About the Awards

ABOUT THE WALTER CRONKITE AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE IN TELEVISION POLITICAL JOURNALISM

The Walter Cronkite Awards

Established in 2001 and administered by the Norman Lear Center at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, the award recognizes television journalism that helps viewers understand the issues and candidates, and how voters' electoral choices will affect their lives. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the award.

The Brooks Jackson Prize for Fact-Checking Political Messages

The Brooks Jackson Prize is administered by the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania. It is named in honor of the founding director of FactCheck.org, a nonpartisan, nonprofit advocate for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics.

FAQs
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Our Jury and Screeners

The Cronkite Awards Jury

Willow Bay
Dean, USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism

Gordon Stables
Director, USC Annenberg School of Journalism

Christina Bellantoni
Professor, Director of the Annenberg Media Center, USC Annenberg

*Seth Doane
CBS News correspondent

Susan Friedman
Award-winning journalist

Rebecca Haggerty
Professor, Director of Undergraduate Journalism Studies at USC Annenberg

Mark Lloyd
​​Professor, USC Annenberg

*Brad Luck
​​Digital Director, NBC Connecticut

Judy Muller
​​Professor, USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism

Stacy Scholder
Professor, Director of Annenberg TV News at USC Annenberg

Heidi Schulman
Broadcast journalist and producer

*Rachel Scott
​​White House Correspondent, ABC News

Willa Seidenberg
​​Professor, Director of Annenberg Radio News at USC Annenberg

Allissa V. Richardson
​​Professor, USC Annenberg

*Nick Valencia
​CNN Correspondent

Cronkite Award Entry Screeners

Patrick Becker: News producer at WABC-TV, New York
Dan Birman: TV producer and USC Annenberg Journalism professor
*Irene Byon: News producer, NBC 7, San Diego
*Shawn Chitnis: Multimedia journalist for CBS, Denver
*Kaitlin Funaro: Media relations professional; former freelance producer at Southern California Public Radio
*Lori Jane Gliha: 15x Regional Emmy Award-winning investigative journalist at Rocky Mountain PBS’ Insight with John Ferrugia
*Gretchen Goldsmith: Emmy Award-winning news & documentary producer; USC Annenberg lecturer
*Alex Goldsmith: Chief Noisemaker at Grey Fox Games; host of Dukes of Dice Podcast; former KRQE Media
*Anne Hsu: Producer at CBS Interactive
*Kim Leoffler: Reporter and multimedia journalist at Spectrum Bay News Bay News 9, Tampa
*Alexa Liacko: Multimedia journalist for FOX 5, Atlanta
*David McAlpine: Producer at Fox News
Liz Mitchell: Former producer, writer, coordinating producer, post production coordinator and segment producer
*Stacey Persoff: Producer at CBS This Morning
Lew Rothbart: Newswriter, producer and assignment editor at KNBC, Los Angeles; former KTLA news director
*Marc Sallinger: Reporter at WBIR 10 News, Knoxville
*Matt Schrader: Investigative and consumer news producer at KOVR-TV, Sacramento
*Max Schwartz: Freelance reporter/producer
*Cole Sullivan: Multimedia journalist at WBIR 10 News, Knoxville
*Ani Ucar: ‎Producer at VICE News Tonight on HBO
*Kris Van Cleave: Emmy Award and Murrow Award-winning reporter; CBS News Transportation correspondent
*Joy Wang: Reporter and Weekend Morning Weather Anchor at KOB4, Albuquerque
*Darren Zulberti: News producer at KTVU-TV, Fox, S.F. Bay Area

* denotes USC Annenberg Alumni

Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT IS THE DEADLINE FOR Submissions?

A video reel of no more than 30 minutes, plus an accompanying narrative must be submitted by February 22, 2021. Judging will take place in March 2021 and winners will be contacted via email in April 2021.

WHO CAN ENTER?

The Cronkite Awards are open to stations, station groups, networks, news programs and individuals. Local stations can come from markets of any size. Broadcast, cable, commercial and public television are eligible, as are online-original video news sites. Non-English entries (accompanied by English translation) are welcome.

What is the cost to enter?

There is no entry fee for this year's awards.

Can I enter more than once?

There is no limit to the number of submissions per news organization. But each entry must fit a single topic criterion: 1) the pandemic; 2) systemic racism; 3) the integrity of elections; or 4) fact-checking in pandemic science.

When will we hear if we've won?

Winners will be contacted in mid-April. The virtual awards ceremony will take place in May 2021.

When will the awards ceremony be?

The virtual awards ceremony is scheduled for May 2021.

How do we submit our video?

Videos must be no longer than 30 minutes in length. They can be uploaded in the submission form through our awards management website. Links to the online videos can also be provided.

Who administers the walter cronkite awards?

The awards are administered by the Norman Lear Center at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, in coordination with the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania.

Who can i contact for questions regarding submissions?

Questions can be directed to enter@usc.edu.