2010 Awards: ASNE announces journalism contest award winners
Posted 2/17/2010 11:46:00 AM
RESTON, Va. — The American Society of News Editors has selected the winners of its annual awards for distinguished writing and photography.
This year's contest attracted 302 entries from news organizations throughout the United States, which represents a slight decline from the 307 entries received in 2009.
"The ASNE competition is always inspirational, showcasing the best in public service journalism, storytelling and community photojournalism," said Charlotte H. Hall, senior vice president/editor of the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel, and chair of this year's ASNE Awards Board. "It also affirms the great work being done in American newsrooms, despite tough times. The judges were impressed by the range and quality of the entries, from investigations that uncovered significant wrongdoing to incisive commentary that illumined important issues."
The winners
Jesse Laventhol Prize for Deadline News Reporting
The Star-Ledger, Newark, N.J., for capturing the drama, strangeness and import of one of New Jersey's largest corruption scandals with impressive reporting muscle and a captivating brand of storytelling. Along with a lively account of the arrest of 44 people, the staff delivered absorbing portraits of the key informant and the Syrian Jewish community that had become the sudden subject of unwanted attention.
Jesse Laventhol Prize for Online Storytelling
The Boston Globe, for a multitiered and multimedia presentation on the life and career of Senator Ted Kennedy. Through the use of compelling videos, a detailed timeline, an amazing array of photographs and the often-poetic voices of those who knew him best, the Globe painted an engaging portrait of this storied Massachusetts senator, celebrating his successes and chronicling his crises.
Batten Medal
Lane DeGregory of the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times, for a body of work in which the courageous lives of ordinary people take on a universal importance, illuminated by the compassion of a writer whose compelling and stylish writing is matched by her humanity.
Distinguished Writing Award for Commentary/Column Writing
Nicholas D. Kristof, The New York Times, for his provocative, erudite, courageous commentary, especially those columns that are the foundation of his ongoing crusade against the mistreatment of women and girls across the globe.
Community Service Photojournalism Award
Craig F. Walker, The Denver Post. For two years, Walker chronicled the difficult transition of an Army recruit from the free-form life of a teenager to the rigorous discipline of a soldier. From induction day farewells, fear showing in the new private’s eyes, to his first night patrol in Iraq in full battle dress, Walker’s photos provide rare insight into the young people who fight our wars.
Freedom Forum/ASNE Award for Distinguished Writing on Diversity
Nina Bernstein, The New York Times, for thorough and tenacious reporting and compelling storytelling on the mistreatment of immigrants in federal custody, particularly her stories that revealed unreported deaths and efforts by officials to hide them from the public.
Distinguished Writing Award for Editorial Writing
David Barham of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Little Rock, for elegant editorials on subjects as wide-ranging as the shame of a rundown historic cemetery to a newspaper’s dubious decision to stop endorsing political candidates. Many of his pieces have a powerful sense of his community; others are downright funny; all are well reasoned and beautifully written.
Distinguished Writing Award for Local Accountability Reporting
Barbara Laker and Wendy Ruderman, Philadelphia Daily News, for their series about a rogue squad of Philadelphia narcotics cops that systematically looted mom and pop stores under the guise of busting them for selling drug paraphernalia. The series prompted an FBI investigation, new police policies and a number of civil rights lawsuits. Direct, descriptive writing. Journalism that made a difference in the community.
Distinguished Writing Award for Nondeadline Writing
David S. Rohde, The New York Times, for his gripping account of being kidnapped and detained by the Taliban for more than seven months, before his daring escape in one of the most dangerous spots in the world. In addition to his harrowing and descriptive personal narrative, Rohde provided an authoritative account of a "Taliban mini-state" in the tribal areas of Pakistan, and described in up-close detail an anti-West movement even more extreme than expected.
The winners of the Jesse Laventhol prizes will receive $10,000; all of the other winners will receive $2,500 prizes. The awards will be presented during this year's ASNE convention, which will be held April 11-14 in Washington, D.C.
The finalists
Jesse Laventhol Prize for Deadline News Reporting
- Staff, The Boston Globe
- Staff, The New York Times
- Lena Sun and Maria Glod, The Washington Post
Jesse Laventhol Prize for Online Storytelling
Batten Medal
- Christopher J. Chivers, The New York Times
- Steve Duin, The Oregonian, Portland
Distinguished Writing Award for Commentary/Column Writing
- Bill McClellan, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
- Mike Thomas, Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel
Community Service Photojournalism
- Robert Cohen, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
- Sonya Hebert, The Dallas Morning News
Freedom Forum/ASNE Award for Outstanding Writing on Diversity
- Maria Sacchetti, The Boston Globe
Distinguished Writing Award for Editorial Writing
- George Hager, USA TODAY, McLean, Va.
- Tim Nickens, St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times
Distinguished Writing Award for Local Accountability Reporting
- Mark Puente, The Plain Dealer, Cleveland
- Raquel Rutledge, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Distinguished Writing Award for Nondeadline Writing
- Mark Johnson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
- Neil Swidey, The Boston Globe
The Jesse Laventhol prizes are named in honor of a longtime Philadelphia newspaperman. They are endowed by his son, David A. Laventhol, a former editor and executive in the newspaper business.
The Freedom Forum, which has partnered with ASNE on many diversity efforts, funds the award for outstanding writing on diversity.
The Batten Medal honors the memory of revered reporter, editor and newspaper executive James K. Batten. The medal is intended to celebrate the journalistic values Batten stood for: compassion, courage, humanity and a deep concern for the underdog. The award was established and funded by a group of editors from the former Knight Ridder company and a corporate gift.
The ASNE Foundation — which is supported by gifts from ASNE members, newspaper companies and foundations — funds the other awards. The Poynter Institute partners with ASNE in administering the competition.
The awards were given for work completed in 2009. All newspapers, news services and news Web sites in the United States are eligible to enter. Outside the United States, news organizations that are headed by an active member of ASNE are also eligible.
Carolyn Lee, New York, chaired the photojournalism award judging. Four photo experts also joined in the judging: Gail Fisher, senior photo editor, National Geographic Magazine; Kenny Irby, visual journalism group leader and diversity program director, The Poynter Institute; Bruce Moyer, deputy director of photography, St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times; Mizell Stewart, editor, Evansville (Ind.) Courier & Press; and Dave Walters, editor for photography and video, The Miami Herald.
In addition to Awards Board chair Charlotte H. Hall, this year's writing judges were: Martin Baron, editor, The Boston Globe; David Boardman, executive editor, The Seattle Times; Neil Brown, executive editor, St. Petersburg Times; Mike Connelly, executive editor, Sarasota (Fla.) Herald-Tribune; Pamela Fine, Knight Chair in News, Leadership and Community, The University of Kansas; Timothy A. Franklin, Louis A. Weil Jr. Endowed Chair, Indiana University School of Journalism; Carolina Garcia, executive editor, Daily News, Los Angeles; Susan Goldberg, editor, The Plain Dealer, Cleveland; W. Martin Kaiser, editor, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; Saundra E. Keyes, professor, University of Nevada Reynolds School of Journalism; Carolyn Lee, retired, The New York Times; Ken Paulson, president and chief operating officer, Newseum and Freedom Forum; Karen Peterson, executive editor, The News Tribune, Tacoma, Wash.; Kathy Spurlock, executive editor, The News-Star, Monroe, La.; Margaret M. Sullivan, editor, The Buffalo (N.Y.) News; and David A. Zeeck, president and publisher, The News Tribune, Tacoma, Wash.
Judges abstained from discussion when there was either a personal or professional conflict of interest.
ASNE is a membership organization for leaders of multimedia news organizations and deans and endowed chairs at accredited journalism schools. ASNE focuses primarily on open government and the First Amendment, journalism education, leadership and diversity.
For more information contact Cristal Williams Chancellor, cwilliams@asne.org, 703-453-1138.