KJZZ Wins Four Arizona Press Club 2025 Awards
The local news station earned honors for its audio reporting on regional issues and cultural narratives.
Updated on Oct. 30, 2026 in Native American
KJZZ received four awards in the Arizona Press Club 2025 journalism contest for its standout audio storytelling. These honors recognize reporting spanning topics from community health to Indigenous heritage.
Why it matters
The awards highlight the station's ongoing commitment to high-quality audio journalism in Phoenix. The recognition underscores the importance of deep-dive storytelling in covering local community issues.
KJZZ secured four total awards across short-form and long-form audio categories. This includes a first-place finish for the three-part series Native Heroes Erased.
The players
KJZZ
This is a listener-supported public radio station based in Phoenix that produces news, music, and cultural programming.
Katherine Davis-Young
She is a journalist who earned multiple awards for her audio reporting on public health and local institutional developments.
Gabriel Pietrorazio
He is an audio journalist whose work documenting Indigenous traditions and history was honored by the press association.
The details
Reporters Katherine Davis-Young and Gabriel Pietrorazio were recognized for their work on topics including extreme heat and the blessing of eagles. Davis-Young specifically earned accolades for reports on substance use and the Phoenix Job Corps Center.
Timeline
The awards were presented during the 2025 Arizona Press Club journalism contest.
Culture Shift
The awards reflect a growing industry emphasis on long-form audio storytelling as a critical medium for preserving and documenting complex community histories. This trend highlights a broader cultural move toward multimedia projects that elevate Indigenous narratives and local social issues.
These awards provide listeners with a curated list of high-quality local reports that offer deeper context on regional issues. Residents can access this recognized reporting to better understand the complex social and cultural dynamics affecting the Phoenix area.
The takeaway
Journalism awards serve as a useful indicator for audiences seeking reliable and well-researched long-form storytelling. Following recognized award-winning series allows readers to engage with the most significant local investigative work of the year.
Further reading
Learn more about local cultural reporting by visiting the Native American section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KJZZ.
