The News Leaders Association (NLA) announced on Dec. 10 that it is accepting submissions for the 2022 News Leaders Association Awards with a deadline of January 28, 2022. An awards ceremony is tentatively scheduled for May of 2022 to honor the award winners. Details of this event will be announced at a later date.

NLA has geared its awards to reflect the extraordinary journalism produced in 2021, with categories that take into account the massive stories that unfolded across the past twelve months.

The categories for this year’s awards are:

  • Dori J. Maynard Justice Award

  • Batten Medal

  • Deborah Howell Award for Writing Excellence

  • Frank A. Blethen Award for Local Accountability Reporting

  • Burl Osborne Editorial and Opinion Award

  • Punch Sulzberger Innovator of the Year Award

  • Mike Royko Award for Commentary and Column Writing

  • Breaking News Reporting Award

  • First Amendment Award

  • News Leader of the Year Award*

  • Robert G. McGruder Award for Diversity Leadership*

*There is no entry fee for the News Leader of the Year Award or the Robert G. McGruder Award for Diversity Leadership.

This year, there will not be separate award categories for small and large newsroom divisions.

All news websites, news services (including radio, TV stations, and magazines), and newspapers in the United States are eligible to enter. And thanks to our generous sponsors, most of our awards will come with a cash prize.

2022 News Leaders Awards sponsors include:

  • O’Brien Fellowship in Public Service Journalism at Marquette University

  • Editors from the former Knight Ridder company

  • Advance Publications, Inc.

  • The Seattle Times

  • The Dallas Morning News

  • The New York Times

  • Chicago Tribune

  • Middle Tennessee State University’s Free Speech Center

  • Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute

  • Gannett and the USA TODAY Network

View the Awards site to submit entries to the 2022 News Leaders Awards, or visit the NLA website for more information.