22 May, 2025
Finalists for the Walkley Foundation’s 2025 Mid-Year Media Prizes have been announced today.
Peer-judged and selected on the basis of journalistic excellence, the Prizes include the John B Fairfax Family Young Australian Journalist of the Year Awards, Coverage of Science and Environment Prize, Freelance Journalist of the Year Prize, Women’s Leadership in Media Prize, Our Watch Award for Excellence in Reporting on Violence Against Women, Media Diversity Australia Prize, and Arts Journalism & Arts Criticism Prize.
Walkley Foundation Chief Executive Shona Martyn said judges across all panels remarked on the high quality of entries this year.
“The Mid-Year Media Prizes recognise excellence in journalism through the John B. Fairfax Family Young Australian Journalist of the Year Awards as well as a select group of prizes for specialist reporters.
“This year there was an additional new award for young journalists, aged 28 and under, focused on Innovative Storytelling, in recognition of the ever-changing nature of media coverage. Younger journalists are particularly at the forefront of digital storytelling and the creative and effective use of newer online platforms. It is wonderful to see so many fine young newshounds entering the profession at a time when it is under threat on so many fronts.
“The categories with the most entries in the open sections were Arts Journalism and Arts Criticism, the Our Watch Award for Excellence in Reporting on Violence Against Women, Coverage of Science and the Environment and the Media Diversity Australia Prize.
“I was also pleased by the breadth of entries this year with impressive finalists coming from some media organisations, many in remote parts of Australia, that had not previously made the cut. This is most encouraging.”
“My congratulations to all the finalists for their excellent work. For those who did not make the shortlist this year, start working on your entries for next year now. And remember the Walkley Awards open on 1 July, 2025, and cover work published from 20 August, 2024 to 18 August, 2025.”
The Prizes are a standalone series of awards, held separately from the Walkley Awards which are announced in November. The Mid-Year Media Prizes are not Walkley Awards. They are judged by panels of specialist judges with no involvement from the Walkley Judging Board. The Walkley Judging Board however selects the winner of the John B Fairfax Family Young Journalist of the Year.
Winners are chosen on the basis of overall merit and journalistic excellence. The Walkley Foundation encourages a diversity of entries from journalists around Australia, published or broadcast between 16 April, 2024 and 14 April, 2025. The Walkley Foundation has a mechanism for dealing with any conflict of interest, actual or perceived, that may arise during the judging process. The guidelines are based on the principle that all actual conflicts of interest are to be avoided and that even a perceived conflict may be damaging to all parties.
Winners of all the awards will be announced at the Mid-Year Media Prizes in Sydney on 19 June. At the event, winners will also be announced for the Jacoby-Walkley Scholarship with Nine, the ARN Audio Scholarship, and the Sean Dorney Grant for Pacific Journalism.
In each award below, the finalists are listed in alphabetical order.
The John B Fairfax Family Young Australian Journalist of the Year Awards
Supported by Jibb Foundation
These awards recognise the hard work of our most outstanding young Australian journalists. They reward the efforts of journalists aged 28 and under who demonstrate excellence in the fundamental tenets of the profession, as well as the ability to present distinctive and original journalism that pushes the boundaries of the craft.
The winner of each of the seven categories below will be eligible for the overall Walkley Young Australian Journalist of the Year Award. The ultimate winner will receive a two-week international trip to newsrooms (flights included) and a mentorship program to boost their career.
The winner of each of the seven categories will receive a complimentary place in an AGSM short course at UNSW Business School. All courses earn credit towards the AGSM Certificate of Executive Management and Development which, in turn, carries course credit into the AGSM MBA and Graduate Certificates.
Shortform journalism
Supported by ABC
- Lucas Baird, Australian Financial Review, ‘Cybercriminals break into Australia’s pension pot’ [1],[2],[3]
- Bailey Kenzie, Nine News, ‘The Immigration Directive’ [1],[2]
- Daanyal Saeed, Crikey, ‘Inside News Corp’s backfired ‘UNDERCOVERJEW’ operation’ [1],[2]
Longform feature or special
Supported by The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age
- Rhiona-Jade Armont, SBS Dateline, ‘Cambodia’s Surrogacy Crackdown’
- Ellie Dudley, The Australian, ‘No justice, no trust: Victim’s grief’ [1]
- Kristo Langker, Paradise Broadcasting, ‘Frontier War: Inside The West Papua Liberation Army’ [1]
Coverage of community and regional affairs
- Alistair Bates, ABC Pilbara, ‘Remote Australians’ [1],[2],[3]
- Aston Brown, Guardian Australia, ‘The Transition’ [1],[2],[3]
- April McLennan, ABC Tasmania (Launceston), ‘Birth rights’ [1],[2],[3]
Innovative Storytelling
Supported by Business News
- Matilda Boseley, Guardian Australia, ‘Tell Me More’ [1],[2]
- Alex Lim, ABC News, ‘The mullet is alive and well in AFL’, ‘A pattern set to failure’, ‘The Solar Rush’ [1],[2],[3]
- Lia Walsh, ABC News TikTok and Instagram accounts, ‘A Trump hater selling Trump merch’, ‘Has anyone checked on the Aussie expats?’, ‘Aussie journalist vs US frat party’ [1],[2],[3]
Visual storytelling
- Briana Fiore, ABC News, YouTube, ABC Instagram, ‘Uncovering Widespread Abuse in the Massage Industry’, ‘Ex-Brethrens on Breaking Free’, ‘Inside Hosanna Excelsis’ [1],[2],[3]
- Jon Fleetwood, VICE, ‘Protest Nation’ [1]
- Christopher Tan, SBS World News, ‘WA videojournalism body of work’ [1],[2],[3]
Public service journalism
Supported by Telum Media
- Jack Kelly, In The Cove, ‘Cabling Cowboys – Who Regulates the Activities of Data Cabling Companies?’ [1],[2],[3]
- April McLennan, ABC News, ‘Former Launceston mayor Danny Gibson accused of unwanted sexual advances, sexting theatre student’ [1],[2],[3]
- Catriona Stirrat, SBS News podcast, ‘Hysterical’
Student journalist of the year
Supported by University of Sydney
- Leo Chau, Artshub Australia, ‘How AI music has become a common fixture of far-right hate’ [1],[2]
- Rosa Griffith, Central News (UTS), Booker Magazine, Spotify podcasts ‘Big problems for public school funding’, ‘Sydney Laid Bare’, ‘Danger in Dangar Place’ [1],[2],[3]
- Ella Loneragan, Western Independent (Curtin University), The West Australian, ‘The game blame’, ‘Queues for loos: another equity issue?’ [1],[2]
Coverage of Science and the Environment Prize
Supported by the University of Sydney Faculty of Science
- Claire Aird, Greg Muller, Claudianna Blanco, LiSTNR, Southern Cross Austero, ‘Secrets We Keep: Should I Spit’ podcast series [1]
- Bob Burton, Tasmanian Inquirer, ‘Fishy Business’ [1],[2],[3]
- Charlotte Grieve, Simone Fox Koob, Jason South, Mark Stehle, The Age / Sydney Morning Herald, ‘Carbon sharks: Private companies cashing in on ancient practices’ [1]
Freelance Journalist of the Year Prize
- Jo Chandler, Nature, The Monthly, Yale Environment 360, ‘Fighting for the future: The people at the front line of a changing planet’ [1],[2],[3]
- Prue Lewarne, SBS Dateline, SBS World News, ‘The Beast – Mexico’s Deadliest Train’, ‘Argentina’s Milei’, ‘Argentina Poverty’ [1]
- Jackson Ryan, The New York Times, The Monthly, ‘Body of Work – Longform Narrative Journalism’ [1],[2],[3]
Women’s Leadership in Media Prize
Supported by MECCA M-POWER
- Lisa Albert, Vincent Lamberti, Stan / Fringe Dweller Films, ‘Revealed: KillJoy’ [1]
- Ladies, We Need To Talk team, ABC Listen, ‘Perimenopause: WTF is happening to our bodies?’, ‘Is egg freezing all it’s cracked up to be?’, ‘PCOS: Infertility, beards and BS’ [1],[2],[3]
- Calliste Weitenberg, SBS Dateline, ‘Romania’s Webcam Girls’, ‘India’s Virginity Test’, ‘In the wake of Andrew Tate’s arrest, Romanian cam girls speak out’ [1]
Our Watch Award for Excellence in Reporting on Violence Against Women
Administered by the Walkley Foundation
- ABC News Breakfast team, ABC, ‘Not Just A Number – ABC News Breakfast Special Coverage’ [1]
- Broken Justice team, Guardian Australia, ‘Broken Justice series’ [1],[2],[3]
- Fiona Pepper, All in the Mind, ABC Radio National; ABC News, ‘Robyn was jailed for the murder of her husband. Now she works as a domestic violence consultant’ [1],[2]
Media Diversity Australia Prize
Supported by Media Diversity Australia, Australian Multicultural Foundation, and Multicultural NSW, and administered by the Walkley Foundation
- Tahnee Jash & Stephanie Boltje, ABC News, ABC Tik Tok and Instagram, ‘Eric Yunkaporta’s family speak out after ’disgusting’ viral TikTok trend’ [1],[2]
- Emma Myers, Powerd Media, Community Broadcasting Association of Australia, ‘Left behind – the deadly gaps in emergency preparedness for Australians with disability’ [1],[2],[3]
- Ben Smee & Melissa Davey, Guardian Australia, ‘In the Box: how children with FASD end up in police cells’ [1],[2],[3]
Arts Journalism & Arts Criticism Prize
Supported by the Geraldine Pascall Foundation. Through the generous support of the Hantomeli Foundation, the winner will receive $5000 in prize money.
- Rudi Bremer, Teresa Tan, Daniel Browning, ABC Indigenous and ABC News Story Lab, ’This is Australia, according to Archie Moore’ [1]
- Linda Morris, Eryk Bagshaw, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, ‘The portrait Gina Rinehart doesn’t want you to see’ [1],[2],[3]
- Quentin Sprague, The Monthly, ‘On Reflection: Quentin Sprague on “Carrol Jerrems: Portraits” at the National Portrait Gallery’ [1]
#walkleys
Mid-Year queries: Margie Smithurst margie.smithurst@walkleys.com
Thank you to our judges
Each year hundreds of journalists, editors and producers give their time to judge our awards. Thankyou to all those who judged this year:
- Bob Beale, former SMH Science and Environment Editor
- Sharon Bradley, Good Weekend
- Che Chorley, ABC South Australia
- Elizabeth Colman, The Weekend Australian Magazine
- Miriam Cosic, freelance journalist and critic
- Tyson Cottrill, NBN News
- Tom Cowie, The Age
- Matt Cunningham, Sky News
- Sean Davey, Photojournalist and Centre for Advancing Journalism, Melbourne University
- Amanda Ducker, freelance
- Bryce Eishold, Stock & Land
- Sarah Elks, The Australian
- Dr Susannah Eliott, Australian Science Media Centre
- Jasmine Fellows, Refraction Media
- Assoc Prof Felicity Fenner, UNSW
- Micaela Hambrett, ABC Central West
- David Hardaker, freelance
- Virginia Haussegger, freelance
- Andrea Ho, AFTRS
- Grace Jennings-Edquist, Bloomberg
- Jason Koutsoukis, The Saturday Paper
- Paula Kruger, Media Diversity Australia
- Lara Lauth, ABC
- Dyani Lewis, freelance science journalist
- Stephen Luntz, freelance science journalist
- Ian Mannix, CSIRO magazines / Cosmos
- Gina McKeon, ABC Innovation Lab
- Andrew Messenger, The Guardian
- Nick Miller, The Guardian
- Alexis Moran, SBS / NITV, Indigenous Standards Editor
- Sally Neighbour, Walkley Judging Board chair
- Saffron Howden, ACM
Tom Dusevic, The Australian - Julie Nimmo, ABC Indigenous
- Jodie O’Brien, Courier Mail / Sunday Mail
- Helen O’Neill, Freelance
- Aaron Patrick, The Nightly
- Corrie Perkin, Director, Sorrento Writers Festival Sophie Scott, University of Sydney
- John Silvester, The Age
- Tracey Spicer, freelance
- Kaitlan Steadman, Seven Network
- Claire Stuchbery, LINA
- Emily Sweet, Ballarat Courier
- Leigh Tonkin, ABC
- Cam Tyeson, Channel 10
- Matthew Westwood, Musica Viva
- Ashleigh Wilson, Sydney Opera House
- Rashida Yosufzai, SBS
