Columbia University announced the winners of the 2023 Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Award on Monday night. The annual awards honor the best in television journalism, documentaries and digital reporting.
CBS Evening News Host and Managing Editor Norah O’Donnell and PBS NewsHour Co-Chair Amna Nawaz personally hosted the ceremony in New York City at the Low Memorial Library for the first time first after three years.
“Tonight’s honorees are recognized for the quality of their work… this truly extraordinary profession of journalism,” O’Donnell said in his opening remarks. “But we also want to acknowledge the courage it took to begin reporting these difficult stories and the perseverance to get them done. As any journalist knows, this type of journalism encounters resistance — but you never give up!”
She continued, “Know this: The work you do is more important than ever. In an age of the 24-hour news cycle, meticulous reporting and storytelling — is crucial.”
PBS and CNN led the honorees, each receiving two awards. PBS . news hour won for in-depth coverage of Ukraine and Afghanistan, and PBS’ new won an award for an episode that explores the disturbing phenomenon of Arctic sinkholes that are threatening the climate.
CNN also won an award for breaking news from Ukraine, as did CNN Films for their documentary. navyfollows the leader of the Russian opposition, Alexey Navalny, through his life and assassination plots.
CBS News’ 60 minutes won thanks to a four-part series documenting national security in the information age. Additional documentaries from HBO Documentary Films and ABC News/Hulu were also among the winners, as were several podcasts that were honored.
Five local news stations have won awards for their reporting in their communities.
“I know there are students from Columbia’s School of Journalism who are also in the room tonight. My father was a student here 50 years ago. He’s a journalist in Pakistan, and a J-school scholarship brought him to America,” Nawaz said during the ceremony. “He taught me to always ask tough questions, listen carefully, choose your words wisely. That’s what makes good journalism, and that’s why we need more good journalism at this point in history.”
The duPont-Columbia Awards were established in 1942. A jury of industry veterans selects 30 finalists and 16 winners each year.
Below is the full list of winners.
CBS news
60 min: National Security in the Information Age
PBS | GBH | NOVA
Arctic sinkhole
This American life
Talking While Black
PBS NewsHour & Jane Ferguson (Accompanied by news on Ukraine)
The Fall of Afghanistan And War in Ukraine
listen
Detect tamika
KARE 11 Minneapolis/St. Paul & AJ Lagoe/Brandon Stahl
GAP: Failure of treatment, Failure of protection
HBO Documentaries
the Janes
WXIA Atlanta TV & Rebecca Lindstrom
#Maintain
ABC News | Hulu
Leave No Trace: The Boy Scouts’ Hidden History
WBRZ-TV Baton Rouge & Chris Nakamoto
Murder – Lies – EVIDENCE: Holding Louisiana State Police Accountable
Movie CNN | HBO Max
navy
WTVF-TV Nashville & Phil Williams
NewsChannel 5 investigation: Disclosure
KXAS-TV NBC 5 Dallas/Ft. Values & Scott Friedman
National paper card
The Washington Post: Post reports
A Post-Roe America: Continuing Abortion Coverage
Gimlet Communications | Spotify
Stolen: Surviving in St. Michael’s
Global CNN
Ukraine
