COLUMBUS – Ohio’s Best Journalism Contest, (www.ohiospjawards.org), sponsored by the Cincinnati, Cleveland and Columbus Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) chapters statewide, is excited to announce its 2025 awards today. Congratulations to all the winners. View winners here.
Please take time to read the thoughtful comments from the judges praising the high quality of work Ohio journalists produced in 2024. As you’ll notice, there are multiple ties because of the competitive entries in many categories.
We’re also thrilled to announce the winner of the 2025 Emil Dansker Award for Outstanding Achievement in Journalism – longtime Columbus journalist Darrel Rowland. This award, established last year, honors Emil Dansker, one of the founders of the Cincinnati SPJ Chapter and a longtime journalist, professor and mentor to countless journalists and students.
The Outstanding Achievement Award is presented to one individual annually for their hard work, achievements, leadership and contributions to the journalism profession. Journalism professors, publishers, broadcast general managers and editors and reporters, as well as other journalism business professionals from all media segments, are invited to apply.
Best of Show distinctions are awarded in all categories except college. Entries were for work done in 2024.
Confirm Names
Attention winners/editors/entry submitters: Even though the info in the spreadsheet is from your submissions, please take time to review the list of winners carefully and confirm that the individual and/or individuals listed in the column “Names on Certificate” are the names that should appear on the awards. If the field is empty, please let us know whose name should appear on the award(s). Please also confirm that the name of the media outlet is correct. If changes are needed, please email contest administrator Sarah Mills Bacha at smbacha@earthlink.net as soon as possible.
Ohio’s Best Journalism is the only Ohio competition that honors journalists who fulfill the SPJ mission: defense of the First Amendment, support of literacy, resistance to censorship, advocacy for openness of public records and meetings, media self-criticism and community service.
Journalists from the Green Eyeshades, which includes Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia, judged our contest.
Save the date!
Please mark your calendars for Saturday, Aug. 23, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., for our annual contest celebration, which will be held at Hofbräuhaus Columbus, Stube Hall, 800 Goodale Boulevard. Watch your inbox for registration information. We hope you can join us!
Congrats, again, to all the winners. We can’t wait to celebrate with you in August in Columbus!
ABOUT SPJ:
The Society of Professional Journalists is the nation’s most broad-based journalism organization, dedicated to encouraging the free practice of journalism and stimulating high standards of ethical behavior.
Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry through the daily work of its nearly 10,000 members; works to inspire current and future journalists through professional development; and advocates for the protection of the First Amendment guarantee of freedom of speech and press.
Nationally, SPJ improves and protects journalism through national and local training; advocacy for freedom of Information and resources; its Code of Ethics that encourages responsible reporting; a website filled with career resources – www.spj.org; and a national recognition program for excellence in journalism.