Congratulations to the winners of the Media Freedom Awards 2025
Excellence in campaigning and investigative journalism was honoured at the Society of Editors’ Media Freedom Awards 2025 on Wednesday 12 November 2025.
Held at the Underglobe in London, the high-profile awards, which set the benchmark for a celebration of UK public interest journalism, brought together more than 250 journalists from all sectors of the UK news media for a ceremony presented by ITV News’ Lucrezia Millarini.
The awards are held in association with Allwyn, VodafoneThree and Ecotricity and a full list of winners appears below. High-resolution images of the event will be added to this page in due course.
Things have not looked good for BBC Scotland this year, but they have much to be pleased about with a remarkable win for an excellent investigation, which was also a winner in the BAFTA Awards:
Investigation of the Year Broadcast Regional
Winner: Kids on the Psychiatric Ward, Disclosure, BBC Scotland
The BAFTA award for single documentary went to BBC Scotland’s Kids on the Psychiatric Ward.
The BBC Disclosure investigation, presented by former West Dunbartonshire journalist Mark Daly, pictured right, focused on allegations of serious abuse at an adolescent psychiatric unit in Glasgow.
With thanks to our supporters:
Individual Awards
The Bob Satchwell Award
Andrew Norfolk, The Times
Georgina Henry Award
Emma Guy for Subtext
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
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, pictured left.
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
Photo Journalist of the Year
Winner: Jack Hill, The Times
Highly commended: Stefan Roussea, PA Media
Group Awards
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
Highly commended: I am Not OK, BBC Northern Ireland
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
Regional News Organisation of the Year
Winner: Nottinghamshire Live
Highly commended: Belfast Telegraph
Broadcast News Organisation of the Year
Winner: Sky News
Highly commended: Channel 4
National News Organisation of the Year
Winner: The Times and The Sunday Times
Highly commended: Daily Mail