Expert evaluation of the entries across all four categories was completed this month, and now the jury will get to work on the next stage of the selection process.

Destination Cyprus for Awards in 2026

The next award ceremony for the FJA will be held in Cyprus on 22 April 2026 – on Earth Day when the global news focus will be on climate change, the environment, and the future of the planet.

The Expert Group has finalized the selection of the shortlist for the awards, and the jury has begun the tricky task of selecting winners from a rich harvest of record-breaking entries this year. 

They will be selecting winners to share the total prize fund worth 520,000 CHF – that’s more than $640,000 USD, in four categories:

• Outstanding contribution to Peace;
• Contribution to Civil Rights;
• Outstanding Investigative Reporting; and
• Excellence in Environmental Journalism.

Reports and Reading materials:

Brazil Manual on reporting indigenous rights

Some 68 journalists from a network of Indigenous communities across Brazil have been working for three years on writing a manual for reporters and researchers who write about Indigenous peoples. The manual, named “Poranga Marandúa,” or “Good News” in the Baré language, aims to guide any reporter or editor on how to report ethically and how to speak with and about indigenous people. It was pre-launched on 13 November at the 30th annual United Nations Conference of the Parties, known as the COP30, held in the city of Belém in northern Brazil. See https://abrinjor.org/home/  

Journalists empowering immigrant communities

Researchers in the United States have built a system for newsrooms to promote change by connecting different communities, and helping them get access to people in power. The Documented product of the Reynolds Journalism Institute at the University of Missouri is a system providing a “bridge role” for news media. They say this role is much more than relaying information. It’s about listening and understanding immigrant needs and points of view and ensuring they get the attention of those in positions of power who can take action. This model used by media anywhere can amplify the voice of migrants and minorities and ensure they are heard by those who can make change happen. https://rjionline.org/news/the-bridge-role-how-newsrooms-can-connect-immigrant-communities-with-decision-makers/

Global action for Information Integrity 

Quality journalism and global action to preserve and promote the health of local and global information ecosystems was the central theme of the Copenhagen Conference on Information Integrity, held on 11 and 12 November.  The importance of quality information for democracy was highlighted in a joint introduction by two experts from the world of media development and journalism support -- Guy Berger, former UNESCO press freedom chief and now chair of International Media Support and the IMS Director Jesper Højberg. Their outline shaped the conclusions of this conference. See https://www.mediasupport.org/blogpost/securing-information-integrity-requires-global-action/

Investigative journalism and extreme heat

Any journalist interested in reporting on the brutal reality of increasing heat as a result of climate change will find the latest guide from the Global Investigative Journalism Network a useful addition to their research work. The examples in this guide are not news about the weather or stories on the latest scientific reports, but highlight journalistic investigations on the effects of rising heat on humans. Some half a million people already die around the world each year as a result of extreme heat, and the number of deaths is expected to soar as climate change brings stronger and longer heat waves. https://gijn.org/resource/gijn-guide-investigating-extreme-heat/

State pressure on the press in Latin America

A report launched in October shows that last year violence against the press in Latin America remains at crisis level with the major threat from state actors. There were 3,766 attacks, documented in 17 countries, according to the seventh edition of the Shadow Report on Press Freedom in Latin America released last month. The report warns that there has been a consolidation of self-censorship, information deserts, and the forced exile of journalists. https://vocesdelsurunidas.org/informe-sombra-2024-el-estado-se-consolida-como-el-principal-agresor-de-la-prensa-en-america-latina/