The New York Press Club, sometimes NYPC, is a nonprofit membership organization that promotes journalism in the New York City metropolitan area. It is unaffiliated with any government organization and abstains from politics. While the club is headquarters in New York City, it serves as an association for journalists based in the United States.

History

The organization in differing forms has been around since the nineteenth century. In 1887, its members erected a 38-foot obelisk to mark the gravesite of a deceased reporter.David W. Dunlop, November 27, 2011, The New York Times, Known, Retrieved March 19, 2018, "...In 1887, The New York Press Club rallied its members, dug into its pockets and erected a 38-foot obelisk to set the place apart, staking out the ground with granite markers. Nearly 2,000 people attended the dedication..." But during the Great Depression in the United States, the organization fell apart. A revitalized organization was founded in 1948 as the New York Newspaper Reporters Association, and its name was changed to its current one in 1972.

Activities In conjunction with its foundation, New York Press Club Foundation, the club focuses on furthering the interests of journalists and media people. It sponsors lectures and presentations relevant to journalism such as press freedom, investigative reporting, the relationship between the media and the government, the role of community newspapers, changes in media, topics in the news, foreign press coverage of New York, and questions about how the press covers itself. For example, it spurred discussion on the subject of concussions in American football. It sponsors debates among candidates for public office, provides support for journalists faced with media-related legal issues, and works with government agencies on issues such as issuing press credentials. For example, when New York mayor Bill De Blasio called for a closed-down session to exclude reporters, the Press Club's president Larry Seary criticized the decision, arguing for greater transparency.Katie Honan, May 28, 2015, DNA Info, NYCLU and New York Press Club Decry De Blasio's 'Free Speech Zone' , Retrieved March 19, 2018 It sponsors an annual Conference on Journalism which is held at New York University, and it used to publish Byline Magazine which features topics of interest to journalists.ISUUU, Byline is the annual magazine published by the New York Press Club, Retrieved March 19, 2018 When prominent newspeople die, the organization issues statements about their contributions; for example, when news reporter Gabe Pressman died in 2017, the club issued a statement that Pressman "fought ferociously for journalists' rights".

The organization promotes the freedom of the press. It has criticized decisions to shut down news sites. When U.S. Attorney Jeff Sessions vowed to review "media subpoenas" as an attempt to quell leaks in government, the club criticized the remarks as "a not-so-veiled shot across the bow at the news media" and suggested that journalists must not be intimidated by such threats. When CNN journalist Jim Acosta was singled out by then president-elect Donald Trump during a press conference, in which the reporter's questions went unanswered, the club wrote a letter to Trump in Acosta's defense.

The current president is David Cruz of Newsday, who took office in 2024. The foundation also offers scholarships to local journalism students.

Award programs

Awards are given in categories such as writing, editing, and video production. Its awards are often cited by publishers and newspapers and reporters. They include:

Gold Keyboard AwardNote: formerly The Gold Typewriter Award for excellence in investigative journalism. This award has been described as the association's most prestigious award.Michael Hudson, August 24, 2015, ICU, Evicted and Abandoned, Retrieved March 19, 2018, "...the New York Press Club’s highest accolade, the Gold Keyboard Award for enterprise or investigative reporting...." Typically the organization gives out the awards at an annual dinner in June. The Reverend Mychal Judge Heart of New York Award for reporting about New York City. The Nellie Bly Cub Reporter Award, given to reporters with less than three years of experience.Sue Macy, Linda Ellerbee, National Geographic Books, 2009, Bylines: A Photobiography of Nellie Bly, (see page 59), Retrieved August 3, 2015, "...In 1978, the New York Press Club erected an elegant memorial stone at her gravesite ... Nellie Bly Cub Reporter Award ... given to the best journalistic effort by a reporter who has been at the business less than three years..."Chris O'Shea, April 27, 2015, Adweek, New York Press Club Award Winners Announced, Retrieved August 3, 2015, "...The New York Press Club Awards ...NELLIE BLY CUB REPORTER (Single Award) Best journalistic effort by an individual with three years or less professional experience...."Dean Starkman, Martha Hamilton, Ryan Chittum, Felix Salmon, Columbia University Press, May 21, 2013, The Best Business Writing 2013, Retrieved August 3, 2015, "...Mina Kimes ... Received the Nellie Bly Cub Reporter Award..."WFUV radio, 90.7, AWARDS, Retrieved August 3, 2015, "...Nellie Bly Cub Reporter Award ... Scott Detrow* (best journalistic effort by an individual with three years or less overall experience)...." This award has been given annually since 1978; past recipients include investigative journalists such as Mina Kimes and Jonathan Kanterman.CHRIS ROUSH, OCTOBER 18, 2012, Talking Biz News, Covering finance and learning on the job, Retrieved August 3, 2015, "...In 2009, she received the Nellie Bly Cub Reporter award from the New York Press Club for her story, “The End of Oil.”..." The award was named after crusading journalist Nellie Bly, who was employed by Joseph Pulitzer in the 1890s who, according to one account, went to great lengths to get material for her stories; for example, she got herself committed to an insane asylum for ten days in order to report on what happened within the institution.Kim Todd, Smithsonian Magazine, November 2016, These Women Reporters Went Undercover to Get the Most Important Scoops of Their Day: Writing under pseudonyms, the so-called girl stunt reporters of the late 19th century played a major role in exposing the nation’s ills, Retrieved November 24, 2019, quote= "...After Nellie Bly, whose 1887 series “Ten Days in a Mad House” had been a windfall for Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World ... In little more than two years after Bly got herself committed to New York City’s notorious Blackwell’s Island insane asylum,...." H. Claire Brown is another recipient of the Nellie Bly award. The New York Journalism Hall of Fame Award for journalists whose careers in New York media characterized by long tenure, integrity and achievement. The New York Press Club President's Award in recognition of careers which have had a salutary impact on journalism.

Past presidents In Office President Employer 1948 William J. Keegan New York Post 1949 Anthony Marino New York Daily News 1950 Alfred E Clark New York Times 1951 Joseph Endler New York Herald Tribune 1952 Rodney "Budd" Stahl New York Mirror 1953 Frank Engle Fairchild Publications 1954 Syd Livingston New York Journal American 1955 Raymond Doyle American Weekly 1956 James Ritchie Associated Press 1957 Arthur Rosenfeld New York Post 1958 James C O'Connor New York Mirror 1959 Thomas D Zumbo UPI 1960 Edward Kirkman New York Daily News 1961 James Antone Fairchild Publications 1962 Harry Singer New York Mirror 1963 Robert Mindlin Long Island Press 1964 Charles Grutzner New York Times 1965 Harold Phelan World-Telegram and Sun 1966 George Douris Long Island Star-Journal 1967 Gus Engelman WABC-AM 1968–69 Thomas Poster New York Daily News 1970 John San Antonio Long Island Press 1971–72 John Shanahan Associated Press 1973 Pati Davis UPI 1973–74 John Mulligan Associated Press 1975–76 Patrick Muldowney WABC-TV 1977 Joe Bragg WHN 1978–79 Vincent Lee New York Daily News 1980–81 Mark Lieberman New York Daily News 1982–83 Len Buder New York Times 1984 Jerry Schmetterer CNN 1985–86 Marcia Kramer New York Daily News 1987 Mitch Lebe WYNY 1988 Larry Sutton New York Daily News 1989–90 Larry Celona New York Daily News 1991–92 Harry Ryttenberg WNBC 1993–94 Phil O'Brien NY 1 News 1995–96 Deborah Wetzel WCBS-FM 1997–2000 Gabe Pressman WNBCStaff writers, June 27, 2017, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Gabe Pressman, pioneer of television reporting, dies at 93, Retrieved March 19, 2018, "...served as president of the New York Press Club from 1997 to 2000...." 2001–2003 Carol Anne Riddell WNBC 2003–2005 Rich Lamb WCBS Newsradio 2006–2008 Stephannia Cleaton Staten Island Advance 2009–2012 Glenn Schuck Metro Networks 2012–2015 Larry Seary WNBC 2015–2018 Steve Scott WCBS Newsradio 2018–2021 Jane Tillman Irving WCBS Newsradio 2021–2024 Debra Toppeta womanaroundtown.com 2024–present David Cruz Newsday

References

External links

Coalition for the First Amendment Awards for Journalism Special Awards for Journalism Photo/video gallery of recent events