2026 Awards Finalists

Meet this year’s finalists! The list below recognizes finalists by contest division and category, with nominated work included where available.

Special award finalists will be announced soon. Check back for updates!

Are you a finalist? Celebrate with us at the JANY Conference and Awards Dinner on Saturday, Nov. 14, at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. Purchase tickets by Wednesday, Nov. 4.

Broadcast award winners

  • Arts Reporting

    • Spectrum News NY1, New York — From Bayamo to Broadway, rooting authenticity in 'Buena Vista Social Club'

    Documentary

    • News 12 — Turning Point

    • Spectrum News NY1, New York — Hamilton: Ten Years - A Legacy

    Enterprise Reporting

    • News 12 — Pulling the Trigger

    • Spectrum News NY1, New York — Unfounded

    Feature Story

    • WNYW-TV, New York — Finding Faith: How local synagogues are thriving

    • WABC-TV, New York — New York Metro Blind Hockey

    Investigative & Watchdog Reporting

    • Spectrum News NY1, New York — NY1 Investigation: How the NYPD treats sexual assault survivors

    • News 12 — Room without Rescue

    Narrative Podcast

    • Spectrum News NY1, New York — Bella's Battles: The Activist and Icon Who Changed America

    News Series

    • News 12 — Trafficking in the Tri-State

    • Spectrum News NY1, New York — Inside 26 Federal Plaza

    Newscast

    • Spectrum News NY1, New York — Mornings on 1: Congestion Pricing Day 1

    Public Service

    • News 12 — UNDER THE GUN: Gangs

    Reporter or Anchor Portfolio

    • News 12 — Tara Rosenblum

    Sports Coverage

    • WABC-TV, New York — The Evolution of Tommy John Surgery

    • WNYW-TV, New York — Broadway Show League's 70th Season

    Spot News Coverage

    • Spectrum News NY1, New York — Mayoral Candidate Detained by ICE

    • WNYW-TV, New York — Helicopter Crash into the Hudson

  • Arts Reporting

    • Spectrum News 1, New York State — To The Beat Of Their Drums

    • Spectrum News 1, New York State — Music class for all ages

    Continuing Coverage

    • Spectrum News 1, New York State — Bringing Ryan Corbett Home

    • Spectrum News 1, New York State — Prison Strike In New York

    Digital Presence

    • Spectrum News 1, New York State — Spectrum News 1

    • WHAM-TV, Rochester — 13WHAM News

    Documentary

    • WIVB-TV, Buffalo — Chautauqua Lake: A Lake Divided

    • Spectrum News 1, New York State — The Adirondacks: New York's Unicorn

    Enterprise Reporting

    • Spectrum News 1, New York State — Homeless families in hotels

    • Spectrum News 1, New York State — Got Milk?

    Feature Story

    • Spectrum News 1, New York State — The Model Inmate

    • Spectrum News 1, New York State — What We Leave Behind

    Investigative & Watchdog Reporting

    • Spectrum News 1, New York State — Tainted Ground: The battle over sewage sludge and forever chemicals in New York

    • WKBW-TV, Buffalo — 'Getting poisoned': Niagara Falls neighborhood under plume of cancer-causing chemical from Goodyear Tire plant

    News Series

    • WHEC-TV, Rochester — Deanna Deweberry investigates local nursing homes

    • Spectrum News 1, New York State — Remembering the victims of the Attica Prison Riots

    Newscast

    • WHEC-TV, Rochester — 6pm: Downtown Deadly Plane Crash

    • WHAM-TV, Rochester — 13WHAM News at 5

    Public Service

    • WIVB-TV, Buffalo — License Plate Fraud: WNYers hit with bogus toll bills

    • Spectrum News 1, New York State — The Silent Battle

    Reporter or Anchor Portfolio

    • Spectrum News 1, New York State — Kevin Hayes - JANYs Portfolio 2026

    • Spectrum News 1, New York State — Viktoria Hallikäär

    Sports Coverage

    • Spectrum News 1, New York State — Kevin Hayes - Sports Coverage 2026

    • Spectrum News 1, New York State — Special Olympics World Games

    Sports Podcast

    • WHAM-TV, Rochester — Therapy Session: What do the Bills need to prove against the Panthers?

    • Spectrum News 1, New York State — Buffalo End Zone Podcast

    Spot News Coverage

    • WHAM-TV, Rochester — Massive Fire Rips Through Small Village

    • Spectrum News 1, New York State — Tour Bus Crash On I-90

    Use of Photography

    • WIVB-TV, Buffalo — Videography Chris Broadbent WIVB-TV

    • Spectrum News 1, New York State — Viktoria Hallikäär

    Weathercast

    • WHAM-TV, Rochester — Tornado Touches Down in Phelps

  • Arts Reporting

    • WENY-TV, Elmira — Richard Thomas presented key to the city ahead of Mark Twain Tonight! performance

    Digital Presence

    • WKTV-TV, Utica — WKTV.com and the NewsChannel 2 App

    Enterprise Reporting

    • WWNY-TV, Watertown — From West Carthage to the West Wing

    Feature Story

    • WWNY-TV, Watertown — 10-year-old aims to help

    • WENY-TV, Elmira — Historic locomotive returns to Pennsylvania

    Investigative & Watchdog Reporting

    • WENY-TV, Elmira — Elkland Borough under boil water advisory after days of uncertainty

    • WENY-TV, Elmira — NYS Corrections Officers continue to strike despite agreement reached

    Newscast

    • WWNY-TV, Watertown — 7NEWS THIS EVENING Feb. 17

    • WWNY-TV, Watertown — 7NEWS THIS EVENING Feb. 19

    Social Media: Overall Presence

    • WKTV-TV, Utica — WKTV Social Media Platforms

    Sports Coverage

    • WENY-TV, Elmira — Thunder at the Glen 2025

    Spot News Coverage

    • WKTV-TV, Utica — Clark Mills Tornado Leaves 3 Dead

    • WKTV-TV, Utica — Sangertown Mall Shooting

    Weathercast

    • WENY-TV, Elmira — Joe Veres Weathercast - August 5, 2025

    • WENY-TV, Elmira — Katherine Schwalm Weathercast - February 25, 2025

  • Arts Reporting

    • WRHU-FM, Hempstead — Acclaimed filmmaker Petra Volpe discusses her powerful new film "Late Shift" a gripping portrayal of a nurse working inside the modern healthcare system - Nurse to Health

    Documentary

    • WFUV-FM, New York — Recovering From the L.A. Wildfires: Rising From Ashes - An Original Documentary

    Feature Story

    • WFUV-FM, New York — Feathers and Fanatics

    News Podcast

    • WRHU-FM, Hempstead — The Health Line - The Importance of Health Equity

    • WFUV-FM, New York — WFUV What's What Podcast

    Public Service

    • WFUV-FM, New York — WFUV Strikes a Chord for Environmental Justice

    Social Media: Overall Presence

    • WFUV-FM, New York — WFUV News Social Media

    Use of Sound

    • WFUV-FM, New York — Musical Chairs Creates Community

  • Arts Reporting

    • WAER-FM — The Hello Girls Musical Message for Doubters

    • WAER-FM — The Rocky Horror Picture Show turns 50

    Continuing Coverage

    • North Country Public Radio, Canton — New York's Prison Strike

    • WAER-FM — A Time to Rally: A look back at Central New York's reaction during a year of tumultuous federal policies

    Enterprise Reporting

    • North Country Public Radio, Canton — The Rise and Decline of New York's Prisons

    • North Country Public Radio, Canton — U.S. - Canada Relations and the North Country

    Feature Story

    • WAER-FM — Forty Feet in the Air

    • WAMC-FM, Albany — Battle over the bands: noise ordinance causes tension in Woodstock

    Investigative & Watchdog Reporting

    • WXXI-AM, Rochester — A student's assault allegations reveal reporting gaps in Rochester schools

    • WAMC-FM, Albany — Turn for the worse: A Berkshire restaurant faced with 'forever chemical' contamination fights for survival

    News Podcast

    • WAER-FM — Environmental protections & policies: How will they survive White House assault?

    • WXXI-AM, Rochester — Today's headlines for November 5

    News Series

    • North Country Public Radio, Canton — The Dannemora Prison Escape, Ten Years On

    Newscast

    • North Country Public Radio, Canton — Northern Light 4/4/25

    Public Service

    • North Country Public Radio, Canton — Sackets Harbor ICE raid draws backlash

    • WAER-FM — A Series Compilation: How Syracuse Councilors' Sweeping Cuts Will Gut Public Works

    Social Media: Overall Presence

    • North Country Public Radio, Canton — NCPR's Overall Social Media

    Sports Coverage

    • North Country Public Radio, Canton — Burrville 'tree rodeo' is a chance for camaraderie and training

    • WXXI-AM, Rochester — Soccer after 60? These players say it's pitch-perfect

    Spot News Coverage

    • WAER-FM — When Disaster Strikes, Neighbors and Strangers Unite in CNY

    • WBFO-FM, Buffalo — Five killed in in tour bus crash on I-90 near Pembroke

    Use of Sound

    • WXXI-AM, Rochester — Young skiers making a splash pursuing Winter Olympics dreams

    • WAMC-FM, Albany — On the right side of the tracks: New addition to Chester Railway Station & Museum clears hurdle by inches

    Video (Non-broadcast)

    • WXXI-AM, Rochester — Floating with Flotsam!

    • WXXI-AM, Rochester — Rochester's riverfront and PLEX neighborhood is getting one step closer to a full cleanup

  • Best News Story (Chris Ulanowski Award)

    • WRHU, Hofstra University — Remembering 9/11/2001 on the Intrepid

    • Newhouse School College Radio — Learning Without A Lifeline

    Best Local News Program (Bill Leaf Award)

    • WFUV-FM, Fordham University — Mamdani Wins NYC Mayoral Election

    • WRHU, Hofstra University — WRHU FM Newsline 10-21-2025

  • Best News Story

    • Citrus TV — Immigration enforcement in CNY affecting agriculture industry

    • NCC News — Good Cause Eviction failed to pass the Syracuse Common Council. What's next for residents?

    Best Regularly Scheduled Local News Program

    • Citrus TV — Talking Points | November 10th

Newspaper award winners

  • Narrative Podcast

    • (Albany) Times Union — Long Buried

    • (Albany) Times Union — The Girl in the Pond

    Social Media: Overall Presence

    • (Albany) Times Union — timesunion.com

    • The (Syracuse) Post-Standard — syracuse.com social media

  • Arts/Entertainment Reporting

    • Staten Island Advance/SILive.com — Barnett Shepherd dies. A premiere preservationist, historian and visionary, he safeguarded Staten Island history | Life Stories -- by Claire Regan

    Enterprise Reporting

    • Staten Island Advance — Staten Island Traffic SOS

    Feature Photo

    • Staten Island Advance — John Michael goes back to school

    Feature Story

    • Staten Island Advance — The weekly pantry

    • Staten Island Advance/SILive.com — Warm memories of legendary S.I. pizza man with a generous nature and a big smile | Life Stories -- by Claire Regan

    Investigative & Watchdog Reporting

    • Staten Island Advance — Funeral Home Fraud Exposed

    Public Service

    • Staten Island Advance — A new day for the Park Hill Apartments

    Spot News Coverage

    • Staten Island Advance — On Staten Island, red flags before murder

    Video

    • Staten Island Advance — The West Brighton Boilermaker

  • Arts/Entertainment Reporting

    • The (Syracuse) Post-Standard — No MAGA protests, just a screaming Spider-Man

    • (Albany) Times Union — Adirondack Theatre Fest's 'Gutenberg! The Musical!' a wild comic spoof

    Business Reporting

    • The (Syracuse) Post-Standard — A closer look at historic Micron project

    • The (Syracuse) Post-Standard — The coming workforce crisis

    Column Writing

    • (Albany) Times Union — Chris Churchill

    • (Albany) Times Union — Table Hopping

    Digital Presence

    • The (Syracuse) Post-Standard — Syracuse.com digital presence

    • (Albany) Times Union — timesunion.com

    Digital Storytelling

    • The (Syracuse) Post-Standard — The trap of lies, sex and cruelty that killed Sam Nordquist: 'We went too far this time'

    • The (Syracuse) Post-Standard — How ICE's mostly unseen campaign in Syracuse breeds fear and resistance

    Editorial Writing

    • (Albany) Times Union — Jay Jochnowitz

    • The (Syracuse) Post-Standard — Editorials by Marie Morelli

    Enterprise Reporting

    • The (Syracuse) Post-Standard — The secret world of Trump's immigration campaign

    • (Albany) Times Union — U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III

    Feature Photo

    • The (Syracuse) Post-Standard — Nursing home nightmare

    • The (Syracuse) Post-Standard — No kings!

    Feature Story

    • New York Focus — The Martuscello Dynasty: Power and Patronage in New York Prisons

    • The (Syracuse) Post-Standard — The trap of lies, sex and cruelty that killed Sam Nordquist

    Full Page Design – Feature or Sports

    • The (Syracuse) Post-Standard — Empire cover design

    Full Page Design – News

    • The (Syracuse) Post-Standard — Christmas Day Post-Standard cover

    Headline Writing

    • The (Syracuse) Post-Standard — A headline whiz

    • (Albany) Times Union — Gregory Dayton

    Investigative & Watchdog Reporting

    • New York Focus — Innocence Ignored

    • New York Focus — "No Arrests": In New York, Some Police Can Drink, Drive and Avoid Charges & "An Officer Bungled a Teen Rape Case. The Victim Was Abused Again."

    Live Sports Coverage

    • The (Syracuse) Post-Standard — A win that comes with a rough loss

    • (Albany) Times Union — Irad Ortiz Jr. escapes serious injury after fall in Saratoga's Jockey Club Gold Cup

    News Podcast

    • (Albany) Times Union — Capitol Confidential with Dan Clark

    Photo Story or Online Gallery

    • The (Syracuse) Post-Standard — Counting the homeless

    • (Albany) Times Union — Wildflowers of upstate New York

    Public Service

    • The (Syracuse) Post-Standard — Inside Upstate's overwhelmed ER: Where miracles happen and dignity is a casualty

    • The (Syracuse) Post-Standard — The fight to make public a key and secret Micron document

    Sports Column

    • The (Syracuse) Post-Standard — Columns by Brent Axe

    • The (Syracuse) Post-Standard — Chris Carlson's columns

    Sports Photo

    • The (Syracuse) Post-Standard — Steady now

    • (Albany) Times Union — Raging bull

    Sports Podcast

    • The (Syracuse) Post-Standard — Another Bills heartbreaking loss to rival Chiefs

    • The (Syracuse) Post-Standard — Notre Dame disaster: Syracuse football suffers all-time embarrassment in South Bend

    Spot News Coverage

    • Spectrum News 1 Syracuse — Dozens detained after ICE raids Cayuga Co. factory

    • The Buffalo News — Robert Gavin entries for Spot News Coverage

    Spot News Photo

    • Spectrum News 1 Syracuse — Employees wait outside factory during Cato ICE raid

    • (Albany) Times Union — The Champ

    Video

    • The (Syracuse) Post-Standard — Syracuse.com video samples

  • Business Reporting

    • The (Auburn) Citizen — How EarthPlanter in Auburn grew to become 'Coolest Thing Made in NY'

    Column Writing

    • The Highlands Current — Reporter's Notebook

    • The Highlands Current — Out There

    Digital Presence

    • The Highlands Current — HighlandsCurrent.org

    Enterprise Reporting

    • The Highlands Current — High Anxiety

    • The (Auburn) Citizen — Former Wells College students reflect on closure, share memories and where they are now

    Feature Photo

    • The (Auburn) Citizen — Taking the plunge

    • The Highlands Current — Once Upon a Dance

    General News Photo

    • The (Auburn) Citizen — Tearful tribute

    Photo Story or Online Gallery

    • The Highlands Current — Return to Vietnam

    Public Service

    • (Utica) Observer-Dispatch — Former Mid-State CO sentenced to 25 years for death of Messiah Nantwi

    • (Utica) Observer-Dispatch — Pollster John Zogby offers post-election insights

    Sports Photo

    • The (Auburn) Citizen — Safe at third

    • The Highlands Current — Big Game

    Spot News Coverage

    • The (Auburn) Citizen — NYS prison strike coverage in Auburn

    • The Highlands Current — Surprise from the Sky

  • College Feature Story

    • The NewsHouse — Female interns speak out on bias and double standards within SU Football

    • Columbia News Service — An Interfaith Movement Grows in a Christian Land

    College Podcast

    • The NewsHouse — On The Bandwagon: Infiltrating the Mafia

    • The Ithacan — Pop Off! – 'The Sopranos' Episodes