Congratulations to all winners and finalists in 2019 Dateline Awards contest
Investigative series on medical implant devices receives contest’s special Robert D.G. Lewis Watchdog Award for best entry exemplifying public service journalism at SPJ DC Pro’s June 11 awards ceremony
The Washington, D.C., Pro chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists awarded its 2019 Dateline Awards for journalism excellence June 11 at its annual Dateline Awards and Hall of Fame Dinner at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.
This year’s top honor — the Robert D.G. Lewis Watchdog Award — went to the reporting teams of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, The Associated Press and NBC News Investigative Unit for “Implant Files,” an online series exposing the usage of defective medical device implants globally.
The award, which comes with a $1,000 prize, is presented to the Dateline Awards entry that best exemplifies journalism aimed at protecting the public from abuses by those who would betray the public trust.
The judges called this investigative piece “a stunning work of journalism, answering the profession’s highest calling: To identify a problem, describe it to the public, and show what’s gone wrong. This project very likely saved lives.” The judges added that “while it shares many important facts and numbers, the stories of people affected by defective devices really brings the situation home to the average reader.”
Also as part of the evening’s festivities, the chapter inducted three journalists into its D.C. journalism Hall of Fame: CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer, Washington Post personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary and veteran CBS News White House correspondent Peter Maer.
The chapter also gave its Distinguished Service Award to Amy Fickling, an editor at Warren Communications News and a long-time SPJ DC chapter officer and National Press Club member.
The chapter’s 2019 Dateline Awards were given for excellence in TV, radio, newspaper, magazine, newsletter/trade publication and online journalism, encompassing breaking news, business writing, commentary and more. Following are the winners and finalists by category:
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CORRESPONDENT AWARD (for distinguished coverage of the Washington area published or broadcast outside the Washington D.C., area):
Winner: Mark Albert, Hearst Television, Overall Investigative Work
Finalist: Thomas Burr, The Salt Lake Tribune, “Sen. Orrin Hatch’s Impact on Washington”
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DAILY NEWSPAPERS
Non-Breaking News
Winner: Luis Alonso, Ben Fox, Jacquelyn Martin, The Associated Press, “Salvadoran migrant isn’t bitter as forced return nears”
Finalist: Julia Airey, The Washington Times, “District’s fire crews forced to serve on run-down rigs”
Features
Winner: Adam Bernstein, The Washington Post, “High-octane charm juiced heartthrob’s Hollywood career”
Finalist: Thomas Floyd, The Washington Post Express, “Blunders never cease: ‘The Play That Goes Wrong’ is a farce, but sometimes things really do go wrong”
Finalist: David Driver, Adam Zielonka, Matthew Paras, Owen Dunn, The Washington Times, “Friday Night Plights”
Finalist: Adam Bernstein, The Washington Post, “William Goldman, Oscar-winning screenwriter built a legacy of storytelling on the page and screen, dies at 87”
Sports
Winner: Thom Loverro, The Washington Times, Overall Coverage
Finalist: Matthew Paras, The Washington Times, Overall Coverage
Business
Winner: Ben Wolfgang, The Washington Times, Overall Coverage
Finalist: Dan Boylan, The Washington Times, Overall Coverage
Front-Page Design
Winner: Robert Cohn, The Washington Times
Column
Winner: Deborah Simmons, The Washington Times
Finalist: Wesley Pruden, The Washington Times
Series
Winner: Harrison Smith, The Washington Post, Five Obituaries
Finalist: Tom Howell Jr., The Washington Times, Opioid Epidemic Series
Finalist: Jeff Mordock, The Washington Times, “Bungling feds fail to pursue child pornography”
Editorial/Opinion Writing
Winner: Colbert King, The Washington Post, “DC Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Declining Clout”
Commentary & Criticism
Winner: Celia Wexler, San Francisco Chronicle, “Why Catholic bishops stay quiet about Trump’s policy on immigrants”
Finalist: Celia Wexler, San Francisco Chronicle, “Pope must speak out on evil of misogyny”
Editorial Cartoon
Winner: Alexander Hunter, The Washington Times
Beat Reporting
Winner: Stephen Dinan, The Washington Times, Immigration Policy Coverage
Finalist: Guy Taylor, The Washington Times, National Security Reporting
Finalist: Jeff Mordock, The Washington Times, DOJ Reporting
Finalist: Ben Wolfgang, The Washington Times, Overall Reporting
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WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS
Non-Breaking News
Winner: Lou Chibbaro Jr., Washington Blade, “Revisting 10 unsolved LGBT murders in D.C.”
Finalist: Michael K. Lavers, Washington Blade, “LGBT Venezuelans find refuge in Colombia”
Finalist: Michael K. Lavers, Washington Blade, “Trump immigration policy sparks concern on US-Mexico border”
Features
Winner: Judy Kurtz, The Hill, “Celebrities dive into midterms, hoping to thwart Trump”
Finalist: Joey DiGuglielmo, Washington Blade, “Getting to know new Washington Bach Consort Conductor Dana Marsh”
Finalist: Jeff Gray, Street Sense Media, “On the other side of the glass: One man’s journey from the street to a home”
Finalist: Karen Feld, The Georgetowner, “The Latest Rock Star: Michelle!”
Investigative Journalism
Winner: Rachel Cohen, Washington City Paper, “Behind the Consulting Firm Raking In Millions from D.C. Charter Schools”
Series
Winner: Naomi Jagoda, Bob Cusack, Mike Lillis, Megan R. Wilson, Melanie Zanona, The Hill, “How the Trump tax law passed”
Finalist: Jake Maher, Eric Falquero, Olivia Richter, KJ Ward, Samantha Caruso, Benjamin Burgess, Street Sense Media, “Homeless encampment cleanups and evictions”
Finalist: Annie Albright, Katie Bemb, Street Sense Media, “Adoption of legislation to create public restrooms”
Editorial/Opinion Writing
Winner: Michael Lavers, Washington Blade, “US no longer stands for human rights around the world”
Commentary & Criticism
Winner: Aida Peery, Steve Lilienthal, Wendell Williams, Rachel Brody, Arthur Delaney, Sara Reardon, Street Sense Media, “Handguns, media bias and the mayor’s budget”
Finalist: Joey DiGuglielmo, Washington Blade, “Troye Sivan conjures up minimalist magic at the Anthem”
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MAGAZINE
Features
Winner: Cheryl W. Thompson, The Washington Post Magazine, “Murder and Memory”
Finalist: Tamara Lytle, Arlington Magazine, “How to Save a Life”
Finalist: John Tirpak, Air Force Magazine, “Bombers in 2050”
Finalist: John Tirpak, Air Force Magazine, “The Great Hypersonics Race”
Business
Winner: Stephenie Overman, Virginia Business Magazine, “Valedictorian of the creative class?”
Investigative Journalism
Winner: Rachel Cohen, Washingtonian Magazine, “Has the New America Foundation Lost its Way”
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TELEVISION
Non-Breaking News
Winner: Maryland Newsline Staff, UMTV, Maryland University, “Maryland Newsline Special Edition: Ellicott City”
Finalist: Alex Littlehales, UMTV, “Red Flag Mother”
Features
Winner: Diane Roberts, Eric Jansen, WUSA9, “DC Boys Choir changing perceptions one note at a time”
Finalist: Alex Littlehales, UMTV, “Police Swimming”
Finalist: Steven Goodman, The Honorable Jared Polis, Kaitlyn Vitez, UDC-TV, “Higher Education Today — Affordable Textbooks”
Sports
Winner: Diane Roberts, Dave Satchell, Larry Sindass, WUSA9, “Capitals Announcer no longer a size 56”
Finalist: Austin Kleber, UMTV, Maryland University, “Pickleball Lifeline”
Finalist: Diane Roberts, Jimmy Suthard, WUSA9, “Baseball Coach Survivor Story”
Finalist: Alex Littlehales, UMTV, “BUBA Ball”
Commentary & Criticism
Winner: Adam Longo, WUSA9-TV
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RADIO
Non-Breaking News
Winner: Staff, WTOP-FM, Coverage of Government Shutdown
Finalist: Staff, WTOP-FM, “Charlottesville: One year later”
Breaking News
Winner: Staff, WTOP-FM, Coverage of Capital Gazette Shooting
Features
Winner: Jenny Glick, WTOP-FM, “A Gift of Life”
Finalist: Rachel Nania, WTOP-FM, “The Power of Music”
Sports
Winner: Staff, WTOP-FM
Business
Winner: Jeff Clabaugh, Rachel Nania, Dave Dildine, Megan Cloherty, WTOP-FM
Investigative Journalism
Winner: Donna Cole, WNAV, “What Killed the Bald Eagles”
Finalist: Michael Pope, Virginia Public Radio, “Wage Theft in Virginia”
Series
Winner: Michelle Basch, WTOP-FM, “Going Under: The story of Tangier Island”
Finalist: Jack Moore, Brennan Haselton, WTOP-FM, “D.C. Uprising: Voices from the 1968 riots”
Editorial/Opinion Writing
Winner: Chris Core, WTOP-FM, “Core Values”
Commentary & Criticism
Winner: Jason Fraley, WTOP-FM
Beat Reporting
Winner: J.J. Green, WTOP-FM
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NEWSLETTERS/TRADE PUBLICATIONS
Non-Breaking News
Winner: Chris Bing, CyberScoop, “Trisis has the security world spooked, stumped and searching for answers”
Finalist: Amy McCullough, Air Force Magazine, “USAF Has Too Many Missions and Not Enough Airmen”
Finalist: Mary Kane, Kiplinger’s Retirement Report, “Finding a New Path with Dementia”
Finalist: Eleanor Laise, Kiplinger’s Retirement Report, “The Other Retirement Crisis — Finding Your Missing Benefits”
Breaking News
Winner: Staff, Communications Daily, Coverage of Midterm Elections
Features
Winner: Eric Kulisch, Automotive News, “Gray Area: How automakers squeeze firms operating in the shadows of the aftermarket parts world”
Finalist: Dori Meinart, HR Magazine, “Bridging the Language Gap”
Finalist: Rachel Sheedy, Kiplinger’s Retirement Report, “Everything IRA Heirs Need to Know”
Finalist: Kathy Gurchiek, SHRM Online, “’Pawternity’ Leave Acknowledges Pet Owners’ Needs”
Business
Winner: Chris Knight, Argus Media, Overall Business Reporting
Finalist: Lauren Masterson, Argus Media, Overall Business Reporting
Finalist: Howard Buskirk, Matt Daneman, Monty Tayloe, Jonathan Make, Communications Daily, Series on Telecom M&A
Finalist: Kathy Gurchiek, SHRM Online, “‘Ghosting’ Behavior Baffles HR Pros, Hiring Managers”
Editorial/Opinion Writing
Winner: Paul Fletcher, Virginia Lawyers Weekly, “An important reminder”
Finalist: Stew Magnuson, National Defense Magazine, “The STEM Pipeline Will Only Grow Smaller”
Commentary & Criticism
Winner: Eric Kulisch, Automotive News, “Pollution automakers burden alone?”
Investigative Journalism
Winner: Matthew Ong, The Cancer Letter, “When Surgical Innovation Kills”
Finalist: Adam Bender, Howard Buskirk, Matt Daneman, David Kaut, Monty Tayloe, Communications Daily, Investigation of FCC on Hurricanes and Puerto Rico
Finalist: Chris Quintana, Dan Bauman, The Chronicle of Higher Education, “Drew Cloud Was a Well-Known Expert on Student Loans. One Problem: He Wasn’t Real.”
Finalist: Adam Bender, Jimm Phillips, Jonathan Make, Communications Daily, Investigation of 911 Fee Diversion
Column
Winner: Paul Fletcher, Virginia Lawyers Weekly, “A Lobster Tale & Certain Uncertainty”
Series
Winner: Dana Wilkie, SHRM Online, “The Death of the Pay Raise”
Finalist: Paul Goldberg, Matthew Ong, The Cancer Letter, “From Rhetoric to Harm”
Finalist: Keith Loria, Michele Wojciechowski, Donald Tepper, PT in Motion, “PTs Who Treat Athletes”
Finalist: Adam Bender, Communications Daily, Series on 911
Art/Photo Illustration
Winner: Katherine Goldberg, The Cancer Letter, “Illustrating advances in cancer research”
Front-Page Design
Winner: Jacqueline Ong, Katherine Goldberg, The Cancer Letter, “New developments in oncology”
Finalist: Brian Taylor, Stew Magnuson, Jon Harper, Yasmin Tadjdeh, Connie Lee, National Defense Magazine, Overall Design
Beat Reporting
Winner: Shaun Courtney, Bloomberg Government, “Transportation Reporting: Driverless Cars”
Finalist: Corbin Hiar, Kevin Bogardus, E&E News, “How the Trump EPA is putting public health at risk”
Finalist: Howard Buskirk, Karl Herchenroeder, Jimm Phillips, Monty Tayloe, Matt Daneman, Communications Daily, Coverage on Government Shutdown
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ONLINE
Non-Breaking News
Winner: Blowout Reporting & Production Teams, The Center for Public Integrity, The Texas Tribune, Newsy and The Associated Press, “Blowout: Inside America’s Energy Gamble”
Finalist: Georgina Gustin, Neela Banerjee, John H. Cushman Jr., Paul Horn, Anna Belle Peevey, InsideClimate News, “Harvesting Peril: Extreme Weather and Climate Change on the American Farm”
Finalist: Alan Levin, Bloomberg News, “Aviation’s Year of Tragedy and Triumph”
Finalist: Ally Boguhn, Jodi Jacobson, Dennis Carter, Rewire.News, “This Fake Clinic Network Receives State and Federal Funding to Teach Kids ‘Shaming’ Sex-Education Curriculum”
Breaking News
Winner: Jack Pointer, Teta Alim, Sarah Beth Hensley, Dave Dildine, Ana Srikanth, WTOP, “Fire on the Bridge”
Finalist: Ben Penn, Bloomberg Law, “Labor Department Tip Pool Rule Controversy”
Features
Winner: Jack Moore, WTOP, “DC Uprising”
Finalist: Harry Bruinius, Ann Hermes, The Christian Science Monitor, “Two women, a son’s death, and the struggle for forgiveness”
Finalist: Luke O’Brien, The Huffington Post, “Alex Jones Lawyer Violated Legal Ethics By Soliciting Porn Bribes. Just How Dirty Is Marc Randazza?”
Finalist: Francine Kiefer, Ann Hermes, The Christian Science Monitor, “Senator of Attention”
Sports
Winner: Kelley Evans, ESPN’s The Undefeated, “Former NFL player Darryl Haley is using his passion for music to help veterans and children”
Business
Winner: Gordon Witkin, Dave Levinthal, Carrie Levine, Chris Zubak-Skees, Staff, The Center for Public Integrity, “Tax Breaks: The Favored Few”
Finalist: Alma Mater Reporting & Production Teams, International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, NBC News Investigative Unit, Montana Kaimin, The (Memphis) Commercial Appeal, Knoxville News-Sentinel, “Alma Mater”
Finalist: Allan Holmes, Ryan Barwick, Pratheek Rebala, Gordon Witkin, The Center for Public Integrity, “Wireless Wars: The Fight Over 5G”
Finalist: Jack Moore, Jack Pointer, Megan Cloherty, Alejandro Alvarez, Jeff Clabaugh, WTOP, “Amazon is coming to town”
Investigative Journalism
Winner: Reporting & Data Teams, International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, The Associated Press and NBC News Investigative Unit, “Implant Files”
Finalist: Staff, Capital News Service, Injustice Watch, PBS NewsHour, “Trading Away Justice”
Finalist: Andrew Kerr, The Daily Caller News Foundation, “Revealed: Antifa Leader Relied On Anonymity To Push Radical, Violent Communist Agenda”
Finalist: Andrea Peterson, Jake Laperruque, The Daily Beast/Project On Government Oversight, “Amazon Pushes ICE to Buy Its Face Recognition Surveillance Tech”
Series
Winner: Will Fitzgibbon, West Africa Leaks Reporting & Data Teams, International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, Norbert Zongo Cell for Investigative Journalism and 11 media partners from West Africa, “West Africa Leaks”
Finalist: David Hilzenrath, Nicholas Pacifico, Leslie Garvey, Nick Schwellenbach, Project on Government Oversight (POGO), “Drilling Down”
Finalist: Reporting & Data Teams, The Center for Public Integrity, “Abandoned in America”
Finalist: Steve Reiss, Kelley Evans, Eryn Mathewson, ESPN’s The Undefeated, “A look at the intersection of sports, faith and religion with Josh Norman, Deion Sanders, Monty Williams, Yolanda Adams, Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir and more”
Commentary & Criticism
Winner: Brendan Smith, Hyperallergic and Washington Diplomat, “Outsider Art and Our Long History of Racism”
Editorial/Opinion Writing
Winner: Mary C. Curtis, Roll Call
Feature Photography
Winner: David Dildine, WTOP, “Lightning Strikes”
Photojournalism
Winner: David Dildine, WTOP, “Storm Chasing”
Infographic
Winner: Dave Merrill, Lauren Leatherby, Bloomberg News “How America Uses Its Land”
Beat Reporting
Winner: Luke O’Brien, The Huffington Post
Finalist: Jenny Leonard, Jennifer Jacobs, Andrew Mayeda, Bloomberg News, “Shots Fired! Trump’s War on Trade”
Finalist: Christine Vestal, Stateline.org, “Christine Vestal, The Addiction Beat”
Finalist: Megan Cloherty, WTOP
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ALL DIVISIONS/BLOG
Winner: Susan Ferriss, The Center for Public Integrity, “Immigration Decoded”
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!
If you didn’t enter this year, plan to participate in the 2020 contest, with entries being accepted starting in January.
But remember — the awards will be for 2019 journalism, so be sure to save your best work so far this year for next year’s contest consideration. And you still have six months to do more great, prize-worthy work. Good luck, and thanks for all you do to inform the public and improve our civil society.