‘Not my North Star’, says 2026 top journalist

Senior Gleaner journalist Kimone Francis says being named the 2025 Journalist of the Year is a prestigious honour, but is not her “North Star”.

“Knowing that a story helped a family find justice or brought resources to a neglected community provides a level of fulfilment that a title cannot replicate,” Francis said yesterday.

Her award is among 20 the RJRGLEANER Communications Group took home during the Press Association of Jamaica’s (PAJ) annual national awards ceremony held in St Andrew on Saturday.

Television Jamaica won 11 and The Gleaner Company [Media] Limited won nine.

Amoy Harriott, who was previously with Television Jamaica, was named 2025 Young Journalist of the Year.

Francis said she accepts the recognition knowing that when journalism is practised with integrity, “its greatest achievement is the positive legacy it leaves behind”.

She said being named Journalist of the Year is a testament to a lifelong passion for storytelling and a relentless drive to see media act as a catalyst for change.

“I have always viewed my work as a civic duty, fuelled by the hope that every story and every investigation might nudge the needle towards more equitable and positive policy decisions for Jamaica,” she said.

Francis said her path to this point “has been anything but easy” and lauded her colleagues for their contribution to her development.

“I keep going with God,” she said.

The Gleaner’s Jovan Johnson was one of the big winners. He copped five individual awards, including the President’s Award for Investigative Journalism, which he shared with Livern Barrett, also of The Gleaner.

Corey Robinson, a senior staff reporter at The Gleaner, Romardo Lyons, a reporter at Television Jamaica, and Giovanni Dennis, who was previously at Television Jamaica, but is now managing editor at CVM TV, also won two awards each.

editorial@gleanerjm.com

Full list of National Journalism Awards winners 2025

Journalist of the Year

Kimone Francis, The Gleaner Company [Media] Limited

Young Journalist of the Year

Amoy Harriott, Television Jamaica (now at CVM-TV)

President’s Award for Investigative Journalism

Livern Barrett and Jovan Johnson, The Gleaner Company [Media] Limited

Hector Bernard/Theodore Sealy Award for News Journalism

Racquel Porter and Uton West, Television Jamaica

Hector Bernard/Theodore Sealy Award for News Journalism (Print)

Jovan Johnson, The Gleaner Company [Media] Limited

Carl Wint Award for Best Feature (Print)

Jovan Johnson, The Gleaner Company [Media] Limited

Carl Wint Award for Best Feature (Electronic)

Amoy Harriott, Hopeton Henry, Richard Brown, Ivan Shaw and Omar Samuels, Television Jamaica

Best Television Feature/Documentary

Giovanni Dennis, Dionne Jackson Miller, Orville Powell, Omar Samuels, Kemon White and Richard Prince, Television Jamaica

Best Radio Feature/Documentary

Shanice Gibbs, IRIE FM

Aston Rhoden Award for News Photography

Naphtali Junior, Jamaica Observer

Junior Dowie Award for Sports Photography

Matthew McKoy, The Gleaner Company [Media] Limited

Errol Harvey Award for Human Interest Photography

Antoine Lodge, The Gleaner Company [Media] Limited

Award for Excellence in Reporting on Technology

Romardo Lyons, Ivan Shaw and Uton West, Television Jamaica

Award for Excellence in Reporting on the Environment

Giovanni Dennis, Dionne Jackson Miller, Omar Samuels, Paul Davis and Richard Brown, Television Jamaica

Award for Excellence in Reporting on Health and Wellness

Amoy Harriott, Giovanni Dennis, Richard Brown, Jeovanni Heslop, Avon Edwards, Glenford Campbell and Omar Samuels, Television Jamaica

UNICEF Media Awards for Excellence in Reporting on Children’s Rights

Jovan Johnson and Corey Robinson, The Gleaner Company [Media] Limited

UNICEF Media Awards for Excellence in Reporting on Children’s Rights

Corey Robinson, The Gleaner Company [Media] Limited

Ken Dawson Award for Videography

Kirk Wright and Nakinskie Robinson, Television Jamaica

Award for Excellence in Reporting on Agriculture

Romardo Lyons, Jeovanni Heslop, Ivan Shaw, Aires Fagan, Stefan Murray, Marissa Jones, and the All Angles Team, Television Jamaica

Hugh Crosskill/Raymond Sharpe Award for Sports Journalism (Print)

Ruddy Allen, J amaica Observer

Hugh Crosskill/Raymond Sharpe Award for Sports Journalism (Electronic)

Kayon Raynor, Television Jamaica

Morris Cargill Award for Opinion Journalism

Dionne Jackson Miller, Justin Miller and Khaleel Huie, Time for Tea: Dionne Jackson Miller’s YouTube Channel

Best Breaking News Coverage

Kimberley Peddie and Christopher Plummer, Television Jamaica

Carlon Alexander Award for Business and Finance Journalism

Jovan Johnson, The Gleaner Company [Media] Limited