Virginia Press Association
Founded in 1881
The Virginia Press Association awards the A-Mark Prize for Investigative Journalism in Virginia as part of its annual journalism awards. Entry is open to all Virginia-based news media organizations, including newspapers, radio and TV broadcast outlets, and digital-only platforms. Freelance journalists based in Virginia whose work is published or aired by Virginia outlets may also enter. Judging criteria includes:
- Quality of Journalism: Depth of research, accuracy, fairness, accountability.
- Quality of Presentation: Clarity, storytelling structure, and effective use of visuals or multimedia.
- Responsiveness to Community Needs: How well the reporting reflects and serves community concerns.
- Impact: Demonstrated or potential influence on awareness, public dialogue, policy, or community outcomes.
A-Mark Prize Recipients
2026
First Place
Peter Cary, Christopher Stern, Lynn Medford, Doug Stroud, and Laura Stanton, “The New Energy Crisis,” Fauquier Times
Second Place
Cardinal News Staff, “State of Surveillance: Everyone’s Watching,” Cardinal News (Links: 1, 2, 3, 4)
Third Place
Joey LoMonaco, Kendall Perkinson, Taft Coghill Jr., Kathy Knotts, and Lindley Estes, “The Tribe,” Fredericksburg Free Press (Open in Apple Podcasts or Spotify)