The Esserman-Knight Journalism Awards seek to celebrate and encourage outstanding investigative and public service reporting in South Florida and to foster a community that cares deeply about local news.
Entries should serve the public by holding the powerful to account, shining a light on a pervasive or underreported community problem, or breaking new ground on an issue. The work will be judged by the quality of analysis and storytelling, the rigor of newsgathering, the inclusion of community voices, and the impact on public understanding or action.
The awards are by nomination only. Self nominations are not accepted. Anyone in South Florida can nominate an article or series of related articles (up to three) on a single topic for the honor. Journalists or teams of journalists who published or broadcasted stories in 2023 that include original reporting from Miami-Dade, Broward, or Monroe counties are eligible.
We encourage nominations from all mediums. Print, online, television, podcasts, radio, video, audio and data visualization work— standalone or combination—are eligible.
The awards include a $10,000 first prize, a $5,000 second prize, and honorable mentions at $1,000. Winners will be notified in April, with a public announcement and awards event to follow.
For further information, please consult our frequently asked questions or email esserman@kf.org.