Los Angeles Press Club

04/16/2025

CNN’s Clarissa Ward is the 2025 LA Press Club Daniel Pearl Awardee

Chief International Correspondent Clarissa Ward is the recipient of the 2025 Daniel Pearl Award for Courage and Integrity in Journalism.

“We are delighted to present the Daniel Pearl Award to Clarissa Ward. Her career has been a consistent embodiment of courage and integrity — marked by an unwavering commitment to truth, fearless reporting from some of the world’s most dangerous conflict zones, and steadfast dedication to journalistic ethics, even under immense pressure,” said Judea Pearl for The Daniel Pearl Foundation. “In particular, we salute her moral clarity and courage in refusing to dehumanize any side in the many conflicts she has covered. In doing so, she upholds the very ideals Daniel Pearl lived and died for — the pursuit of truth, compassion, and our shared humanity.”

“I’m deeply humbled and honored to receive the Daniel Pearl Award. Daniel was killed doing the work he loved just as I was starting my career, and his courage and integrity have stayed with me ever since,” Ward said. “This recognition means more than I can say — thank you.”

Ward’s career in journalism started in 2002 as an intern at CNN’s Moscow bureau. She has since been based in Baghdad, Beijing, Beirut, Moscow, New York, and London. She has been with CNN in London since 2015, and in 2019, she succeeded Christiane Amanpour as CNN’s chief international correspondent.

Ward speaks fluent French and Italian, conversational Russian, Arabic, and Spanish, and basic Mandarin. She graduated with distinction from Yale University.

Since 2002, the Los Angeles Press Club, in conjunction with Judea and Ruth Pearl, the parents of slain Wall Street Journal correspondent Daniel Pearl, have bestowed the Daniel Pearl Award on brave journalists from around the globe. In recent years, The Daniel Pearl Foundation has been part of the presentation. The 2025 award will be presented by Judea Pearl at an awards gala dinner at the Biltmore hotel in Los Angeles on Sunday, June 22.

Past recipients include Evan Gershkovich, Nima Elbagir, Jason Rezaian, Charlie Hebdo, Richard Engel, Anna Politkovskaya, Raif Badawi and Bob Woodruff.

The awards gala will also feature a special tribute honoring local TV stations in Los Angeles for their indispensable coverage of recent wildfires.

Bill Plaschke, a 40-year veteran Los Angeles Times columnist, will be bestowed with the Joseph M Quinn Award for Lifetime Achievement.

The SoCal Awards Gala is a fundraiser for this 501c3 charitable organization and makes it possible for us to run the club, provide much-needed scholarships, grants, and fellowships to journalists from underserved communities, as well as fund our educational programming for the rest of the year.

To buy tickets, advertise or sponsor this event with a tax-deductible donation, go to LAPressClub.org or contact [email protected].

LAPC is one of the oldest and most respected journalist organizations in the nation, with a storied history of honoring the most celebrated reporters of the past century. In recent years, the Los Angeles Press Club has continued to uphold its tradition of acknowledging excellence in spite of the fact that journalism itself has been under attack and struggled in the face of ever-declining budgets.

04/01/2025

EXTENDED TO TOMORROW: This is your last chance to enter the 67th Southern California Journalism Awards! The contest portal will close at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, April 2, so don't delay!

LAPC members save even more on entries, so consider joining the press club or renewing your membership today.

Got a question? Email [email protected].

https://lapressclub.org/

03/30/2025

The contest portal for this year's SoCal Journalism Awards is set to close at 5 p.m. TODAY Sunday, March 30. This is your last chance to get those entries in before the final deadline!

LAPC members save even more on entries, so consider joining the press club or renewing your membership today.

Got a question? Email [email protected].

https://lapressclub.org/

03/25/2025

SoCal Journalism Awards Contest Final Deadline Approaches

If you haven't entered the SoCal Journalism Awards contest yet, now's the time to get your entries in! You have until 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 30, to enter before the contest portal closes.

LAPC members save even more on entries, so consider joining the press club or renewing your membership today!

And don't forget, aside from our regular contest categories, we're also awarding the A-Mark Cash Prize for Reporting on Misinformation and Disinformation. This award goes to a piece of journalism on any platform that excels at examining misinformation or disinformation in the public discourse — and it's free to enter.

The A-Mark first-place winner will receive a $5,000 prize, the second-place winner will receive $3,000 and the third-place winner will receive $2,000.

Got a question? Email [email protected].
https://lapressclub.org/

03/15/2025

The Los Angeles Press Club is committed to supporting and encouraging serious local journalism, and we have a number of programs to that aim.

Got a question? Email [email protected].

Tony Ross Scholarship
Richard Ross has partnered with the LA Press Club to create the Tony Ross Scholarship, named for his late son, Anthony Darrow Ross.

Richard feels it is important to establish a scholarship in memory of Tony supporting young people interested in journalism. He is concerned about the recent practice of disparaging and deriding the news media and believes that nothing is more important to the survival of our democracy than a free and inquiring press.

The deadline to apply is May 1, 2025.
Two $5,000 scholarships will be awarded to student journalists in SoCal.

Reporting on Systemic Racism Grant
The Los Angeles Press Club is funding reporting that focuses on effective responses to institutional racism. We’re looking for stories that surface and critically assess alternatives to racist structures and practices. We want stories of what is working and how communities got there.

We are looking for story proposals across media platforms that report on innovative responses to historical racial injustices.

The deadline to apply is May 1, 2025.
Grant recipients will be awarded up to $3,000.

Charles M. Rappleye Investigative
Journalism Award
Charles Rappleye’s work as a journalist, editor and author was marked by a commitment to original, enterprising research, creative use of public records and archival sources and a belief in the power of writing and, in particular, the long-form narrative.

Grants of up to $5,000 will be awarded and may also include in-kind assistance such as research support, mentoring and access to investigation tools.

The deadline to apply is May 1, 2025.
Grant recipients will be awarded up to $5,000.
INFO:

03/04/2025

Enter the 67th Southern California Journalism Awards before Sunday, March 9 to take advantage of our early bird rates.

And don't forget, aside from our regular contest categories, we're also awarding the A-Mark Cash Prize for Reporting on Misinformation and Disinformation. This award goes to a piece of journalism on any platform that excels at examining misinformation or disinformation in the public discourse — and it's free to enter.

A-Mark first-place winners will receive a $5,000 prize, the second-place winner will receive $3,000 and the third-place winner will receive $2,000.

https://lapressclub.org/

LAPC members save on entries, so consider joining the press club or renewing your membership today!

Got a question? Email [email protected].

67th Southern California Journalism Awards The 67th Southern California Journalism Awards Contest is officially open! Check out this year’s call for entries and make sure to enter the contest before Sunday, March 9 to take advantage of our early bird rates. And don’t forget, aside from our regul...

02/27/2025

TONIGHT:
Join us for the 10th Annual Veritas Award Ceremony! We’ll be celebrating this year’s winner — “September 5” and hosting a conversation with the film’s writer/director/producer Tim Fehlbaum, writer Moritz Binder and producer John Palmer moderated by Los Angeles Press Club President Emeritus Lisa Richwine.
INFO: https://lapressclub.org/september-5-wins-lapc-veritas-award/
When: Thursday, Feb. 27 from 6-8 p.m.
Where: Los Angeles Press Club
2535 W Temple Street, L.A., CA 90026
RSVP for the awards ceremony today! Attendance is free and refreshments will be served.
https://lapressclub.wufoo.com/forms/z1fwfobr05fcfhl/
Got a question? Email [email protected].

02/26/2025

Join us this Thursday for the 10th Annual Veritas Award Ceremony! We’ll be celebrating this year’s winner — “September 5” and hosting a conversation with the film’s writer/director/producer Tim Fehlbaum, writer Moritz Binder and producer John Palmer moderated by Los Angeles Press Club President Emeritus Lisa Richwine.

INFO: https://lapressclub.org/september-5-wins-lapc-veritas-award/

When: Thursday, Feb. 27 from 6-8 p.m.

Where: Los Angeles Press Club
2535 W Temple Street, L.A., CA 90026

RSVP for the awards ceremony today! Attendance is free and refreshments will be served.
https://lapressclub.wufoo.com/forms/z1fwfobr05fcfhl/

Got a question? Email [email protected].

02/24/2025

‘September 5’ Wins the LA Press Club’s Veritas Award

Join us at The Awards Ceremony on Thursday, Feb. 27, starting at 6 p.m. at the LA Press Club’s headquarters in Historic Filipinotown.

https://lapressclub.org/september-5-wins-lapc-veritas-award/
The Los Angeles Press Club is thrilled to announce the winner of its 10th annual Veritas Award for Best Film Based on or Inspired by Real Events and People. This award is judged by the 1,000-member strong LAPC — based equally upon fidelity of subject matter and artistic excellence.

The 2025 clear winner is September 5, distributed by Paramount Pictures. The journalistic thriller is directed by Tim Fehlbaum, who also wrote the script with Moritz Binder and co-writer Alex David. September 5 stars Peter Sarsgaard, John Magaro, Ben Chaplin, Leonie Benesch, Zinedine Soualem, Georgina Rich, Corey Johnson, Marcus Rutherford, Daniel Adeosun, Benjamin Walker and Ferdinand Dörfler. It is produced by Philipp Trauer, Thomas Wöbke, Tim Fehlbaum, Sean Penn, John Ira Palmer and John Wildermuth, co-produced by Geoffrey Mason, Constanze Guttmann, Rüdiger Böss and Christian Reitz, and executive produced by Martin Moszkowicz and Christoph Müller.

“We are thrilled to receive this year’s Veritas Award. September 5 is based on a true story about the difficult decisions journalists are confronted with in the face of crisis, so to be recognized by the esteemed members of the Los Angeles Press Club — and among the formidable list of past winners — is a great honor,” said the September 5 filmmakers.

September 5 is based on the drama that ensued during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany when an American sports broadcasting team must adapt to live coverage of Israeli athletes being held hostage by a terrorist group. The film will be available to stream on Paramount+ starting Feb. 25 in the U.S. and Canada.

“September 5 showcases the tough decisions that journalists must make in covering live events — and the ethical questions they have to address — while telling important stories,” said Los Angeles Press Club President Emeritus Lisa Richwine, Reuters News. “It is a prime example of what we honor with the Veritas Award.”

Past winners include Spotlight, Hidden Figures, The Post, Green Book, Bombshell, Trial of the Chicago 7, King Richard, She Said and Killers of the Flower Moon.

This year’s runner-ups were The Six Triple Eight and A Complete Unknown.

The Awards Ceremony will take place at the LA Press Club’s headquarters in Historic Filipinotown on Thursday, Feb. 27, starting at 6 p.m. Writer/director/producer Tim Fehlbaum will be among the filmmakers participating, moderated by Lisa Richwine. Click here for event details and to RSVP!

The Los Angeles Press Club stands as an organization devoted to improving the spirit of journalism and journalists, raising the industry’s standards, strengthening its integrity and improving its reputation all for the benefit of the community at large. Serving the Southland since 1913, it speaks for all journalists working for daily and weekly newspapers, radio & TV, magazines, documentary films and online.

02/16/2025

Join Us in Welcoming the Foot in the Door Fellowship Class of 2025!

Each year, the LA Press Club pairs five talented journalists from communities historically excluded from the media with newsroom veterans to discover and secure valuable work opportunities. More than a mentoring relationship, this partnership aims to launch career dreams and take concrete steps together to get there.

Our mentors this year are Nic Cha Kim, senior producer for arts and culture at PBS SoCal; Shana Nys Dambrot, arts editor for L.A. Weekly; David Ono, co-anchor for ABC7 Eyewitness News; Bianca Rae, CBS Los Angeles reporter; and Brittany Levine Beckman, features editor at the Los Angeles Times.

https://lapressclub.org/foot-in-the-door-fellowship/

Meet the Fellows

Michael Blackshire
"I am currently studying visual communication at Ohio University. I have an undergrad degree in photojournalism, film, with a minor in African American studies from Western Kentucky University. I recently finished a fellowship at the Los Angeles Times, and I want to continue working in the Los Angeles area."

Kennia Escobar
"My professional focus has been on community advocacy, with a strong commitment to reporting on social injustices and empowering individuals. My goal is to serve as an advocate for marginalized communities, exposing injustices, promoting awareness and driving positive, lasting change."

Alyssah Hall is a multimedia journalist with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Cal State University, Los Angeles. Alyssah’s focus is solutions journalism, arts and culture, human interest and community-focused stories. She is also passionate about one day being a broadcast journalist on television and radio.

Calista Pineda is a graduate of California State University, Los Angeles, where she discovered her passion for storytelling and developed her skills as a journalist while working for the University Times. Calista aspires to highlight local issues and give individuals a platform to share their stories.

Victoria Valenzuela
Victoria Valenzuela is an independent journalist in Los Angeles. Last fall, she graduated from USC with a master’s degree in specialized journalism with a concentration in social justice and investigations. She has interned for The Marshall Project and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.

About the Fellowship Each year, the LA Press Club pairs five talented journalists from communities historically excluded from the media with newsroom veterans to actively work on securing a valuable work opportunity. More than a mentoring relationship, this partnership aims to figure out how to laun...

02/07/2025

The Los Angeles Press Club's Emergency Fund for Southern California journalists is once again open for applications. Journalists affected by the devastating fires that recently ravaged Southern California are invited to apply!

All members of the journalism community who have been affected by the fires, whether or not they are members of the LA Press Club, are eligible to apply for funds.

To submit an application https://lapressclub.wufoo.com/forms/z13p6yzp0swlnta/

If you can, help us maintain our Emergency Fund by making a donation. All contributions are fully tax-deductible.
https://lapressclub.wufoo.com/forms/sgn70pq1jv4mqg/

Got a question? Email [email protected].

02/07/2025

Opportunity from the World Justice Project:

$10,000 Award for Rule of Law Journalism
Journalists covering human rights, government accountability, criminal justice, and other critical rule of law issues are encouraged to apply for the World Justice Project’s Anthony Lewis Prize. Named in honor of the late Pulitzer-Prize-winning New York Times legal reporter, the prize is open to journalists around the world whose work advances the rule of law. Submit your application or nominate a colleague by March 2!

The World Justice Project’s Anthony Lewis Prize honors journalists around the world who advance the rule of law.

02/05/2025

As part of our efforts to uplift serious journalism, the Los Angeles Press Club belongs to a network of like-minded organizations working to protect and celebrate strong journalism nationwide.

To ensure that our contests — like the Southern California Journalism Awards — are judged by impartial judges, we turn to these organizations to review our entries. In return, we also judge entries made to their contests.

If you’ve got a couple of hours to kill and a commitment to the craft of journalism, help us out and sign up to judge the Top of the Rockies, a regional contest for professional journalists in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Wyoming!

Simply email LAPC Executive Director Diana Ljungaeus at [email protected] to learn more and sign up. We look forward to hearing from you!

02/02/2025

It's time to look back at all the amazing reporting you did last year in preparation for this year's Southern California Journalism Awards contest!

Check out this year's call for entries and stay tuned as the contest portal will open on Monday, Feb. 3.

LAPC members save on entries, so consider joining the press club or renewing your membership today!
https://lapressclub.org/

Got a question? Email [email protected].

17th National A&E Journalism Awards Congratulations, winners! We’re honored to celebrate and uplift your work as the best arts and entertainment reporting the nation has to offer. And a big thank you to all who joined us for this year’s awards gala! Your support allows us to continue to honor jo...