Jewish journalists celebrated with wins at Press Club of N.O. awards banquet

WWL-TV’s David Hammer walked away with four first place awards in the Television Category for WWL-TV, while fellow Jewish investigative reporter Lee Zurik was part of a team that took home 22 first place awards at WVUE-TV Fox 8 at the 67th Annual Excellence in Journalism Awards. The evening awards dinner was held at The Cannery in Mid City on Sat., July 19.

WWL TV’s investigative reporter David Hammer holds his four first-place trophies at the 2025 Press Club of New Orleans Excellence in Journalism Awards banquet. (Photo by Alan Smason)

Hammer won first place in the Television Breaking News category for his reporting on the indictment of Mayor LaToya Cantrelle in “Indictments: Public Official One.” He also won first place for Print/Writing under the Environmental Science, Government Political and Medical-Health categories.

Zurik garnered first place in the Television Documentary category for his “Outside the Office” series on Fox 8 that detailed Mayor LaToya Cantrelle’s alleged visits to a city-owned apartment in the Pontalba Apartments adjacent to Jackson Square.

Another Jewish winner for the night included Larry Brook of Southern Jewish Life magazine for a first-place Print/Writing Business feature story titled “Stay and Shop: New Orleans Landmark Rubinsteins Celebrates a Century of Fine Clothing by Opening a Boutique Hotel.”

CCJN editor Alan Smason received nominations under Print/Writing for Critical Review and Breaking News Reporting, but placed second with “Jewish Songwriting Couples Are Focus of ‘Beautiful’: The Carole King Music” and third with “Police Remove Illegal Pro-Palestinian Encampment on Tulane Campus,” respectively.