Reason has been nominated for 17 Southern California Journalism Awards, the Los Angeles Press Club announced Monday. We have nominees in magazine, video, and podcast categories. The winners will be announced on June 28 at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

MAGAZINE DIVISIONS

Columnist Contribution

A columnist entry features three Reason pieces: “Hypocrisy on Bodily Autonomy at the DEA,” from the February 2025 issue; “Why Free Movement Is Essential to a Free Society,” from the August/September 2025 issue; and “Don’t Fear ‘Frankenfood.’ We’re Already Living in the Lab-Grown Future,” from the October 2025 issue.

Investigative

An investigative feature covers a little-known aspect of the U.S. justice system: defendants may be punished for charges the jury rejected, in “Not Guilty but Punished Anyway,” from the May 2025 issue.

Feature, Entertainment (Over 1,000 Words)

A long-form piece titled “How the Punisher, a Murderous Anti-Hero, Became the Mascot for Increasingly Militarized Police Forces,” from the December 2025 issue, examines how law-enforcement agencies have embraced Marvel’s Punisher as an aspirational symbol rather than a warning.

PRINT/ONLINE CONTENT

NATIONAL POLITICS/GOVERNMENT REPORTING

An article in the national politics and government beat, “Can America Get Out of the Gerontocracy Trap?” from the May 2025 issue, analyzes the harms of America’s aging political class and considers a surprising solution.

IMMIGRATION REPORTING, Sociopolitical

A piece on an El Paso Christian charity entangled in Texas’ border fight against the federal government, from the February 2025 issue; it documents the government’s pursuit of a charity that feeds, shelters, and clothes migrants.

PRINT

BUSINESS REPORTING

The piece “Trump’s War on Chocolate: ‘There’s No Way for Us To Source This Domestically,'” from the November 2025 issue, investigates tariffs’ impact on American chocolate makers.

Activism Journalism

The piece “Texas and Florida Have Become National Models for Using the Police State To Wage Culture War Battles,” from the November 2025 issue, explores how certain governments leverage culture-war campaigns to fuel a police state that threatens individual freedom.

ONLINE

Investigative, Government Related

An online investigative piece examines allegations that a New Jersey town seeks to seize private property from business owners by weaponizing flimsy blight claims and citing minor setbacks or stray cats as pretexts.

ART/PHOTOGRAPHY

BEST ISSUE

The Best Issue distinction goes to the design team’s work on the August/September 2025 issue, which surveys freedom around the world.

BROADCAST—TV/FILM/RADIO/PODCAST

Humor/ Satire Writing

The team behind “Andor v. Star Trek: How Star Wars gets government right” is recognized for humor and satire writing.

The team behind “Every confirmation hearing ever.” is also recognized in this category.

Activism Journalism

The entry “Snowden was right. Now Trump should pardon him” showcases activism journalism.

Solutions Journalism

The solutions journalism piece “How Texas beat California on housing” highlights policy approaches that led to housing wins in Texas; produced by a collaborative team.

TELEVISION/FILM BROADCAST

Investigative

Acontributor for “Are poor geniuses being shut out of science?,” “Does legalizing sex work increase human trafficking?,” and “The global warming rat apocalypse debunked” from Wrong Number, a series that challenges common narratives by reinterpreting data.

HUMAN INTEREST FEATURE (Over 5 Minutes)

A human-interest feature (over 5 minutes) from the same project: “Why Trump made a deal to free Ross Ulbricht.”

AUDIO JOURNALISM

PERSONALITY PROFILE/INTERVIEW, Entertainment Personalities (Over 10 Minutes)

An entertainment-oriented audio profile titled “Alton Brown: A Culinary Legend Offers Food for Thought.”

PERSONALITY PROFILE/INTERVIEW, Non-Entertainment Personalities (Over 10 Minutes)

A personality interview exploring Helen Prejean’s campaign to end the death penalty.