Overseas Press Club

Midtown clubhouse on West 45th Street in Midtown Manhattan

The Overseas Press Club of America (OPC) was founded in 1939 in New York City by a group of foreign correspondents.[1] The wire service reporter Carol Weld was a founding member, as was the war correspondent Peggy Hull. The club seeks to maintain an international association of journalists working in the United States and abroad, to encourage the highest standards of professional integrity and skill in the reporting of news, to help educate a new generation of journalists, to contribute to the freedom and independence of journalists and the press throughout the world, and to work toward better communication and understanding among people. The organization has approximately 500 members who are media industry leaders.

Every April, the OPC holds a dinner to award excellence in journalism for the previous year. The awards are juried by industry peers. The organization also has a foundation that distributes scholarships to college students who want to begin a career as foreign correspondents. Many winners secure international assignments at some of the most prestigious news outlets in the world.

In April 2008, the OPC relaunched its website to include community features for members like forums, commenting, page sharing through email/print/download, and RSVP and bill pay functions.

Awards

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As of 2017, there are 22 awards presented:[2]

Awards Presented by the Overseas Press Club of America [3][4]
Award Given For Year First Last Year
Lowell Thomas Award Best radio news or interpretation of international affairs 1947
George Polk Award Best reporting requiring exceptional courage and enterprise abroad 1948 1973
Robert Capa Gold Medal Award Best published photographic reporting from abroad requiring exceptional courage and enterprise 1955
Ed Cunningham Award Best magazine reporting from abroad 1955
Mary Hemingway Award Best magazine reporting from abroad. Mary Welsh Hemingway was a journalist 1955 1983
Cornelius Ryan Award Best non-fiction book on international affairs. Cornelius Ryan was a journalist and author. 1957
Ed Stout Award Best reporting in any medium on Latin America 1959 1974
Ben Grauer Award Best radio spot news from abroad 1960 1994
Thomas Nast Award Best cartoons on international affairs 1968
President's Award Distinguished service in the field of journalism 1968 2009
Madeline Dane Ross Award Best international reporting in the print medium showing a concern for the human condition 1973
Bob Considine Award Best newspaper or news service interpretation of international affairs 1975
Hal Boyle Award Best newspaper or news service reporting from abroad, after Hal Boyle 1977
Edward R. Murrow Award Best TV interpretation or documentary on international affairs 1978
David Kaplan Award Best TV spot news reporting from abroad 1980
Olivier Rebbot Award Best photographic reporting from abroad in magazines or books 1980
Malcolm Forbes Award Best business reporting from abroad in newspapers or news services 1983
Morton Frank Award Best business reporting from abroad in magazines 1984
Eric & Amy Burger Award Best international reporting in the broadcast media dealing with human rights 1984 2004
Carl Spielvogel Award Best international reporting in the broadcast media showing a concern for the human condition 1991
Whitman Bassow Award Best reporting in any medium on international environmental issues 1992
John Faber Award Best photographic reporting from abroad in newspapers or news services 1994
Robert Spiers Benjamin Award Best reporting in any medium on Latin America. Robert Spiers Benjamin was a founding member of the club. 1997
Joe & Laurie Dine Award Best international reporting in any medium dealing with human rights 1998
Artyom Borovik Award Outstanding reporting by a Russian journalist who displays courage, insight, balanced yet aggressive reporting, and independence of thought 2000 2007
Feature Photography Award Best feature photography published in any medium on an international theme 2004
Online Journalism Best web coverage of international affairs 2008 2009
General Excellence Online Best overall international coverage on a web site: how the site maximizes the multimedia capabilities of the web to cover key issues, how coverage goes beyond other platforms and brings the story to its readers 2010
Best Online Coverage of Breaking News Best online coverage throughout a 72-hour period of a breaking news event 2010
Best Use of Multimedia Best use of techniques such as interactive graphics, Flash and slideshows to report on international news or developments 2010
Best Online Investigation of an International Issue or Event Best original or exclusive reporting for a news web site that provides new insights into an event or trend of international significance 2010
Best Use of Video Excellence in original video on an international topic created specifically for a news web site 2010
Best Online Commentary (including Blogs) Best international affairs commentary or blog 2010

See also

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Notes and references

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  1. ^ "OPC About The OPC". opcofamerica.org. Archived from the original on 2014-02-09. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
  2. ^ "OPC Awards". Overseas Press Club. March 6, 2017. Retrieved 2017-03-06.
  3. ^ "Awards Recipients".
  4. ^ "OPC Adds 6 New Online Categories to Awards Roster", Overseas Press Club of America, 7 December 2010. Retrieved 19 December 2010.
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