Six Journalists Win Premiolino 2026, Italy's Oldest Press Award
Six journalists have been selected to receive the Premiolino 2026, Italy's most prestigious journalism prize now in its 66th year. The award recognizes excellence in independent reporting across investigations into organized crime, geopolitics, clerical abuse, and political accountability—areas where Italian journalism operates under particular pressure.
The Award Winners
The Milan-based jury, composed entirely of past Premiolino recipients and chaired by Chiara Beria di Argentine, selected:
Anna Foa – Historian and columnist contributing to La Stampa, recognized for her work on Holocaust memory, Italian Jewish history, and contemporary religious ethics.
Viviana Mazza – Corriere della Sera's U.S. correspondent based in Washington, D.C., covering the White House, American electoral politics, and international geopolitical issues.
Gabriella Colarusso – la Repubblica correspondent reporting on Middle East geopolitics and Iranian affairs, connecting regional dynamics to Mediterranean contexts relevant to Italian readers.
Stefano Feltri – Editor and investigative journalist, co-author of the Santa Maria Capua Vetere prison investigation and host of podcast work examining institutional accountability.
Floriana Bulfon – Freelance investigator contributing to L'Espresso, la Repubblica, and Rai, specializing in organized crime and corruption investigations. She has operated under armed police protection since 2019 due to threats from investigation subjects.
Sacha Biazzo – Videoreporter for Rai 3's Report and Fanpage.it's undercover investigation team, known for investigations into clerical abuse, waste sector corruption, and political networks.
Why This Prize Matters
The Premiolino functions as a significant marker in Italian media at a time when press freedom faces documented challenges. According to Reporters Without Borders, Italy ranks 41st globally for press freedom—below most Western European democracies—due to defamation litigation, political pressure, and organized crime intimidation.
This year's selections reflect the diversity of contemporary journalism: established foreign correspondents, academic-journalist hybrids, freelance investigators, podcast producers, and video-based undercover reporters. The prize recognizes journalists working across multiple platforms and funding models, signaling that serious Italian journalism now operates beyond traditional newsroom structures.
Three of the six work in reporting territories where investigation invites legal or professional consequence. Two operate from geographic distance, translating international events for Italian audiences. One represents the hybrid model of historian-as-commentator, increasingly necessary as traditional reporting resources contract.
The Prize: History and Significance
The Premiolino, founded in 1960 by legendary Milan-based reporters including Orio Vergani, Indro Montanelli, and Enzo Biagi, initially offered 200,000 lire and a handcrafted parchment designed by artist Riccardo Manzi. That same parchment remains the symbol of the award today.
Over 66 years, recipients have included both nationally prominent figures and journalists from provincial newsrooms, reflecting the prize's consistent measurement of professional rigor and integrity rather than circulation. Current sponsor Pirelli took on support in 2023, continuing the tradition of Italian corporate sponsorship of the award.
The jury of past winners—including figures such as Milena Gabanelli, Enrico Mentana, Ferruccio de Bortoli, and Gian Antonio Stella—evaluates candidates based on professional independence, investigative quality, and demonstrated capacity to report on complex issues without editorial constraints.
Recognition and Ceremony
The awards ceremony is scheduled for Monday, October 5, 2026, at Milan's Piccolo Teatro Grassi. The event will bring together Italy's media establishment, corporate sponsors, and cultural figures to publicly recognize journalism that often occurs with minimal institutional visibility or financial support.
This recognition serves as institutional affirmation that independent journalism—despite chronic underfunding, legal pressures, and professional risks—remains a value the Italian establishment formally acknowledges. For residents and media professionals across Italy, the Premiolino represents a persistent standard for investigative accountability in a landscape where serious journalism faces ongoing structural challenges.
