News Categories
Official List: News Categories & Descriptions
Entry Guidelines
- All entries (except the Signature Award) must have been published or broadcast during the 2025 calendar year.
- One link = one story, episode, publication, etc.
- Entry must be as originally published or broadcast. No composites.
Signature Award
- Truth & Impact – The Fair Media Council Truth & Impact Award recognizes journalism that not only uncovers the truth but also has a demonstrable impact on society, leading to significant, documented change or awareness. Given the nature of this award, special rules apply: Stories may have been published or broadcast up to 26 months prior to the Folio Awards final entry deadline of Feb. 1. This is the only news award to include a cash prize of $1,000.
Major Awards: Submit one story unless otherwise noted
- Story of the Year – Recognizes the most impactful and significant news story of the year.
- Best Newscast – Award for excellence in overall newscast production and content. (Submit one newscast)
- Best Newspaper – Recognizes outstanding performance in newspaper journalism, either print or digital.
- Best News Special Report– Honors excellence in special broadcast, print or multimedia news for in-depth reporting.
- Best Talk Show/Magazine – Awards excellence in news talk shows or magazine-style programs.
- Best Anchor – Recognizes the best performance by a news anchor. (Submit one newscast)
- Best Reporter – Award for individual excellence in news reporting. (Submit one story)
- Best News Documentary – Recognizes excellence in long-form, documentary-style reporting on important news topics.
- Best News Podcast – Recognizes excellence in podcasting by a news outlet, focused on delivering news and analysis.
- Best Feature – Recognizes long-form storytelling offering deep context, perspective, and background (non-interview).
- Best Interview – Recognizes journalism built around the strength and depth of an interview, where the dialogue itself drives insight.
Breaking News & Special Coverage: Submit one story unless otherwise noted
- Breaking News – Recognizes excellence in timely, accurate, and impactful breaking news coverage.
- Post-Covid Social Issues – Focuses on how communities, including workplaces, are addressing social issues in the post-pandemic world.
- Best Local Reporting on National Issues – Recognizes stories that explore the local impact of national or international events.
- Best Collaborative National/Local News Story – Recognizes cooperative efforts between national and local outlets to deliver comprehensive news coverage.
- Best Visual & Multimedia Storytelling – Combines photography, video, and/or interactive elements to showcase visual storytelling of current events.
- Continuous News Coverage – Recognizes outstanding journalism that follows a story and its impact. (May enter a series.)
- Disaster & Crisis Reporting – Recognizes outstanding journalism that covers natural disasters or other major crises, and their societal impact.
Investigative, Public Service & Watchdog Journalism: Submit one story unless otherwise noted
- Investigative Reporting (Robert W. Greene Award) – Award for excellence in uncovering information of public interest and holding institutions accountable.
- Environmental & Sustainability Reporting – Recognizes investigative journalism focused on climate, ecology, and sustainability.
- Watchdog Issues – Recognizes journalism that holds those in power, including people and institutions, accountable.
- Excellence in Solutions Journalism – Recognizes exceptional stories that not only identify problems but also explore and present solutions.
- Local News Preservation – Explores efforts to preserve local journalism, focusing on how local news shapes and impacts communities.
- Human Rights Reporting – Focuses on journalism that sheds light on human rights violations or advocacy.
- Enterprise Reporting – Recognizes exceptional journalism that sheds light on a topic that is overlooked and underreported. Entry may include a series of stories.
Business, Economy & Technology: Submit one story unless otherwise noted
- Business News Coverage– Recognizes excellence in reporting on business news, including corporate developments and market trends.
- Employment & Work Issues – Awards journalism that highlights employment trends, labor issues, and work-related topics.
- Technology and Innovation Reporting – Recognizes outstanding journalism that explores how emerging technologies are developed, adopted, and transforming daily life. This category focuses on forward-looking coverage of breakthroughs and trends such as artificial intelligence, robotics, consumer tech, smart cities, and other innovations shaping the future.
- Ethics Reporting – Recognizes journalism that explores ethical questions and dilemmas across all sectors — including medicine, science, business, politics, and technology — and examines their impact on people, institutions, and society.
- Science and Technology Reporting – Honors journalism that connects scientific discovery with technological application. Coverage may include research in medicine, energy, space, or other scientific fields that lead to technological advancements with societal impact.
- Technology Accountability Reporting – Recognizes journalism that investigates the tech sector and its influence on society. This includes reporting on ethics, privacy, security, monopolies, misinformation, regulation, and the consequences of technology use and misuse.
- Data Journalism – Recognizes outstanding use of data in storytelling, showing the power of data-driven journalism to engage audiences.
- Business & Development Reporting – Includes small business and real estate/development news, focusing on economic growth and community impact.
- Infrastructure & Development Reporting – Recognizes journalism on transportation, energy, housing, and other infrastructure issues shaping community life.
- Energy Reporting – Includes issues focusing on energy and its impact on communities, economies, and the environment. Coverage may include traditional and renewable energy sources, climate and sustainability issues, infrastructure and utility operations, regulatory and policy developments, consumer impact, and innovation shaping the future of energy.
Political News & Government Coverage: Submit one story unless otherwise noted
- Political Reporting – Recognizes excellence in covering local, state, national, or international politics. Entries should demonstrate clarity, depth, and accuracy in explaining political processes, decisions, and their implications for the public.
- Elections Coverage – Honors outstanding journalism during election cycles, including reporting on candidates, debates, campaigns, ballot issues, and voter access. Entries should help the public make informed decisions at the polls.
- Public Policy Reporting – Awards reporting that translates complex policy or legislative issues into clear, accessible journalism that shows the impact on communities, businesses, and individuals.
- Government Accountability – Recognizes reporting that monitors government institutions, officials, and actions with a focus on transparency, ethics, and the responsible use of power.
Commentary, Columns & Editorial: Submit one story unless otherwise noted
- Best Column – Recognizes excellence in opinion columns on current events or public issues.
- Best Commentary – Awards insightful and impactful commentary on pressing issues.
- Best Editorial – Recognizes excellence in editorial writing on important societal issues.
- Best Editorial Cartoon – Honors creative editorial cartoons that make a statement on current events, societal trends, and/or accountability issues.
Education Coverage: Submit one story unless otherwise noted
- Education Reporting – Recognizes outstanding journalism covering education systems at the local, state, or national level, including K–12, higher education, and workforce training. (Fanelli Folio Award.)
- Education Trends & Innovation – Highlights emerging teaching methods, learning technologies, school models, and other innovations transforming how education is delivered.
- Education Policy & Reform – Awards coverage of policy debates, legislation, funding issues, and reform efforts shaping the future of education.
- Equity in Education Reporting – Recognizes stories exploring disparities in access, outcomes, or resources, including the impact of race, income, geography, or disability on educational opportunity.
- Student & Campus Life Coverage – Honors reporting on the student experience, campus culture, safety, and well-being in schools, colleges, and universities.
- Community & Workforce Education – Recognizes journalism covering adult learning, skills development, vocational training, and community education initiatives that expand opportunity.
Follow the Money: Submit one story unless otherwise noted
- Campaign Finance & Politics – Recognizes excellence in uncovering and explaining the role of money in politics, including campaign finance, lobbying, and special interest influence.
- Corporate Accountability – Awards reporting that tracks how corporations use, misuse, or influence money in ways that affect communities, workers, and markets.
- Public Spending & Government Finance – Recognizes outstanding journalism that monitors taxpayer dollars, budgets, contracts, and financial decisions made by government institutions.
Health & Wellness Coverage: Submit one story unless otherwise noted
- Health and Wellness Reporting – Honors exceptional reporting on personal and community health, mental health, digital wellness, and wellbeing.
- Healthcare Trends – Highlights emerging trends in healthcare systems and delivery, including technology, new models of care, and the business of healthcare.
- Health Innovations Reporting – Focuses on breakthroughs in medicine, treatments, devices, and other innovations that improve quality of life and health outcomes.
- Mental Health Coverage – Recognizes journalism that sheds light on mental health challenges, stigma, access to care, and solutions that support emotional well-being.
- Public Health & Policy Reporting – Awards coverage of health policy, government initiatives, and public health systems, including vaccination campaigns, epidemics, and preparedness.
- Health Equity Reporting – Recognizes stories that explore disparities in healthcare access and outcomes, examining how race, income, geography, or other factors impact community health.
Science & Medical Research
- Science & Medical Research Reporting – Honors reporting that translates complex medical or scientific research into clear, accessible journalism with public relevance.
Social & Cultural Coverage
- Cultural & Youth Reporting – Combines arts, culture, and youth-related issues, focusing on how cultural and generational trends shape society.
- Housing Reporting – Honors exceptional reporting on housing issues, including affordability, policy, and urban or suburban development.
- Religion Reporting (Msgr. Hartman Award) – Focuses on journalism that explores the role of religion in society and its impact.
- Community & Service Reporting – Combines community affairs, community service, and/or nonprofit news, recognizing the importance of community-oriented journalism.
- Global-to-Local Reporting – Combines coverage of global crises and immigration, exploring how international events affect local communities.
- Social Justice Reporting – Highlights journalism focused on systemic issues such as inequality, legal reform, and civil rights.
- Historical Reporting – Recognizes exceptional journalism focused on historical topics and their relevance to modern society.
- Lifestyle & Entertainment Coverage – Includes lifestyle topics such as food, travel, wellness, and entertainment news.
- Self-Care & Recovery – Recognizes uplifting news coverage focused on personal well-being, resilience, and renewal. Stories may highlight recovery from hardship, health and wellness practices, community support, or pathways to living healthier, more balanced lives.
- Positive News Coverage –Honors journalism that highlights uplifting stories across any beat or topic, showcasing solutions, progress, and moments that inspire hope, connection, or positive change in society.