Congratulations to the winners of the Media Freedom Awards 2025

Excellence in campaigning and investigative journalism was honoured at the Society of Editors’ Media Freedom Awards 2025 on Wednesday 12 November 2025. 

Held at the Underglobe in London, the high-profile awards, which set the benchmark for a celebration of UK public interest journalism, brought together more than 250 journalists from all sectors of the UK news media for a ceremony presented by ITV News’ Lucrezia Millarini.

The awards are held in association with Allwyn, VodafoneThree and Ecotricity and a full list of winners appears below. High-resolution images of the event will be added to this page in due course. 

With thanks to our supporters:

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