For immediate release
WASHINGTON — The Washington, D.C., Pro chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists gave out its annual Dateline Awards for journalism excellence on Tuesday, June 13.
This year, 82 entries were finalists for their TV, radio, newspaper, magazine, newsletter/trade publication, and online work.
Winners were announced at the chapter’s annual Hall of Fame dinner at the National Press Club.
The chapter also gave out the Robert D.G. Lewis Award, which comes with a $1,000 prize. The special award 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.
This year’s Robert D.G. Lewis Watchdog Award went to the staff of McClatchy DC for the entry “Panama Papers”
The judge’s comments: “The size of the leak – 11.5 million financial and legal records – is staggering. McClatchy brilliantly exploited the material with its expertise and shoe-leather reporting from around the world to expose how the super-wealthy hide their money. Groundbreaking.”
Other awards were:
Correspondent Award, All Divisions
April Witt, Bethesda Magazine, “Lasting Impact”
The judge’s comments: “The story of Montgomery County’s vehicle collision investigators is deeply reported with great attention to detail and beautifully written. It captures the technical nature of the work as well the heartbreak, and brings to life an important and challenging profession that many people may not appreciate or even know about.”
RADIO
Non-Breaking News
• Winner: Dave McConnell, Brennan Haselton, Nick Iannelli, WTOP-FM, “2016 Republican and Democratic National Conventions”
• Finalist: Staff, WMAL FM/AM, “Metro Shutdown”
Features
• Winner: Brennan Haselton, WTOP-FM, “Vintage Game Night”
• Finalist: Kristi King, WTOP-FM, “Sip ‘N Shop”
Commentary & Criticism
• Winner: Jason Fraley, WTOP-FM
• Finalist: Chris Core, WTOP-FM, “Core Values”
Series
• Winner: Neal Augenstein, Max Smith, Dave Dildine, WTOP-FM, “Crumbling Capital”
• Finalist: J.J. Green, WTOP-FM, “Escape from North Korea: The Story of Grace Jo”
Beat Reporting
• Winner: Max Smith, WTOP-FM
• Finalist: J.J. Green, WTOP-FM
Breaking News Reporting
• Winner: WTOP staff, “Metro shutdown”
Sports
• Winner: Steven Burns, WMAL FM/AM, “Nats Honor Senators Slugger Frank Howard”
• Finalist: Michelle Basch, WTOP-FM, “Super Divas”
ONLINE
Commentary & Criticism
• Winner: Dave Levinthal, The Center for Public Integrity, “Unpacking Political Influence in Election 2016”
• Finalist: Brendan Smith, Baltimore Contemporary Art
Investigative Journalism
• Winner: Ken Vogel, Politico, “Trump’s Connections to Russia — A Look at Campaign Manager Paul Manafort”
• Finalist: Sharon Guynup, Steve Winter, NationalGeographic.com, “Tiger Temple”
Editorial Cartoon
• Winner: Adam Zyglis, The Center for Public Integrity, “Hillary Clinton’s Big Money Doubletalk”
Business
• Winner: Fred Schulte, The Center for Public Integrity, “Low Bar: The False Promise of enclosure Relief”
• Finalist: Staff, International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, a project of The Center for Public Integrity, “The Panama Papers”
Editorial/Opinion
• Winner: Arnesa Howell, USAToday.com (freelance), “Voices: Showing respect for domestic workers”
Infographic
• Winner: Chris Zubak-Skees, The Center for Public Integrity
• Finalist: David Ingold, Spencer Soper, Bloomberg, “Amazon Doesn’t Consider the Race of Its Customers. Should It?”
Photojournalism
• Winner: Dave Dildine, WTOP.com, “Lightning Strikes”
Non-Breaking News
• Winner: David Heath, Jim Morris, Jie Jenny Zou, The Center for Public Integrity, “Science Sale”
• Finalist: David S. Hilzenrath, Project On Government Oversight, “Drug Money”
Sports
• Winner: Noah Frank, WTOP.com
Series
• Winner: Geoff Mulvihill, Matthew Perrone, Liz Essley Whyte, Ben Wieder, The Center for Public Integrity and The Associated Press, “Politics of Pain”
• Finalist: Jamie Smith Hopkins, Jim Morris, Jie Jenny Zou, Chris Zubak-Skees, with weather.com & Al Jazeera English, “Carbon Wars”
Features
• Winner: Allan Holmes, Ben Wieder, Eleanor Bell Fox, Chris Zubak-Skees, Gordon Witkin, The Center for Public Integrity, “Broadband Inequality”
• Finalist: Carrie Levine, The Center for Public Integrity, “Two very different Donalds, one White House goal”
Column
• Winner: Rex Nutting, MarketWatch
TV
Features
• Winner: Steven Goodman, Lynn Chlumecky, Jake Letizia, Chuck Lesnick, UDC-TV, “Higher Education Today — Safe Spaces”
• Finalist: Angelo Bavaro, UMTV/Capital News Service, “A Mother’s Love”
DAILY NEWSPAPER
Beat Reporting
• Winner: Ben Nuckols, The Associated Press, “National Spelling Bee Coverage”
• Finalist: Ryan M. McDermott, The Washington Times, “Bowser plans to build homeless shelters in every D.C. ward”
Series
• Winner: Cathy Dyson, Amy Flowers Umble, Kristin Davis, Vanessa Remmers, The Free Lance-Star, “On The Farm” series
Features
• Winner: David Montgomery, The Washington Post, “Be Prepared: Muslim American Scouts grapple with the Trump era”
• Finalist: Adam Bernstein, The Washington Post, “Yolande Betbeze Fox, a Miss America who rebelled, dies at 87”
Sports
• Finalist: Todd Dybas, The Washington Times, “Power Play: Now the richest cornerback in NFL history, Norman takes in his rise to fame and what comes next”
Column
• Winner: David R. Sands, The Washington Times, “A Valentine’s Day over-the-board mating match — times three— for chess lovers”
• Finalist: Deborah Simmons, The Washington Times, “Rushern Baker didn’t get the memo; PG report on school pedophile, porn falls short; PG’s schools still lag as Baker ponders move to Annapolis”
Investigative Journalism
• Winner: Staff, McClatchydc.com and McClatchy newspapers from Sacramento to Miami, “Panama Papers”
• Finalist: Louise Radnofsky, Zusha Elinson, John R. Emshwiller, Gary Fields, The Wall Street Journal, “Why Some Problem Cops Don’t Lose Their Badges”
Non-Breaking News
• Winner: David Lightman, David Goldstein, Vera Bergengruen, McClatchyDC.com, “The voters and Trump”
• Finalist: Ann Marimow, Mike DeBonis, Spencer Hsu, The Washington Post, “An inside look at why the long-running federal campaign finance investigation into D.C.’s mayor came undone”
NEWSLETTER/TRADE PUBLICATION
Beat Reporting
• Winner: Allyson Versprille, Bloomberg BNA, “Estate Tax Beat Reporting”
• Finalist: Kaustuv Basu, Laura Davison, Aaron Lorenzo, Bloomberg BNA, “Congressional Tax Policy Beat Reporting”
Features
• Winner: Mark Feffer, HR Magazine, “Working with Conviction”
• Finalist: Donald Tepper, American Physical Therapy Association, “Making a House an Accessible Home: The Role of PTs”
Editorial/Opinion Writing
• Winner: Paul Fletcher, Virginia Lawyers Weekly, “Keep Justice Roush on the high court”
Column
• Winner: Paul Fletcher, Virginia Lawyers Weekly
Business
• Winner: Matt Daneman, John Hendel, Jonathan Make, Dibya Sarkar, Communications Daily, M&A coverage
Infographic
• Winner: Gideon Grudo, Mike Tsukamoto, Air Force Magazine, “Technology Readiness Levels, Explained”
Non-Breaking News
• Winner: Amy McCullough, Air Force Magazine, “Keeping Peace in Korea”
• Finalist: Chris Hayhurst, Donald Tepper, PT in Motion, the American Physical Therapy Association, “The Role of PTs in Regenerative Medicine”
• Finalist: Andrew Velarde, Tax Analysts, “Theories for Expatriation Numbers Abound, but Answers Elusive”
Investigative Journalism
• Winner: John Hendel, David Kaut, Jonathan Make, Communications Daily, “Communications Daily Investigates FCC Through FOIA”
• Finalist: Zachary Fryer-Biggs, Jane’s, “Operation Watersnake: Hacking the U.S. by Ship”
Series
• Winner: Shawn Zeller, Roll Call and CQ.com, “CQ Roll Call Capitol Insiders Survey”
• Finalist: Dolores Gregory, Bloomberg BNA, 1) Transfer Pricing Rough Justice Hemorrhaging States; 2) A Battle Against Base Erosion: D.C.’s ‘Chainbridge’ Saga
WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Non-Breaking News
• Winner: Mary Walrath, Street Sense Media, “Taking Shelter: One Man’s Fight Reflects the Plight of Many”
• Finalist: Robyn Di Giacinto, Street Sense Media, “Workplace Protections Not Guaranteed, Volunteers Harassed or Assaulted on the Job”
Front-Page Design
• Winner: Jim Neal, Washington Blade, “Enough, Best of Gay DC, Gays and Guns”
Series
• Winner: Michael Brice-Saddler, Katlyn Alapati, Mary Walrath, Benjamin Burgess, Eric Falquero, Street Sense Media, “Tent Community Shutdowns”
Features
• Winner: Joey DiGugliemo, Washington Blade, “He’s Trump, he’s Clinton”
• Finalist: Mariah Cooper, Washington Blade, “Local LGBT Muslims feel Orlando’s double sting”
Editorial/Opinion Writing
• Winner: Michael Lavers, Washington Blade, “A glimpse into another side of Cuba”
• Finalist: Kevin Naff, Washington Blade, “Time for a new LGBT march on Washington”
Photojournalism
• Winner: Benjamin Burgess, Street Sense Media, “Foggy Bottom Encampment Eviction”
Commentary & Criticism
• Winner: Kevin Naff, Washington Blade, “A tribute to gay bars”
• Finalist: Joey DiGuglielmo, Washington Blade, “Gospel diva Sandi Patty bids D.C. farewell with hit-packed concert”
MAGAZINE
Commentary & Criticism
• Winner: Shawn Zeller, CQ Magazine, “The Rise of Donald Trump”
Non-Breaking News
• Winner: Miranda Spivack, Columbia Journalism Review, “As local coverage wanes, residents become self-taught watchdogs”
• Finalist: Paul Krawzak, CQ staff, CQ Magazine, “In-Depth Reporting on the Federal Budget”
Features
• Winner: April Witt, Bethesda Magazine, “Lasting Impact”
• Finalist: Cindy Rich, Bethesda Magazine, “The Making of a Family”
Beat Reporting
• Winner: Todd Ruger, CQ Magazine and Roll Call, Reporting on U.S. Supreme Court
Investigative Journalism
• Winner: Jordan Robertson, Michael Riley, Andrew Willis, Bloomberg Businessweek, “How to Hack an Election”
Column
• Winner: Kate Ackley, CQ Magazine, “Columns on Lobbying and Political Money”