Tag Archives: Journalism Awards

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KURT SCHORK MEMORIAL FUND (KSMF) 2026 AWARDS

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Application Deadline: midnight (BST, UTC+1) on Sunday, June 14, 2026.

LOCATION: USA

The Kurt Schork Memorial Fund (KSMF) invites freelance journalists, local reporters, and news fixers from around the world to submit entries for the 25th annual Kurt Schork Awards in International Journalism. Named in memory of American freelance journalist Kurt Schork, who was killed in 2000 while on assignment for Reuters in Sierra Leone, the awards recognize the bravery of journalists who take great personal risk, often for little reward, to shine a light on the truth and hold power to account.

ELIGIBILITY:

Entrants for the Local Reporter and Freelance Awards must submit three articles each, published between June 01, 2025, and June 14, 2026. The judges will look for journalistic excellence in applicants’ submissions and evidence of determination and courage in obtaining their stories.

News Fixer Award applicants must submit three references from foreign correspondents with whom they have worked during the same time period. The range of skills displayed by a news fixer can be vast, and this is taken into consideration by the jury. They will look for evidence of skills such as displaying excellent news judgment, suggesting story leads and providing logistical support. The judges will also consider how the applicant’s support benefited the content, impact, and reach of the coverage they facilitated.

The News Fixer Award, launched in 2016 and presented for the first time in 2017, was inspired by the freelance journalist, author and friend of Kurt Schork, Anna Husarska. Further details about eligibility and entry criteria, as well as the online entry forms and FAQs, can be found on the KSMF website.

The three award categories, open to those reporting for print and online publications, recognize the media professionals that Kurt particularly admired:

Freelance Award: Recognizing freelance journalists who travel to the world’s conflict zones, usually at great personal risk, to witness and report on the impact and consequences of these events.

Local Reporter Award: recognizing the often-overlooked work of journalists in developing nations, or countries in transition, who write about events in their homeland.

News Fixer Award: Recognizing the work of local journalists or experts, typically hired by foreign correspondents, whose guidance and local knowledge play an unsung but vital role in facilitating international coverage from difficult, dangerous, or hostile locations.

Applications are now open, and the deadline for submissions is midnight (BST, UTC+1) on Sunday, June 14, 2026.

BENEFIT:

The awards recognize excellence and courage in reporting conflict, corruption, injustice, and human rights issues, with winners receiving a $5,000 cash prize.

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ANJA NIEDRINGHAUS COURAGE IN PHOTOJOURNALISM AWARD

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Application Deadline: Tuesday, March 31st, 2026

LOCATION: USA

The Anja Niedringhaus Courage in Photojournalism Award was created to honor the life and work of Pulitzer Prize-winning AP photographer and IWMF Courage in Journalism Award winner Anja Niedringhaus (1965-2014). With this award, the IWMF celebrates the courageous work of women photojournalists like Anja. The award recognizes the importance of visual journalistic work that inspires us to take action and compels us to better understand the world.

ELIGIBILITY:

The award is open to women, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming journalists.

The candidate must be working as a journalist full-time, and journalism must be their primary profession.

Both freelance journalists and those affiliated with media organizations are eligible.

Sign up for a free Picter account to submit for consideration. They are proud to work with Picter as their photography contest platform for the Anja Niedringhaus Courage in Photojournalism Award.

Each nomination and application must include candidate information, work samples made up of a series of 12 photographs, and a candidate/nomination statement.

A candidate may either self-nominate or be nominated by an editor, mentor, or journalist peer.  If you are nominating someone else, you may either submit a full application (including a statement and work samples) or fill out an abbreviated nomination form via Google Forms. If you fill out the Google Form with the candidate’s information by March 31, 2026, we will contact them and tell them you have nominated them to apply for the award. Please note that filling out the Google Form does not constitute or replace a full application in Picter, which must be submitted for the jury’s consideration.

Image size: minimum 1500 px on the longest dimension (72 dpi, JPG format)

Each photograph must be accompanied by a caption in English describing the date, place, and situation captured.

Six (6) of the photos must have been taken within the past two years (2024-2026). The other six can be taken at any time during the candidate’s career.

Submissions must include a candidate/nomination statement of up to 500 words written in English. Please do not include your name or contact information in the statement or the filename. Submissions without statements will not be considered.

BENEFIT:

The award winner will be publicly honored, have her work showcased, and receive a cash prize of $20,000.

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