The Center for Integrity in News Reporting (CFINR) announced that its annual state journalism awards will expand to Iowa and Ohio, extending the program to 22 states. A grant from the Adler Schermer Foundation funds the Iowa awards, and a gift from John and Jane McCoy funds the Ohio awards.
The $5,000 awards honor the year’s best examples of impartial, objective and fair news reporting in each state and are presented at the annual meetings of state press associations.
The Adler Schermer Foundation is the family foundation of Lloyd Schermer, former chairman and CEO of Davenport-based Lee Enterprises, and Betty Adler Schermer, daughter of Iowa journalism pioneer Philip D. Adler, for whom the University of Iowa’s journalism building is named.
“Iowa and Ohio have deep newspaper traditions, and we are grateful to the Adler Schermer Foundation and to John and Jane McCoy for bringing these awards to journalists in both states,” said Rufus Friday, executive director of CFINR. “Their generosity allows us to recognize and celebrate journalists whose work upholds the highest standards of impartial, objective and fair news reporting.”
The additions build on 2025 grants from the SNPA Foundation, which launched the awards in 14 southern and southeastern states, and the Stanton Foundation, which extended the program across New England. With Iowa and Ohio, the awards now cover 22 states, home to more than 158 million Americans, or about 46% of the U.S. population.
Gallup polling shows Americans’ trust in the news media, near 70% in the 1970s, has fallen to 28%. CFINR’s state awards are designed to highlight exemplary reporting and reinforce journalistic values that promote fairness, transparency and objectivity.
Founded in 2024 by Walter E. Hussman Jr., CFINR is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to improving public trust in journalism. Learn more at cfinr.org.
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