WASHINGTON, D.C. – Scripps News, the national streaming network owned by The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP), has been recognized with three prestigious National Headliner Awards, including a Best in Show honor, and two Deadline Club finalist nominations. KNXV, Scripps’ ABC station in Phoenix, also received three National Headliner Awards.
“These honors reflect the commitment, courage and skill of our journalists who deliver exceptional reporting under the most challenging circumstances,” said Dean Littleton, executive vice president of media broadcast operations at Scripps. “From documenting battlefield innovations to uncovering urgent public health crises, these honored stories showcase the ability of our teams to bring audiences in-depth, impactful stories that inform, engage and inspire.”
Headliner medallions are presented annually to outstanding writers, photographers, daily newspapers, magazines, graphic artists, radio and television stations and networks and news syndicates.
The National Headliner Awards include:
Scripps News, Best in Show and First Place: TV network health, science or environmental reporting: “In the Shadows with Jason Bellini: Drone War Medics”
On the frontlines of the Russia–Ukraine war, combat medics turned to drones in a desperate bid to reach and stabilize wounded soldiers. Scripps News international correspondent Jason Bellini captured new technologies and lifesaving techniques tested under fire. The episode explored how these innovations could change combat medicine forever.
Judges’ comments: “‘Drone War Medics’ shows how drone warfare in Ukraine has fundamentally changed battlefield medicine. Reporting from inside an elite combat medic unit, Jason Bellini captures the human cost of saving lives under constant aerial threat. Exceptionally produced under active combat conditions, this piece sets the bar for documentary filmmaking in a war zone. It pairs powerful storytelling with a rare frontline perspective and striking cinematography to create a truly immersive and educational experience for audiences.”
Other members of the team who helped produce the documentary include: Linda Pattillo, managing editor; Steve Turnham, Washington bureau chief; Nick Refuerzo, graphics editor; and Dmytro Kovalchuk, Ukraine producer.
Scripps News, Third Place: News video 3-10 minutes: “Found on The Guadalupe”
More than 100 people were killed in Kerr County, Texas, when the Guadalupe River overflowed during a powerful storm on July 4, 2025. Scripps News reporter Michael Anthony Adams told the story of the small group of volunteers who took on the painstaking task of recovering and returning remnants of people’s lives found along the River. Pattillo also contributed to this report.
KNXV, Second Place: Local investigative reporting: “(in)defensible”
ABC 15 Arizona chief investigator Dave Biscobing and investigative photojournalist Gerard Watson revealed how false accusations from a powerful local family, coupled with flawed police in a small-town nearly sent an innocent man to prison. The investigation sparked calls for greater accountability in the town’s justice system.
KNXV, Third Place: Local newscast: “DCS: State of Failure”
The team of ABC 15 journalists were recognized for their series “DCS: State of Failure” – which includes ongoing reporting and interviews on the Arizona Department of Child Safety, which has failed to protect vulnerable children from abuse, neglect and danger.
KNXV, Second Place: Local public service: “Seeking Death”
ABC 15 Arizona chief investigative reporter Dave Biscobing, in collaboration with ProPublica’s Nicole Santa Cruz, reviewed nearly 350 death penalty cases in Maricopa County from 2004 to 2023. The investigation revealed capital cases rarely end in death but cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.
View the full list of National Headliner Award recipients here.
The Deadline Club Awards are a prestigious journalism competition in New York City that recognizes excellence in journalism across various categories like newspaper and digital reporting, magazine, radio and audio reporting, digital video and television.
Deadline Club Award finalist nominations:
“In the Shadows with Jason Bellini: Roman in Red and Black”
Scripps News international correspondent Jason Bellini told the story of Roman Trokhymets – a Ukrainian sniper with the Azov Brigade. Bellini documented Trokhymets’ transition from active combat to confronting the lasting effects of multiple brain injuries and traumatic events. Through detailed, firsthand accounts, Bellini’s reporting offered a look at both the physical and psychological challenges faced by soldiers. Pattillo and Turnham also contributed to this report along with Dmytro Horyevoy, a Ukraine producer.
“Scripps News Reports: Mississippi’s Infant Mortality Emergency”
For this immersive report from the Mississippi Delta, Scripps News reported on the voices of the women on the front lines – both mothers and the community members stepping in to confront the state’s alarming infant-mortality crisis. This story goes beyond statistics to provide audiences – and policymakers – with an urgent, on-the-ground perspective, highlighting both the problem and the innovative, community-driven solutions that are saving lives.
The team contributing to the report includes: Michael Anthony Adams, correspondent-videographer-editor; Linda Pattillo, senior executive producer; Steve Turnham, executive producer; and Matt Simon, executive producer.
Deadline Club Award winners will be announced in New York City on May 14.
Scripps News is found on all major streaming platforms and services, including Tablo, Samsung TV+, Roku, YouTube TV and DirecTV, on mobile with the Scripps News app and online at ScrippsNews.com.
Media contact: Molly Miossi, The E.W. Scripps Company, 513-977-3713, [email protected]
About Scripps News
Scripps News serves viewers trustworthy, reliable national and international news. Scripps News partners with the Scripps local station group to cover news from over 50 bureaus across the U.S. Scripps News is available on all major streaming and connected TV platforms. It is also available on mobile with the Scripps News app and online at ScrippsNews.com. Scripps News is part of The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP).