On Sunday night, the Los Angeles Press Club presented the 68th annual Southern California Journalism Awards, marking Variety’s 16th No. 1 win.
Variety’s first place ranking also included an award in the music criticism category, which went to Variety magazine’s head of music, Jem Aswad. Owen Gleiberman, movie criticism in 1,000 words or less. TV critic Aramide Tinubu. The accolades were awarded during a lengthy ceremony at the Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.
Variety received 100 mentions and entered the night as the top overall nominee. The Southern California Journalism Awards span print newspapers, magazines, television, radio, digital news outlets, radio, podcasting and social media.
Variety’s top winners are:
Selome Heil in a feature under 1,000 words: “How Planned Parenthood’s Karen Spruch teams up with Lena Dunham and other creators to delicately portray abortion on screen.”
Brent Lang, Online Film/Broadcast Feature: “Doc-filled with controversy and post-Sundance legal threats, ‘The Stringer’ questions the origins of the iconic ‘Napalm Girl’ photo”
Trish Deitch Personality Profile: “‘I Can’t Be Me’: Jamie Lee Curtis’ 47-Year Career, Why She Fell in Love with Christopher Guest, and Why Charlie Kirk Hopes He’s Found God.”
Personality Profile, Elise Shafer on Music and Arts Personality: “Diana Silvers Follows Folk Heroes with Debut Album ‘From Another Room’ and Speaking Truth to Power: ‘If Your Art Doesn’t Frighten You, It’s Not Really Worth It’ (Exclusive)”
Entertainment photo by Richard Phibbs, Jennifer Dorn, Jennifer Halper: May 2025 Cover “A$AP Rocky”
Daniel Daddario thanks movie and TV personality for passing away: “Hollywood’s humanist: Rob Reiner was a talented collaborator who understood why we tell stories.”
KJ Yossman in Consumer News or Features: “BBC Crisis Explained: How the beloved British broadcaster fell into the worst scandal in its 100-year history and what’s next.”
Kate Orser (Film Features, Production History): “Bravo boss Frances Berwick talks about the ‘joy’ of BravoCon and who the network will tolerate (Karen Huger!) and who it won’t (probably Jen Shah).”
Naman Ramachandran, Theater and Arts Feature: “‘MJ The Musical’ Star Jamal Fields-Green talks about the ‘huge responsibility’ of playing Michael Jackson on stage”
Ethan Shanfeld’s music feature, “Inside the Diddy Trial Circus: How Screaming Fans, Baby Oil, and Street Preachers Turned the Courtroom into a House of Madness.”
Ramin Setoude (Entertainment Features, TV/Streaming): “Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield and Ayo Edebiri aren’t holding back: ‘After the Hunt’ stars make this year’s most provocative film.”
Brian Steinberg (Culture News/TV Features): “CBS is giving the Evening News a major overhaul. People need to watch it now.”
Brian Steinberg of Business Report: “TV news faces creator disruption as anchors chase digital dreams that bring big bucks (or little return).”
Further in the future
(Top photo: After the Hunt stars photographed for Variety’s September 2025 cover story on the Luca Guadagnino film)
