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91st annual National Headliner Awards announced
Atlantic City, N.J. — The 91st National Headliner Award winners honoring the best journalism in the United States in 2024 were announced today. The Press Club of Atlantic City created the awards in 1934. The annual contest is one of the oldest and largest in the country that recognizes journalistic merit in the communications industry.
The Best in Show Newspapers Award went to Katey Rusch and Casey Smith of the San Francisco Chronicle for “Right to Remain Silent.” The story won first place in the investigative reporting in top 20 media market category.
“Were it not for the curious reporters at the San Francisco Chronicle, all California would not know about the alarming practice of hiding police personnel folders from views to rid certain agencies of bad apples who, with their misconduct shielded, simply popped over to another law enforcement job,” said the Headliner judges.
The Nick Oza Best in Show Photography Award went to Evan Vucci of the Associated Press for his photo of presidential candidate, now president, Donald Trump during the assassination attempt on his life at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
“A bloodied Donald Trump, with red streaks along his cheek outlining the path of a would-be assassin’s bullet, raises his right arm in defiance as Secret Service officers cradle him in their arms. An American flag flutters in the background. This historic moment was captured by photographer Evan Vucci and will become an iconic image of our time,” the judges said.
The Associated Press teamed with PBS Frontline and the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism to win the Digital Journalism Best in Show prize for “Lethal Restraint.” The story won for online investigative reporting for digital partnerships with other news outlets.
“The Associated Press and others hit this out of the park, revealing how police tactics used to avoid lethal force result in a death sentence for some of the most vulnerable citizens — many in the midst of a mental health crisis and often posing zero threat — at the hands of officers who, at best, are poorly trained and at worst, full of vengeance and loathfulness,” the judges said.
The radio Best in Show winner went to Chiara Eisner, Noah Caldwell, Monika Evstatieva and Robert Little of National Public Radio for “Uncovering the Dealth Penalty.” The story won in the newscast, breaking news or continuing coverage category.
“This series diligently goes behind the scenes of the death penalty today, through detailed reporting, strong storytelling and exclusive interviews with death row inmates,” the judges said.
The Michael Schurman Best in Show Television Award went to the staff of NBC Nightly News and NBC News Digital for “Dealing the Dead.”
“It’s clear that this investigation into the unregulated body-broker industry was an extensive effort. The relentless search for victims and their families not only exposed the issue but also helped some families actually find missing loved ones. This report reshaped this industry, demonstrating the power of journalism and its far-reaching impact,” the judges said.
National NBC News organizations were the top award winners with 14, including three first places. Newsday took home 12 awards, including three first places — one for newspaper environmental reporting, one for single day photo story and one for broadcast or cable television stations sports story.
Other notable award winners included two Advance Local news organizations — The Oregonian/OregonLive with eight awards, including six first-places, and NJ Advance Media, which took home nine awards, including a first place for a new Headliner Award category — best newsletter.