy Hughes School of Communications, Howard University and Director of the Howard University News Service.
Sandy K. Johnson, President emeritus, National Press Foundation.
Deadline Award Judges
Jesse Holland, Associate Director at The School of Media & Public Affairs at George Washington University
Rebecca Sinderbrand. Director, Journalism Program, College of Arts & Sciences, Georgetown University
Kathleen McElroy, Professor, School of Journalism and Media, Moody College of Communication, University of Texas at Austin
Ellen Shearer. William F. Thomas Professor Emerita in Journalism,
Medill School of Journalism/Northwestern University
Visual Journalism Award Judges
Dennis Brack. Former President of the White House News Photographers Association, Lifetime Achievement Award Winner from the WHNPA.
Amy Eisman, Associate Professor in Journalism, School of Communication at American University.
Charles Whitaker. Dean. Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University
Katharine Graham Award Judges
Barbara Cochran. President, Fallen Journalists Memorial Foundation?
Ted Bridis, Michael Connelly Senior Lecturer, College of Journalism and Communications, University of Florida
Rafael Lorente, Dean of the Philip Merrill College of Journalism, University of Maryland
Julia A. Wilson. Dean, Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications, Hampton University
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For more information about the WHCA or its awards, contact Executive Director Steve Thomma at director@whca.press