These are turbulent times for photojournalism. At once declared dead, extolled as a creative business model and explored in new forms of media education, photojournalism has reached a cultural tipping point at a time of more international wars, civic unrest and natural disasters than in any other concentrated period of modern history. The Power of Photojournalism is a two–part documentary by the Annenberg Space for Photography investigating just what the title promises through the work of the 66th annual Picture of the Year International winners.

Photography is one of the most important parts of journalism because it reaches people so powerfully. It’s quicker, it’s more visceral than text. Photography is immediate.” ~ Geneva Overholser, Director, School of Journalism, USC Annenberg School for Communication

The bottom line is heart. And the one thing photojournalists have always had is heart.” ~ Rick Shaw, Director, Pictures of the Year International

You can see a full online gallery of the winners at the Annenberg Space for Photography. For a closer look at the role of photojournalism in framing culture and making sense of the world, we highly recommend Witness in Our Time: Working Lives of Documentary Photographers — a fascinating and visually gripping survey of the genre through interviews of and and images by 22 of the world’s most prominent photojournalists.