Wales Media Awards 2025 – winners announced
- Triple triumph for mid and west Wales weekly
- Wide range of winners from across broadcast, print and online News
- Investigative journalism honoured
Local journalism was celebrated at the Journalists’ Charity’s Wales Media Awards 2025 (16th January) with mid and west Wales title Cambrian News winning three top awards.
Cambrian News reporter Debbie Luxon (pictured above) took the evening’s main prize of Journalist of the Year, having also been named News Writer of the Year. The Cambrian News was voted Weekly Newspaper of the Year.
The Journalist of the Year award was chosen as overall winner from the winners of 19 award categories.
In their commendation, the judges said: “Our Journalist of the Year is a local journalist, providing a vital service for readers and shining a light on important issues. The winner constantly goes behind cold statistics to give a human face to issues, combining objectivity with empathy and an overriding commitment to the communities being served.”
The Cambrian News, in its print and online versions, was commended for its “strength of writing talent, of journalists working on their patch, dedicated to their community..delivering news with unrivalled gusto and packed with personality…a must-read example of local journalism at its best.”
The judges described the three awards as a triumph for weekly journalism at a time when the whole industry is facing significant challenges.
Showcase for excellence
Around 200 guests attended the awards ceremony at Cardiff’s Parkgate Hotel which showcased excellence in print, online and broadcast journalism in both English and Welsh.
Other winners included: Elen Wyn, Television News Journalist of the Year; Wyre Davies, Audio News Journalist of the Year; Will Hayward, Political Journalist of the Year; Wales Online’s Conor Gogarty, Specialist Journalist of the Year; and ITV News Wales’ Hamish Auskerry, Self-Shoot Journalist of the Year.
The trophy for Television News and Current Affairs Programme of the Year went to BBC Wales Investigates for its expose of extreme far right factions. BBC Radio Cymru’s investigation into Islam, Cymru a Ni took the prize for Audio News and Current Affairs Programme of the Year.
Nation Cymru was voted Online News Site of the Year while the Western Mail was named Daily/Sunday Newspaper of the Year.
An experienced team of judges comprising senior journalists from Wales and around the UK judged the entries.
Full list of winners/ Rhestr lawn o ennillwyr;
Young Journalist of the Year
Newyddiadurwr Ifanc y Flwyddyn
Louise Sadler
Weekly Newspaper of the Year
Papur Newydd Wythnosol y Flwyddyn
Cambrian News
Television News Journalist of the Year
Newyddiadurwr Newyddion Teledu y Flwyddyn
Elen Wyn
Television News and Current Affairs Programme of the Year
Rhaglen Newyddion a Materion Cyfoes Teledu y Flwyddyn
Unmasked: Extreme Far Right – BBC Wales Investigates
Television Camera Operator of the Year
Gweithredwr Camera Teledu y Flwyddyn
Luke Collinson
Stills Photographer of the Year
Ffotograffydd Llonydd y Flwyddyn
Rob Norman
Sports Journalist of the Year
Newyddiadurwr Chwaraeon y Flwyddyn
Chris Wathan
Specialist Journalist of the Year
Newyddiadurwr Arbenigol y Flwyddyn
Conor Gogarty
Self Shoot Journalist of the Year
Newyddiadurwr Hunan-Saethu y Flwyddyn
Hamish Auskerry
Political Journalist of the Year
Newyddiadurwr Gwleidyddol y Flwyddyn
Will Hayward
Podcast of the Year
Podlediad y Flwyddyn
Iconic: The Rise of the Women in Red
Online News Site of the Year
Safle Newyddion Ar-lein y Flwyddyn
Nation Cymru
News Writer of the Year
Awdur Newyddion y Flwyddyn
Debbie Luxon
Feature Writer/Columnist of the Year
Awdur Nodwedd/Colofnydd y Flwyddyn
Delyth Hughes
Ed Townsend Student Journalist of the Year
Myfyriwr Newyddiadurwr y Flwyddyn Ed Townsend
Miriam Hyde
Community Journalism of the Year
Newyddiaduraeth Gymunedol y Flwyddyn
Clonc 360
Daily/Sunday Newspaper of the Year
Papur Newydd Dyddiol/Sul y Flwyddyn
Western Mail
Audio News Journalist of the Year
Newyddiadurwr Sain y Flwyddyn
Wyre Davies
Audio News and Current Affairs Programme the Year
Rhaglen Newyddion a Materion Cyfoes Sain y Flwyddyn
Islam, Cymru a Ni (BBC Radio Cymru)
Journalist of the Year
Newyddiadurwr y Flwyddyn
Debbie Luxon ( pictured above )
