In what some are calling a reflection of the laughable state of U.S. journalism, comedian Jon Stewart will be honored at this year’s Walter Cronkite Awards from USC Annenberg. Other honorees include Rachel Maddow, Scott Pelley, Peter Alexander, and Julio Vaqueiro. Conspicuously absent are conservative or centrist journalists. The Dean of the school is also none other than the wife of Disney CEO Bob Iger.
Jon Stewart, Rachel Maddow Among 2025 Walter Cronkite Awards for Excellence in Political Journalism Honorees https://t.co/b8JZF2R5Pg
— Variety (@Variety) December 10, 2025
Willow Bay, wife of Disney CEO Bob Iger, sits on the awards jury as ex officio dean of the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. As the worlds of journalism, political activism, and entertainment converge, many are wondering how much significance these awards truly have.
How the Awards Work
The Walter Cronkite Awards began in 2001 and are given out biannually to “honor outstanding local and national journalism that informs and empowers citizens and serves as a watchdog and advocate for democratic norms and institutions.”
Bob Iger and his Wife Willow Bay – YouTube, Celebrity Net Worth
According to the awards website, the competition “invited entries that investigated threats that democracy now faces and that provided exemplary coverage of efforts to protect the U.S. Constitution, defend the rule of law and hold power accountable.”
Those interested in being considered for a Walter Cronkite Award must provide a video submission with a $75 entry fee. Categories include recognition for journalists, television programs, and news specials. The FAQ also notes that “comedy, satire and parody are also eligible, as are commentary and analysis.”
Stewart and Maddow
Stewart, host of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, is the first to be honored in the new Comedic News and Commentary Category.
Judges said “Jon Stewart redefined satire as astute insights based on solid research,” and called Stewart “a master of his class,” for his entry’s analysis of DOGE. They added that his commentary exposed “how its chainsaw approach eroded safeguards that protect democracy instead of actually cutting fat.”
Their elevation of Stewart’s contributions to journalism has some right-leaning commentators laughing.
Gonna laugh myself to sleep.
Gnight… pic.twitter.com/4p0AMj85fi
— Dave Rubin (@RubinReport) December 12, 2025
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Rachel Maddow, the host of MSNow’s once-a-week program The Rachel Maddow Show, is being recognized for her episode “Everyone, Everywhere, All at Once.” The episode covered the Hands Off protests in April, a precursor to the No Kings protests that followed two months later. Judges praised it as “a valuable contribution to the historic record of this presidency,” that showed “viewers they’re not alone in dissent.”
Charged Language
USC Annenberg professor Martin Kaplan said in a statement, “The message sent by honoring these winners is that the press isn’t ‘the enemy of the people’ – it’s the firewall between the public and disinformation, abuse of power and corruption.”
Rachel Maddow on MSNBC – YouTube, MSNBC
In a separate statement, the organization said, “The award honors journalists whose work exemplifies the role of a free press in protecting constitutional principles, defending the rule of law, and holding power to account.”
Words like “disinformation” and phrases like “holding power to account” have become politically charged in recent years. There’s no indication that any conservative or centrist journalists submitted entries to the Walter Cronkite Awards, or that if they did they would be seriously considered for their work.
USC’s Annenberg School of Journalism just, seriously, gave the Walter Cronkite Political Journalism Award to Jon Stewart and Rachel Maddow. Next week: Tufts Fletcher School of Diplomacy will give a World Leader Award to Sacha Baron Cohen as leader of the Republic of Wadiya…
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) December 10, 2025
Some have noted that the legacy media is faltering amid the rise of citizen journalists working online. The day after the 2024 election, Elon Musk proclaimed to the userbase of X, “You are the media now.” And when the wife of Disney’s CEO is the dean of the institution giving awards to commentators like Stewart and Maddow, who are seemingly from another era, the divide between average Americans and the media elite becomes even more pronounced.
What do you think about Jon Stewart and Rachel Maddow receiving this award? Does the mainstream media still matter? Let us know in the comments!
Iger’s wife gave Rachel Maddow (?!) and Excellence in Political Journalism Award? What a joke.
This tells you almost everything you need to know about the closest and strongest influences on Bob Iger. She may also be a reason Kathleen Kennedy is still employed. Likely a personal friendship. Sick and disgusting.
Legacy Media. No credibility.
They haven’t had credibility in years. They just continue to prove again and again why no one should ever take them seriously.
Correct. More people are realising it, though, thank the gods.
hah, Stewart and Maddow are a couple of serial liars. Makes perfect sense. Glad I haven’t given a cent to Disney in many years.
Which makes the award as pointless as the Peace one.