Press Release

June
20
2025

Hold the Line Coalition Welcomes Maria Ressa and Rappler's Acquittal on Foreign Ownership Case, Urges Closure of Remaining Case

A Filipino court has acquitted Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Rappler CEO Maria Ressa, along with five Rappler directors, in a long-standing anti-dummy case. Filed in 2018 under the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte, the case was based on the allegation that Rappler had violated constitutional restrictions on foreign ownership of media.
June
11
2025

Journalists from Nigeria, Venezuela Win Prestigious 2025 ICFJ Knight Awards

The International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) today announced its 2025 Knight Award winners – two journalists who have demonstrated exceptional courage and perseverance in exposing wrongdoing in environments that are incredibly hostile to the press. The awardees are: César Batiz, an investigative journalist in exile who is the co-founder and director of the pioneering El Pitazo in Venezuela; and Philip Obaji Jr., a Nigerian journalist who has documented Russian atrocities in Central and West Africa as a correspondent for The Daily Beast.
June
6
2025

Sustaining Journalism in Exile: New Toolkit Released

Once in exile to escape threats and danger, journalists soon face a new set of challenges: how to sustain their careers, communities and reporting from afar. ICFJ’s International Journalists’ Network (IJNet), in collaboration with the Network of Exiled Media Outlets (NEMO), has expanded its Exiled Media Toolkit to include a comprehensive section on viability, produced by ICFJ Knight Fellow José J. Nieves.
April
23
2025

NBC News’ Lester Holt to Receive Top Journalism Award

The International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) has named NBC News anchor Lester Holt the 2025 winner of the ICFJ Founders Award for Excellence in Journalism. This honor recognizes Holt's exceptional record serving the public with consequential, reliable news coverage for more than four decades.
April
9
2025

Journalists from Nigeria and Ghana Win 2025 Michael Elliott Award

Godwin Asediba and Silas Jonathan are the 2025 winners of the Michael Elliott Award for Excellence in African Storytelling.
April
7
2025

News Creators ‘Redefining What Journalism Can Be’ Win Inaugural ICFJ Award

Independent news creators from eight countries have been selected for ICFJ’s inaugural News Creator Award for Excellence in Independent Video Journalism. The awardees represent a diverse range of media platforms and storytelling approaches, from longform videos on Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement to reels challenging misconceptions of so-called “green mining” in

March
28
2025

ICFJ se Suma a Otras 9 Organizaciones Internacionales Para Presentar un Amicus Curiae en el Caso del Periodista Guatemalteco Encarcelado José Rubén Zamora

Un grupo de 10 organizaciones internacionales presentó esta semana un amicus curiae ante la Corte Suprema de Justicia de Guatemala en el caso del periodista José Rubén Zamora Marroquín. El amicus, presentado el 26 de marzo, argumenta que el retorno de Zamora a prisión preventiva constituye una violación de sus derechos fundamentales bajo el derecho guatemalteco e internacional, e insta a la Corte a otorgar un recurso de amparo pendiente y permitir que el Sr. Zamora lleve su proceso bajo medidas sustitutivas.
March
28
2025

ICFJ Joins 9 Other International Organizations in Submitting Amicus Brief in Case of Imprisoned Guatemalan Journalist José Rubén Zamora

A group of 10 international organizations submitted an amicus curiae brief to Guatemala’s Supreme Court in the case of journalist José Rubén Zamora Marroquín. The brief, filed on March 26, argues that Zamora’s return to preventive detention constitutes a violation of his fundamental rights under Guatemalan and international law, and urges the Court to grant a pending amparo appeal and allow Zamora to return to house arrest.
March
19
2025

Media Funding, Trust Metrics, News Creators and More: The 2025 International Journalism Festival

The International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) will be at the International Journalism Festival in Perugia, Italy this spring to learn, connect and collaborate with other journalists and media supporters from across the world. ICFJ team members will contribute to discussions on critical topics ranging from funding models and press freedom to AI's impact and innovative approaches to measuring impact. Sessions can be watched live online, and recordings will be available here.
February
10
2025

Journalism Contest Winners Shed Light on Under-Reported Global Challenge: Road Safety

Winners of the Road Safety Reporting Competition and Awards drew attention to the threats faced by motorcyclists in Nigeria, poor highway design in Nepal, and the human toll of poor road safety globally, especially in low- and middle-income countries, where nine in 10 of all road deaths occur.