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Nominations are open for the David Nyhan Prize for Public Policy Journalism 2024. The David Nyhan Prize honors journalists who illuminate the stories behind our politics and policy making.
Opportunity Details
The David Nyhan Prize honors journalists who illuminate the stories behind our politics and policy making. Journalists who peel back the curtain on how public policy really works, showing who is pulling the political levers, what it means for people’s everyday lives in terms they can understand, and suggesting how the practice of governing can be made more fair for all.
Nyhan Prize winners are insightful, fearless journalists who are not content to report on the horserace of politics and policy making. They dig deep, to understand the nuances of public policy, the priorities of policy makers, and how the power flows of government affect the people government is built to serve. They hold the powerful to account by lifting up the stories and voices of those who are not themselves walking the halls of power, but whose interests should be at the core of what government does.
Starting in 2024, the Nyhan Prize will offer two awards: one for achievement in public policy journalism, and one for emerging talents. The David Nyhan Prize for Public Policy Journalism assumes a substantial body of published work over time, while the David Nyhan Emerging Talent Journalism Award aims to honor early career and student journalists who show great early success, potential, and drive to do the kind of journalism the prize honors. Both tiers have similar criteria.
Nominations for the 2024 Nyhan Prizes are now open! Read below about criteria and the nomination process, and click the link to submit a nomination.
The winner of the David Nyhan Prize for Public Policy Journalism receives $4,000. The winner of the David Nyhan Emerging Talent Journalism Prize receives $1,000. In the case of a reporting partnership being named the winner of either prize, the prize money will be divided between the partners. Both winners will be celebrated and invited to speak in either a virtual or in-person event hosted by the Shorenstein Center.
Journalists may be nominated by their employers, a member of the public, or by themselves.
All nominators must fill out the nomination form and include at least 5 examples of the nominee’s work. These examples, as well as answers to the form questions, will be the basis of the judges’ selection process.
For career award nominees, work examples can be from any period in their career, but at least one must be from the past two years. For emerging talent nominees, at least two work examples must have been published in recognized news outlets (including student newspapers).
Nominators must select which category they would like to submit the nominee for, but judges and Shorenstein Center staff reserve the right to change the nominee’s category as they see fit.
The Nyhan Prize winners are selected by a panel of 3-5 judges selected by the Shorenstein Center’s Faculty Director and staff. The Director of Communications and Strategy manages the judging committee and selection process. The Faculty Director acts as the final approver of all prize winners.
Click on the link to the application website to nominate.