Best of the Week — First Winner

Live from the Grammys, AP scores massive wins with real-time stories

AP’s Global Entertainment team knew the game had changed when it came to the Grammys. They knew that the sense of the moment — in the moment — was going to win the day. And they were right. 

Collaborating with Digital colleagues, the team delivered unprecedented audiences to APNews through two real-time vehicles: a hosted live video show streamed on YouTube and a multiformat Live Blog. It was a success in two spaces crucial to bringing in new audiences to AP, and the viewership on both reflects how AP can engage viewers on high-value entertainment events. For this major accomplishment that put AP ahead and in the spotlight on one of entertainment’s most important evenings, Global Entertainment’s Live Blog and Live Stream teams and their Digital colleagues are awarded Best of the Week — First Winner.

Beat of the Week

(Honorable Mention)

Secret US spying program targeted top Venezuelan officials

AP exclusively obtained a secret memo detailing a yearslong covert operation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration that sent undercover operatives into Venezuela to record and build drug-trafficking cases against the country’s leadership — a plan the U.S. acknowledged was arguably a violation of international law. Read more

Beat of the Week

(Honorable Mention)

Planning and subject expertise allowed AP to dominate coverage of a monumental US Supreme Court case

The expertise of AP’s team and detailed advanced planning allowed the AP to dominate coverage of oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court in a case to determine whether Donald Trump can remain on the ballot.Read more

Beat of the Week

(Honorable Mention)

Eric Olson scores big for AP with Caitlin Clark coverage

AP’s season-long efforts covering Iowa’s star Caitlin Clark and her pursuit of the all-time NCAA scoring record produced exclusive access and big all-formats wins.Read more

Beat of the Week

(Honorable Mention)

No twerking. No drinking. No smoking. AP looks at a Christian nightclub in Nashville

Luis Henao and Jesse Wardarski on the religion beat produced an all-formats story that earned a massive response. They looked at a Christian nightclub in Nashville that’s drawing racially diverse crowds to dance parties featuring Christian rap and reggaeton, plus periodic interludes of prayer. Read more

Beat of the Week

(Honorable Mention)

Career US diplomat abruptly admits to spying for communist Cuba for decades

Good instincts and planning allowed Joshua Goodman and Jim Mustian to trounce the competition with the surprising news that a career U.S. diplomat will plead guilty to charges of working for decades as a secret agent for communist Cuba.Read more

Beat of the Week

(Honorable Mention)

Rip-roaring video about ‘skijoring’ celebrates unlikely melding of rodeo and ski culture

AP captured the rip-roaring sport of skijoring that took readers into a place they may never visit in person.Read more

Beat of the Week

(Honorable Mention)

Biden administration falling short on EV charging station goals

AP created an accountability story examining how President Joe Biden was doing on the goal of building a national network of electric vehicle charging stations.Read more

Beat of the Week

(Honorable Mention)

AP tracks a tornado’s impact on one of the nation’s poorest regions long after the wind dies down

AP covered the long-term struggle of a family in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, following a devastating tornado in March 2023. Read more

Beat of the Week

(Honorable Mention)

Looking past the daily story leads to moving narrative on journey from prejudice to acceptance

AP’s look beyond the daily news yielded a raw, unfiltered story about a father who changed his worldview out of love for his transgender daughter.Read more

Beat of the Week

(Honorable Mention)

Heart-wrenching story shows how patchwork legislation on physician-assisted death affects people

AP’s story illustrates how evolving state legislation on physician-assisted death impacts Americans.Read more

Beat of the Week

(Honorable Mention)

AP captures the excitement over Caitlin Clark’s WNBA draft class with deep coverage

AP’s multiplatform coverage of the highly anticipated arrival of Caitlin Clark’s WNBA draft class went beyond the spot news to explain the significance of the event in a way that was accessible to sports fans and nonsports fans alike. Read more

Best of the Week — First Winner

Rare multi-format interview with Hamas leader breaks news

In an exclusive interview with AP, a high-ranking Hamas political official for the first time suggested that the militant group would put down its weapons with the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, acknowledging that a two-state solution could be possible even if temporarily.

The interview, which came at a crucial time in Gaza ceasefire negotiations, was the result of persistence by AP staff and collaboration between the Beirut and Istanbul teams.

Having dealt with Hamas officials in Beirut regularly on stories before and after Oct. 7, Lebanon/Syria/Iraq news director Abby Sewell had requested an interview with one of Hamas’ senior officials, Moussa Abu Marzouk, and was told it would be granted and would take place in Istanbul.

While she was awaiting confirmation of the date, Hamas’ top political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, showed up in Turkey and met with the country’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

At that point, Istanbul-based photographer Khalil Hamra, originally from Gaza, suggested using his contacts to aim for the highest-ranking possible interview.

For persistence and collaboration to win a scoop on one of the world’s most pressing stories, Sewell, Hamra and Guzel are Best of the Week — First Winner.