El concurso periodístico «Sunshine State Awards» de la SPJ anuncia los galardonados de 2026
Los Sunshine State Awards, the largest and longest-running state journalism competition in Florida, have announced the 2026 winners, recognizing outstanding work conducted in 2025. The awards were presented this afternoon at a ceremony held at ArtServe Fort Lauderdale.
The top honor of the competition is the A-Mark Investigative Journalism Award, funded through a grant from the A-Mark Foundation. This award recognizes the essential role of investigative journalism in holding public powers accountable, promoting transparency, and empowering citizens in a democratic society. A total of $15,000 in cash awards has been given to the following recipients:
First place: The investigative team from the Miami Herald and WLRN News for their series "Brightline: Florida's Killer Train."
Second place: Michael Barfield and Derek Gilliam from Suncoast Searchlight and Florida Trident for their series "Sarasota County Stormwater Investigation."
Third place: Nichole Manna and Casey Frank from The Florida Trib for their series "Cold-Blooded": How a Florida prosecutor manipulated a "weak" case by relying on a liar and three jail rats to send a man to death row.
In addition to the A-Mark Award and other special recognitions, journalists were awarded in seven categories, including Print and Digital, Photography and Design, Television and Video, Radio and Audio, Digital, Spanish Language, and Student. The Sunshine State Awards program, established in 1994, is presented by SPJ Florida in collaboration with the South Florida chapters of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and the National Association of Black Journalists. Submissions are evaluated by professionals and educators outside the Florida market, with net proceeds reinvested in training, programs, and advocacy for journalists.
The competition is open to professional journalists from print, radio, television, and digital media in Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as journalists from other states reporting on Florida. The Student Division accepts submissions from university students in Florida and has a specific category for high school journalists. The submission period for the 2027 Sunshine State Awards will open in February.