Varity Wins 16 Awards at Southern California Journalism Awards

Variety secured 16 first-place wins at the 68th annual Southern California Journalism Awards, according to the Los Angeles Press Club. The publication, known for its entertainment coverage, dominated the ceremony held at the Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, with 100 total nominations across print, digital, and broadcast categories.

Key Winners and Their Works

Variety’s accolades included Jem Aswad, the magazine’s music chief, who won for music criticism. Owen Gleiberman received recognition for film criticism under 1,000 words, while Aramide Tinubu was honored for TV criticism. The ceremony celebrated 16 categories, with winners selected from 100 nominations across media outlets.

Selome Hailu was recognized for a feature under 1,000 words titled “How Planned Parenthood’s Caren Spruch Works With Lena Dunham and Other Creatives to Sensitively Portray Abortion on Screen.” Brent Lang won for a film/broadcast-related feature online, focusing on the documentary “The Stringer,” which sparked legal debates over the origin of the “Napalm Girl” photo.

Notable Recognitions

Trish Deitch’s profile of Jamie Lee Curtis, “‘I Can’t Not Be Who I Am’: Jamie Lee Curtis on Her 47-Year Career,” earned top honors. Ellise Shafer’s profile on musician Diana Silvers, “Diana Silvers on Her Debut Album ‘From Another Room’,” also received acclaim. The magazine’s entertainment photo category was awarded to the May 2025 cover featuring A$AP Rocky.

Other winners included Daniel D’Addario for an obituary appreciation of Rob Reiner, K.J. Yossman for a feature on the BBC crisis, and Ramin Setoodeh for a piece on Julia Roberts’ film “After the Hunt.” Brian Steinberg was recognized for both a culture news feature on CBS’ overhaul and business reporting on TV news trends.

Significance of the Awards

The Southern California Journalism Awards, hosted by the Los Angeles Press Club, highlight excellence in regional media. Variety’s success underscores its influence in entertainment journalism, with winners spanning film, music, and cultural analysis.

For context, Variety has historically been a top contender in these awards, reflecting its role as a leading voice in entertainment coverage. This year’s wins follow a period of industry shifts, including streaming wars and evolving audience engagement strategies.