We talk a lot about the anti-gun bias in the mainstream media, so when journalists actually recognize and praise reporting that treats the Second Amendment as the first-class right that it is, I think that’s worth talking about too.
The New Jersey Society of Professional Journalists has announced its list of winners in the 2025 Excellence in Journalism Awards, which received more than 200 entries from media outlets serving the state. Winners include reporters from The New York Times, Asbury Park Press, POLITICO, and none other than Bearing Arms, with BA contributor John Petrolino garnering several awards from the NJSPJ.
Petrolino won first place for Best Coverage of State Government for his series of articles highlighting potential abuses of the supposedly “shall issue” carry permitting system adopted by the Garden State after the Supreme Court’s decision in Bruen. John documented excessive wait times for gun owners as well as a disproportionate number of denials for Black applicants in many counties; research that was corroborated by the group Rise Against Hate, which doesn’t generally pay much attention to 2A issues.
Petrolino also won first place for Best Coverage of Municipal Government for his Bearing Arms story “Permit to Carry Denial Over a Driving Record?”, as well as a second place award in the same category for a series of articles here at Bearing Arms documenting the fact that “Gun Ownership is Alive and Well in the Garden State,” which includes a piece on a north Jersey Friends of NRA dinner.
Finally, Petrolino received second place in the Best Short Documentary category for his interview with gun owner John Kabourakis, who defended himself and his family against a home invader.
If you’re a regular reader here at Bearing Arms then you already know that Petrolino, who’s also a finalist for Best Writer in The Gundies, is a top-notch journalist who covers Second Amendment issues in New Jersey with passion, professionalism, and a commitment to ensuring that the right to keep and bear arms can be exercised by Garden State residents without undue interference and infringement by state and local officials.
While we may know this, the fact that John’s excellence in reporting is being recognized by the New Jersey Society of Professional Journalists is hugely significant. In a state (and industry) so hostile to the right to keep and bear arms, it would have been easy for the judges to dismiss John’s reporting with a wave of the hand or pass it by simply because his work was published at a site called Bearing Arms. The recognition that John has received from his peers in the media is well-deserved, and I’m glad that any anti-2A bias the judges might have was set aside in favor of acknowledging the excellence in his reporting.
I reached out to John Petrolino to get his thoughts on the recognition from NJSPJ, and he called it both an honor and very humbling to have other professional journalists look at his content objectively and find value in it.
John thanked a number of folks, including Townhall’s Storm Paglia; Fredy Riehl, Brian Johnson and Duncan Johnson from AmmoLand News; and Dan Zimmerman and Jim Shepherd from Shooting News Weekly. In addition, John expressed his gratitude to Gun 4 Hire’s Anthony Colandro, along with the Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs, Coalition of New Jersey Firearm Owners, and New Jersey Firearms Owners Syndicate.
John added:
I’m very appreciative of the opportunities I’ve been given and for all the support I’ve received from my colleagues and friends. I also want to thank the Board of Trustees from NJSPJ, in particular Secretary Steve Lubetkin, for their support. To my New Jersey patriots, thank you for the tips, leads, and story ideas! Without you, I’d have no body of work! Thanks and appreciation to my family for putting up with me and for supporting my work. And, lastly but not least, many thanks to Alan Gottlieb, founder of the Second Amendment Foundation and chairman of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, for putting his trust in me and for being an early supporter of my work.
I’m grateful that Bearing Arms serves as the primary platform for John Petrolino’s reporting, and it’s a pleasure to serve as his editor and occasional sounding board. And as great as John is at reporting, in my opinion he’s an even better friend. As both his editor and pal, I’m thrilled to see John Petrolino’s excellent reporting getting the recognition and appreciation it deserves, and I’m looking forward to seeing and publishing more of his work in the year ahead.
Editor’s Note: To celebrate Christmas and ring in 2026, Bearing Arms is matching our biggest sale ever on VIP memberships. Now through January 1, until 11:59 pm PT, receive 74% off a VIP membership using promo code MERRY74!
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