2026 MRE Journalism Contest
This year Military Reporters & Editors is offering 20 awards to recognize the best in journalism.
TOP HONORS
Joseph L. Galloway Award for Distinguished Journalism
Named after UPI combat correspondent and McClatchy Newspapers columnist, Joe Galloway, this is Military Reporters & Editors award is for the Best of Show and is selected by the independent contest judges from all contest entries.
Includes a $1,000 prize awarded to one winning journalist.
James Crawley Award
This is in remembrance of Jim Crawley, a former president and member of MRE. Crawley was the chief military reporter at the San Diego Union-Tribune. He later covered national security and veterans affairs for Media General News Service. This is Military Reporters & Editors top honor chosen specifically by the contest judges from all text media submissions.
Includes a $500 prize awarded to one winning journalist.
AUDIO MEDIA Awards
Military Reporters & Editors offers four awards for audio journalism. Two awards are open to all audio journalism formats, including broadcast radio, online audio and podcasts, while two awards are reserved for radio only, based on market.
Best Audio Documentary
Best Audio Talk Show or Interview
Awards by Market
Best Radio News
- Division 1: International / National Market
- Division 2: Local / Regional Market
*At the sole discretion of contest judges a piece of work could be singled out for “Honorable Mention” resulting in more than four audio media awards.
TEXT MEDIA Awards
Military Reporters & Editors offers eight awards* for traditional print and online written-word journalism, in two separate divisions based on a media outlet’s newsroom size.
Best Breaking News Reporting
Best Enterprise / Feature Reporting
Best Investigative Reporting
Best Commentary / Opinion
- Division 1: Newsrooms with 20 or more reporters
- Division 2: Newsrooms with fewer than 20 reporters
*At the sole discretion of contest judges a piece of work could be singled out for “Honorable Mention” resulting in more than eight text media awards.
VIDEO MEDIA Awards
Military Reporters & Editors offers four awards* for broadcast television or online video journalism, in two separate divisions based on media outlet’s market.
Best TV / Video News
Best TV / Video Documentary
- Division 1: International / National Market
- Division 2: Local / Regional Market
*At the sole discretion of contest judges a piece of work could be singled out for “Honorable Mention” resulting in more than four video media awards.
VISUAL MEDIA Award
Military Reporters & Editors offers one award* for news photography published either in print or online.
Best Photojournalism
*At the sole discretion of contest judges a piece of work could be singled out for “Honorable Mention” resulting in more than one visual media award.
STUDENT MEDIA PROJECT
Military Reporters & Editors offers one award for a journalism student’s work submitted in any format – text, video, audio, visual media.
Best Promising Journalist