AJAs Announces 2025 FINALISTS
Winners were announced during the awards show, held June 7th, 2025.
The Atlantic Journalism Awards (AJAs) is pleased to announce the finalists, listed in no particular order.
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Print/Digital
Breaking News
- Tina Comeau – Tri-County Vanguard Yarmouth, NS The Bangor Sawmill: ‘It’s such a devastating loss’
- Aaron Beswick – The Chronicle Herald Antigonish Harbour, AB No Peace on the Water
- Suzanne Rent – Halifax Examiner Halifax, NS Build Nova Scotia gives Atlantic Road Construction and Paving deadline after company puts barriers at trail in Dartmouth Cove
Cover Magazines
- Carolyn Greene – Atlantic Business Magazine St. John’s, AB The Power Issue
- Steve Smith – Saltscapes Pictou, NS Hatching a passion
- Heather Fegan – Atlantic Books Today Halifax, NS Atlantic Books Today #100
Enterprise Reporting
- Tu Thanh Ha, Kelly Grant, Stephanie Chambers – The Globe and Mail Toronto, NS Have Nurses, Will Travel
- Michael Tutton – The Canadian Press Halifax, NS Death in Custody
- Thinh Nguyen – The Guardian Charlottetown, PE P.E.I. migrant worker speaks out
Features
- Yumna Iftikhar – The Independent Benoit’s Cove, NL Palestinian sisters in St. John’s say brothers’ safe passage to Newfoundland in limbo
- Carole Morris-Underhill – Valley Journal-Advertiser Windsor, NS Remembering the one-year anniversary of West Hants’ tragic floods
- Sarah Smellie – The Canadian Press Halifax, NS Senior Speed Dating
Photojournalism Feature
- Kevin McBain – South Shore Bulletin Bridgewater, NS Welcome
- Tina Comeau – Tri-County Vanguard Yarmouth, NS Patricia’s Canso joy
- Tania Heath – The Independent Benoit’s Cove, NL Kasken Sisters
Photojournalism News
AUDIO
Breaking News
There are no finalists for this award.
There are no finalists for this award.
Documentary Program
- Caroline Hillier – CBC Atlantic Portugal Cove St Philips, NL A bundle of trauma, a patchwork of healing
- Emma Smith (and Dave Irish) – CBC Atlantic Portugal Cove St Philips, NL Marie the fashion queen
Enterprise Reporting
Feature
- Lindsay Bird – Atlantic Voice, CBC Atlantic Corner Brook, NL Mushroom People
- Jonna Brewer – CBC NEW BRUNSWICK Moncton, NB Hunter Remembered
- Yassir El Tahan, Caroline Hillier – CBC Atlantic Portugal Cove St Philips, NL Chance encounter
Information Program
- Don Munro – CBC Cape Breton Halifax, NS Information Morning Cape Breton
- Équipe Heure de pointe – Radio-Canada Acadie Moncton, NB Heure de pointe – Atlantique Spéciale éclipse totale
- Isabelle Gallant – CBC Prince Edward Island Charlottetown, PE Island Morning’s Ferry Remote Show
Newscast (radio)
- VOCM News – VOCM St. John’s, NL VOCM News, 10 a.m. July 17th 2024
- Tara Clow – CKNI The Bend Moncton – Acadia Broadcasting Dartmouth, NS New Brunswick Heat Wave – June 20th 2024
- Caitlin Snow – CKHZ Hot Country 103.5 – Acadia Broadcasting Dartmouth, NS Holiday Storm Approaches – Acadia Broadcasting
Podcast
VIDEO
Breaking News
- Marykate O’Neill – NTV News St. John’s, NL The Lucky 7
- Bailey Howard – NTV News St. John’s, NL Chaos on Confederation Hill
Enterprise Reporting
- Nicola Seguin – CBC Nova Scotia Halifax, NS Housing Crisis
- Skye Bryden-Blom, Rebecca Lau – Global News Halifax, NS Code Critical: Healthcare in Nova Scotia
Feature
- Terry Roberts, Danny Arsenault, Peter Gullage – CBC Newfoundland and Labrador St. John’s, NL An underwater war story: Hitler’s U-boats
- Heather Gillis, Ted Dillon, Chelsea Jacobs – CBC Newfoundland and Labrador St. John’s, NL Someone’s Son: Repatriating Newfoundland’s Unknown Soldier
- Ben Cleary, Glenn Andrews – NTV News St. John’s, NL The Unknown Newfoundland Soldier
Newscast (television)
- Janic Godin et l’équipe du Téléjournal Acadie – Radio-Canada Acadie Moncton, NB Le Téléjournal Acadie – Crise politique à Ottawa
- Tracy Lightfoot – CBC Prince Edward Island Charlottetown, PE CBC News: Compass
Video Journalism
ANY MEDIUM
Arts & Entertainment Reporting and Writing
- Melissa Tobin – CBC NL St. John’s, NL Mark Bragg’s Song of Recovery
- Trevor J. Adams – Saltscapes Pictou, NS Power, passion and place
- Curtis Hicks, Caroline Hillier – CBC Atlantic Portugal Cove St Philips, NL Shake my hand, I’m from Newfoundland
Business Reporting and Writing
- Myfanwy Davies – Atlantic Voice, CBC Atlantic Corner Brook, NL The Bricklin: Coming Home
- Angela MacIvor – CBC Nova Scotia Halifax, NS Who’s at your door?
- Shane Magee – CBC Moncton Moncton, NB Engineer suspended
Civic Affairs Reporting and Writing
- Stephen Kimber – Atlantic Business Magazine St. John’s, NL Trouble in Paradise
- Ariana Kelland, Rob Antle – CBC NL St. John’s, AB As N.L. struggles to house people with complex needs, homeowner caught in the middle
- Juanita Mercer – The Telegram Torbay, NL Rural reality
Climate Action Reporting and Writing
- Rhythm Rathi / Roger Cosman – CBC News New Brunswick Moncton, NB Fishermen cleaning up huge snarls of ghost gear in Bay of Fundy want funding to continue
- Yutaro Sasaki – The Guardian Charlottetown, PE Climate effects in Prince Edward Island
- Leila Beaudoin – Leila Beaudoin, Freelance Port Saunders, NL All Eyes on The Water
Commentary
- Alec Bruce – Atlantic Business Magazine Halifax, NS Requiem for a writer: Harry Bruce (1934-2024)
- Tina Comeau – Tri-County Vanguard Yarmouth, NS My dad’s hands: Then, now and dementia
- Tim Bousquet – Halifax Examiner Halifax, NS Tim Houston’s comments about asylum are ignorant, mean, and dangerous
Indigenous Affairs Reporting and Writing
- Anthony Germain, Francesca Swann, Ken Cave, Heidi Atter – CBC St. John’s, NL Our Children, Our Legacy: The Fight for Innu Education
- Meghan Dewar – Cape Breton Post Sydney, NS Truth and Reconciliation Day in Cape Breton: A time for mourning, healing and honouring
- John Chilibeck – Telegraph-Journal Toronto, NB Justice, traditions and title claims for N.B.’s First Nations
Legal Affairs Reporting and Writing
- Hina Alam – The Canadian Press Halifax, NS Justice delayed: New Brunswick men cleared of murder charges decades later
- Josh Lewis – The Eastern Graphic Montague, PE Inmates silenced by phone access delays
- Tara Bradbury – The Telegram Torbay, NL Student attacked at St. John’s high school
Social Justice Reporting and Writing
- Malone Mullin – CBC Newfoundland and Labrador St. John’s, NL Doctors said her gangrenous appendix was just anxiety. She’s not alone
- Lindsay Jones – The Globe and Mail Toronto, NS Nova Scotia RCMP urged to inform public of intimate partner homicides after three women murdered in three weeks
- Tara Bradbury – The Telegram Torbay, NL ‘He is going to kill me’: did the justice system fail slain St. John’s woman?
Sports Reporting and Writing
SPECIAL AWARDS
AJA Hall of Fame Award
- Heather Moore – The Eastern Graphic Montague, PE Heather Moore: show of work
- Tina Comeau – Tri-County Vanguard Yarmouth, AB Tina Comeau: show of work
Jim MacNeill New Journalist Award
- Celina Aalders – CBC Nova Scotia Halifax, NS Celina Aalders: show of work
- Cameron Kilfoy – The Telegram St. John’s, NL Cameron Kilfoy
- Anna Mandin – Global News Halifax, NS Anna Mandin
Student Journalist Award
- Raeesa Alibhai, Andie Mollins, Landon Morris, Aidan Rawding, & Dylan Taylor – University of King’s College School of Journalism Halifax, NS If It Makes You Happy Podcast
- Judith Mendiolea Lelo de Larrea – Holland College Journalism and Communications Charlottetown, PE At the edge of the Island
- Magdalena Bastida – NSCC Dartmouth, NS Resilience
- Jessie Bruce – NSCC Dartmouth, AB At Home
The Mike Critch Excellence in Crime Reporting Award
- Ryan Cooke, Rob Antle – CBC News Atlantic Investigative Unit – NL St. John’s, NL A Darkness on the Edge of Town
- Tara Bradbury – The Telegram Torbay, NL Student attacked at St. John’s high school
- Tara Bradbury – The Telegram Torbay, NL ‘He is going to kill me’: did the justice system fail slain St. John’s woman?