Variety Wins 20 National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards, Including Print Journalist of the Year

Variety emerged as the clear leader at the recent 18th National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards, hosted by the Los Angeles Press Club. The publication’s impressive haul of 20 first-place honors marks a substantial jump from its 14 wins the previous year, solidifying its position as the top-performing print outlet at the ceremony. The awarded work, produced during the 2024-25 period, demonstrated remarkable range, securing victories in categories from breaking news and industry analysis to criticism and visual arts, reflecting the breadth of its editorial authority.

Individual journalists and collaborative teams were both celebrated for their contributions. Chief music critic Chris Willman was crowned Print Journalist of the Year, a capstone to his five awards. Among these was Best Music Feature for his comprehensive international examination of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, a cultural phenomenon that has redefined the economics of live music. The visual department also excelled, with a creative cover package on the same tour—notable for its use of friendship bracelet-inspired typography—winning Best Cover Art. This focus on design underscores how vital compelling visuals have become in capturing audience attention in a crowded media landscape.

The executive editors delivered award-winning investigative and analytical work on pivotal industry stories. Brent Lang was recognized for his business reporting on the ongoing disruptive influence of Netflix and for commentary on the notoriously troubled production of "Jaws," a film that fundamentally established the modern summer blockbuster template. In television, Michael Schneider took top honors for hard news coverage, specifically a report on local journalists documenting devastating wildfires in their own communities. Media historian Dr. Elena Torres observed that such reporting "exemplifies the profound personal risk and emotional burden shouldered by journalists who cover crises impacting their homes, a trend increasingly common in an era of climate-related disasters."

Critical perspectives were also prominently featured among the winners. Chief film critic Owen Gleiberman and editor-at-large Kate Aurthur won for their respective career appreciations of actor Val Kilmer and actress Shannen Doherty. Other first-place awards included Daniel D'Addario for theater criticism, Clayton Davis for an online column challenging hate speech in comedy, and Matt Donnelly for film business reporting. The global scope of Variety’s coverage was evident in wins for Naman Ramachandran's profile of director Deepa Mehta and Leo Barraclough's feature on a documentary exposing Kremlin propaganda tactics.

Beyond its 20 first-place finishes, Variety secured dozens of second- and third-place awards at the gala, held at Los Angeles's historic Millennium Biltmore Hotel—a venue long associated with journalistic accolades, as it also hosts the annual SoCal Journalism Awards. The evening included honorary recognitions for legends like singer-songwriter Paul Anka, recipient of a Legend Award. Anka concluded the ceremony with a customized performance of his classic "My Way," with lyrics rewritten to honor both his career and the work of the journalists in attendance, providing a resonant finale to a night dedicated to excellence in storytelling across all platforms.