Newsroom: Hot off the press.
News, awards, and announcements from HEATDRAWN Media.
Latest news
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Press kit
For journalists and editors writing about HEATDRAWN Media.
About HEATDRAWN Media
HEATDRAWN Media is an independent studio for publishing, audio, and screen, founded in 2020 by product strategist and journalist Ethan Ward. Everything it makes is researched, fact-checked, and true to the people it’s for. Its work includes Reputation, a podcast on homelessness in L.A. that won a 2023 Housing Narrative Award; The Thread, a newsletter that won the 2026 Online Journalism Award for Excellence in AI Innovation; and INHERITANCE Magazine, whose essay “The American Experiment” won two awards in 2026. The studio also makes podcasts, series, and campaigns for brands and organizations.
Founder
Ethan Ward is a product strategist and journalist. He leads every HEATDRAWN project.
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Interview requests, questions, and fact checks.
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Introducing Interested Party
Interested Party, an independent magazine about what AI is doing to our work, money, health, and culture, from a Black point of view, sends its first monthly edition Dec. 1.
Introducing Maroon Astro, a travel magazine from someone who went
Ethan Ward’s new travel magazine sends one free issue a month, and every pick says how long he stayed and when he last checked.
INHERITANCE Magazine’s Wendell Pierce essay named National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards finalist
Ethan Ward’s essay on the actor is one of five finalists in its category at the LA Press Club’s 19th National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards.
The Thread wins 2026 Online Journalism Award for Excellence in AI Innovation
The Thread spent a year using AI to find patterns across 100 to 200 obituaries each week. It won Excellence in AI Innovation for a Small/Medium Newsroom.
The Thread named 2026 Online Journalism Awards finalist for Excellence in AI Innovation
The Thread spent a year using AI to find patterns across 100 to 200 obituaries each week. It is one of three finalists in the Small/Medium Newsroom division.
INHERITANCE Essay “The American Experiment” Receives LA Press Club Honor
The essay by Ethan Ward and Dana Amihere received second-place honors in Political Commentary, National at the 2026 LA Press Club SoCal Journalism Awards.
“The American Experiment” Named LA Press Club Finalist
An essay six years in the making, named a 2026 finalist by the LA Press Club.
HEATDRAWN Wins Two Communicator Awards
The American Experiment and The Thread: Love of Craft Series each received Awards of Distinction in the 32nd Annual Communicator Awards for editorial and AI-powered work.
HEATDRAWN Awarded Omidyar Network Tech Journalism Fund Grant for Investigation into AI Enforcement Gaps
Funding supports “Principles Without Penalties,” an investigation into the gap between AI governance principles and real-world enforcement.
Introducing INHERITANCE
HEATDRAWN launches new magazine about race, culture, money, power, and what gets passed down.
The Thread Partners with AfroLA for Black History Month Editorial Collaboration
The Thread joins AfroLA for a four-part Black History Month series amplifying overlooked Black Los Angeles histories.
HEATDRAWN Launches “The Thread,” AI-Powered Digital Museum Exploring Obituaries and Legacy
A new AI-powered digital project analyzes obituary data to examine memory, legacy, and public record.
“REPUTATION” Wins LA Press Club SoCal Journalism Award for Best Limited Podcast Series
The limited series REPUTATION is recognized for Best Limited Podcast Series at the 2024 LA Press Club SoCal Journalism Awards.
“REPUTATION” Nominated in Two Categories at LA Press Club SoCal Journalism Awards
The series earns finalist recognition in two categories at the 2024 LA Press Club SoCal Journalism Awards.
“Through the Looking Glass” Wins 2023 Housing Narrative Award for Best Podcast Episode
The debut episode of REPUTATION wins the 2023 Housing Narrative Award for Best Podcast Episode.
HEATDRAWN Founder Ethan Ward partners with PhilmCo Media to Develop Television Pilot on Homelessness in Los Angeles
Founder Ethan Ward joins PhilmCo Media to develop a television pilot examining homelessness in Los Angeles.
HEATDRAWN Launches “REPUTATION,” Limited Series Podcast Examining Housing, Power, and Public Narrative
REPUTATION debuts as a nine-episode limited series examining housing policy, public narrative, and structural inequality.
Ethan Ward to Deliver Keynote Address at Bellwether Housing’s “Closer to Home” Luncheon
Ethan Ward will deliver the keynote address at Bellwether Housing’s annual “Closer to Home” luncheon.