Excellence in campaigning and investigative journalism was last night honoured at the Society of Editors’ prestigious Media Freedom Awards 2025.
Held at the iconic Globe Theatre in London and presented by ITN News’ Lucrezia Millarini, the high-profile awards brought together more than 250 journalists, editors and news leaders from all sectors for a celebration of the UK news industry.
Supported by VodafoneThree, Allwyn and Ecotricity, big winners of the evening included The Times and The Sunday Times which was crowned the National News Media Organisation of the Year with The Times’ Louise Callaghan named the Foreign Correspondent of the Year and Steven Swinford awarded the Political Journalist of the Year accolade. Jack Hill was also presented with the Photo Journalist of the Year Award while Andrew Norfolk, the Times’ former investigative reporter who died earlier this year was posthumously awarded the Bob Satchwell Award in recognition of his dogged work uncovering the widespread existence of Asian grooming gangs in the north of England.
Announcing the winners Dawn Alford, Chief Executive of the Society of Editors said: “The Media Freedom Awards are an opportunity to celebrate and champion the brilliant reporting and investigative journalism across all platforms in the UK and this year has been no exception. From the bravery of those that put themselves in harm’s way in pursuit of the truth to those who stand up against bureaucracy and officialdom to keep their communities informed, we are honoured to stand up and recognise their achievements this evening.”
Other big winners of the evening included the Daily Mail who took home the Investigation National Award and Journalist of the Year National for Chief Reporter Sam Greenhill for work including its coverage of the Government’s Secret Afghan Airlift. Freelance reporter Ian Birrell was also named Columnist of the Year Popular for his work in the Daily Mail.
The evening also saw Sky News named Broadcast News Organisation of the Year while the event also saw Basement Films and Channel 4’s Gaza: Doctors under Attack documentary named the Investigation National Broadcast of the Year. Channel 4’s Cathy Newman was also named the Broadcast Journalist of the Year.
Big regional winners included Nottinghamshire Live which was awarded the Regional News Organisation of the Year with the Liverpool Echo’s Political Editor Liam Thorp named the Regional Journalist of the Year for work following the Liverpool FC Parade crash and campaign to save Liverpool children’s hospice Zoe’s Place. The Northern Echo was also awarded the Campaign of the Year Regional for its work to secure the future of Hitachi’s Newton Aycliffe rail plant in County Durham.
The evening also saw The Guardian’s 19-year-old Gazan journalist Malak A Tantesh awarded the Young National Journalist of the Year prize while Wales Online’s Lucy John took home the regional award.
Photos from the event can be found at www.societyofeditors.org. For further information please contact office@societyofeditors.org.
A full list of winners appears below.
Media Freedom Awards winners 2025
Bob Satchwell Award
Andrew Norfolk
Georgina Henry Award
Winner: Emma Guy for Subtext
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
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
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
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
Photojournalist of the Year
Winner: Jack Hill, The Times
Highly commended: Stefan Roussea, PA Media
National News Media Organisation of the Year
Winner: The Times and The Sunday Times
Highly commended: Daily Mail
Regional News Media Organisation of the Year
Winner: Nottinghamshire Live
Highly commended: Belfast Telegraph
Broadcast News Media Organisation of the Year
Winner: Sky News
Highly commended: Channel 4
