UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism

Two episodes from UC Berkeley Journalism’s flagship student publication North Gate Radio on KALX radio have been named finalists in the College Broadcasters 2026 National Student Production Awards. The CBI Awards recognize outstanding work in audio, video, news, sports, storytelling, promotion and digital presence.

The Society of Professional Journalists is honoring the Police Records Access Project — a pioneering initiative by journalists and data scientists to make California’s police misconduct records available to and searchable by the public and press — with a 2026 Sunshine Award for advancing the principles of open government.

Lori Leibovich (’97) has worked in digital media since she was a student at the J-School in the mid-1990s. Since 2021, she has been the editor of Well at The New York Times where she oversees a team of 35 journalists who cover all aspects of health and wellness. Bonnie Eslinger (’98) asked Leibovich about her North Gate memories, how she spends her time away from work and for words of advice for journalists just starting out.

JoeBill Muñoz (’19) and Lucas Guilkey’s (’19) joyous reactions during their acceptance speech at the News & Documentary Awards. COURTESY NATAS. Following a record 40 nominations, UC Berkeley Journalism alums took home 12 coveted statues at the 47th Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards in May, including a documentary incubated at our Investigative Reporting Program.

Three UC Berkeley Journalism alums have been honored in the Society of Professional Journalists’ Sigma Delta Chi Awards for the most outstanding work published or broadcast in 2025. They are among 73 winners from more than 1,000 entries submitted. The awards recognize excellence in everything from breaking news and investigative reporting to photography, podcasts and cultural criticism.

From top left: Erin Stone (’19), Katie Licari (’22), Semantha Raquel Norris (’22), Andrew Lopez (‘23), Jill Replogle (’10), Susan Leibowitz (‘87), Sean Greene (’14), Robin Urevich (’09), Abené Clayton (’19) and Steve Fisher (’14). Eleven UC Berkeley Journalism alums have been honored in the Los Angeles Press Club’s 68th Southern California Journalism Awards for the best reporting in or about Southern California in 2025 in print, broadcast and digital media.

Award-winning documentary filmmaker Jason-Spingarn-Koff, the Knight Chair of Climate Journalism at UC Berkeley Journalism and a UC Berkeley Journalism alum who studied with legendary Documentary Professor Emeritus Jon Else, will premiere his new film “The Coral Rescuers” on July 28 at The Woods Hole Film Festival.

From top left: Tarini Mehta (’24), Steve Fisher (’14), Kathleen Quinn (’24), Julietta Bisharyan (’23), Katie Rodriguez (’23), Susie Neilson (’19), Aaron Leathley (’21), Tanay Gokhale (’23) and Betty Márquez Rosales (’20). Sixteen UC Berkeley Journalism alums have been honored with 2025 California Journalism Awards from the California News Publishers Association for excellent reporting, photography, multimedia and design in print and online publications across the state.

Media Release July 6, 2026 California is reinforcing its role as the national leader in rebuilding local journalism, approving a $15-million investment in reporting and editing fellowships and newsroom leadership training and sustainability initiatives in the state budget signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last week.

Matthew Mitchell (’25) and Susie Neilson (’19) An investigation developed at UC Berkeley Journalism’s Investigative Reporting Program in collaboration with the San Francisco Chronicle by alums Matthew Mitchell (’25) and Susie Neilson (’19) is shedding light on serious failures by San Francisco’s HomeRise, one of the largest non-profits serving formerly unhoused people in the city.