Reason Receives 17 Nominations for Southern California Journalism Awards

Reason has been nominated for 17 Southern California Journalism Awards, the Los Angeles Press Club announced Monday. We have nominees in magazine, video, and podcast categories. The winners will be announced on June 28 at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

Columnist

Editor in Chief Katherine Mangu-Ward for “Hypocrisy on Bodily Autonomy at the DEA,” from the February 2025 issue of Reason; “Why Free Movement Is Essential to a Free Society,” from the August/September 2025 issue of Reason; and “Don’t Fear ‘Frankenfood.’ We’re Already Living in the Lab-Grown Future,” from the October 2025 issue of Reason.

Investigative

Reporter Billy Binion for “Not Guilty but Punished Anyway,” from the May 2025 issue of Reason. This delves into a little-known aspect of the U.S. criminal justice system: Defendants can be sentenced for charges a jury rejected.

Feature, Entertainment (Over 1,000 Words)

Assistant Editor Joe Lancaster for “How the Punisher, a Murderous Anti-Hero, Became the Mascot for Increasingly Militarized Police Forces,” from the December 2025 issue of Reason. This explores how law enforcement figures have adopted Marvel’s Punisher as an aspirational symbol rather than a cautionary one.

NATIONAL POLITICS/GOVERNMENT REPORTING

Science Correspondent Ronald Bailey for “Can America Get Out of the Gerontocracy Trap?” from the May 2025 issue of Reason. This examines the harms of America’s gerontocracy and explores a surprising solution.

IMMIGRATION REPORTING, Sociopolitical

Deputy Managing Editor Fiona Harrigan for “An El Paso Christian Charity Is Caught Up in Texas’ Border Fight Against the Feds,” from the February 2025 issue of Reason. This reports on the government’s pursuit of a Christian charity that feeds, shelters, and clothes immigrants.

BUSINESS REPORTING

Reporter Eric Boehm for “Trump’s War on Chocolate: ‘There’s No Way for Us To Source This Domestically,'” from the November 2025 issue of Reason. This probes how tariffs have been hurting American chocolatiers.

activism journalism

Reporter C.J. Ciaramella for “Texas and Florida Have Become National Models for Using the Police State To Wage Culture War Battles,” from the November 2025 issue of Reason. This explores how some governments are using culture-war battles to fuel a police state that threatens individual freedom.

INVESTIGATIVE, Government Related

Reporter Christian Britschgi for “New Jersey Town Says Small Setbacks, Stray Cats Allow It To Seize Private Property.” This examines allegations that a local government is trying to seize property from business owners by using flimsy accusations of blight.

BEST ISSUE

Art Director Joanna Andreasson for her work on the August/September 2025 issue, which looks at freedom around the globe.

Humor/satire writing

Producer Andrew Heaton, Senior Producer Austin Bragg, Director of Special Projects Meredith Bragg, and Producer John Carter for “Andor v. Star Trek: How Star Wars gets government right.”

Producer Andrew Heaton, Senior Producer Austin Bragg, Director of Special Projects Meredith Bragg, and Producer John Carter for “Every confirmation hearing ever.”

activism journalism

Senior Producer Zach Weissmueller, Editor John Osterhoudt, and Motion Graphics Artist Lex Villena for “Snowden was right. Now Trump should pardon him.”

solutions journalism

Editor at Large Nick Gillespie, former Producer Justin Zuckerman, Editor Hana Ko, Audio Engineer Ian Keyser, and Motion Graphics Artist Lex Villena for “How Texas beat California on housing.”

Investigative

Contributer Aaron Brown for “Are poor geniuses being shut out of science?,” “Does legalizing sex work increase human trafficking?,” and “The global warming rat apocalypse debunked” from Wrong Number, his series that challenges common narratives based on misreadings of data.

HUMAN INTEREST FEATURE (Over 5 Minutes)

Senior Producer Zach Weissmueller, Editor John Osterhoudt, and Motion Graphics Artist Lex Villena for “Why Trump made a deal to free Ross Ulbricht.”

PERSONALITY PROFILE/INTERVIEW, Entertainment Personalities (Over 10 Minutes)

Editor at Large Nick Gillespie for “Alton Brown: A Culinary Legend Offers Food for Thought.”

PERSONALITY PROFILE/INTERVIEW, Non-Entertainment Personalities (Over 10 Minutes)

Reporter Billy Binion for “Helen Prejean: Why This Nun Is Fighting To End the Death Penalty.”