Mohammed R. Mhawish Named 2025 Recipient of the Neal Conan Prize for Excellence in Journalism

NEW YORK, Dec. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Neal Conan Prize for Excellence in Journalism has named Mohammed R. Mhawish as the 2025 winner of its annual $50,000 award, following a presentation ceremony held on November 22 in New York City. The Prize honors a mid-career journalist whose work demonstrates exceptional craft, integrity, and dedication to public-interest storytelling.

Mhawish's reporting and essays have appeared in major international publications, including The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Nation, and This American Life. A native of Gaza, Mhawish is known for his reporting on the Palestinian experience--work distinguished by its narrative clarity and rigorous sourcing across print, audio, and multimedia formats. Originally trained in literature and drama, he began his career teaching narrative structure before transitioning into journalism—a foundation that continues to shape his approach to observation, character, and story construction across formats.

One of the World's Most Significant Investments in Future Journalism

The Neal Conan Prize is the most generous unrestricted journalism award in the world dedicated to enabling a journalist's future work. Unlike traditional honors that focus solely on past accomplishments, the Prize is structured as a direct, unrestricted investment in the next chapter of a reporter's career. The $50,000 grant can be used by the winners for any purpose, including supporting ambitious new projects, extended reporting time or continued professional development.

This future-oriented mission resonates strongly in Asia's rapidly transforming media markets, where organizations face intense pressure to produce short-form or entertainment-driven content. The Prize helps sustain the thoughtful, research-based reporting associated with its namesake, longtime National Public Radio (NPR) host and correspondent Neal Conan.

Origins of the Prize

The Prize was created in 2023, two years after Conan's passing and a  decade after the cancelation of Talk of the Nation, his respected NPR program known for its depth and public-interest mission. At the ceremony, author Gretel Ehrlich, Conan's longtime partner, reflected on that turning point:

"When Talk of the Nation was unceremoniously canceled, Neal was crushed… His life's work had been taken from him. The message he heard back was that serious reporting didn't raise as much money as entertainment."

The Prize was founded to preserve the standards Conan embodied—curiosity, rigor, fairness, and a belief that audiences value substantive journalism.

Mhawish on Receiving the Prize

"Standing here tonight, able to speak and be recognized in this way, feels extraordinary and profoundly humbling. This award may have my name on it, but it belongs to my colleagues and to everyone who believes that truth still matters."

About the Neal Conan Prize

Administered through the Neal Conan Prize for Excellence in Journalism Fund at Greater Horizons, the Prize recognizes mid-career journalists who exemplify excellence in craft, originality, depth of research, and public service. The unrestricted award is intended to support continued professional growth and future reporting.

More information: nealconanprize.org

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SOURCE Neal Conan Prize