From Our Archive
March 19, 1996
Scripps
Howard Foundation Announces
1996 National Journalism Award Winners
CINCINNATI -- The Scripps Howard
Foundation today announced the winners of its 1995 National
Journalism Awards.
Four
newspapers, three television stations, two radio stations and
five individuals were recognized for their efforts in 14
categories ranging from human interest writing and public
service to support of literacy and defense of the First
Amendment. Bronze plaques and $41,000 in cash prizes will be
awarded at a banquet hosted by Scripps Howard and its
television station WXYZ on April 26 in Detroit,
Mich.
The winners are:
Tom Dennis, The
Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.--Editorial writing. Dennis
will receive $2,000 and the Walker Stone Award plaque.
Dennis won for a four-part editorial page project,
which focused on the culm banks of Northwestern Pennsylvania.
Leftover from the days of mining coal, culm waste has
accumulated into mountainous proportions, leaving a black eye
on the community.
Judges
said: "Dennis writes with passion, insight and beauty about
the threat to clean water and menace to development in his
readers' backyard."
Christine
Bertelson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch--Human interest writing.
Bertelson will receive $2,500 and the Ernie Pyle Award plaque.
Bertelson won for a collection of columns that touched
the judges deeply. Particularly cited was a story about the
frighteningly disturbed world of a 12-year-old girl with
abusive parents.
Judges said:
"Bertelson writes beautifully about people doing nothing
special. She makes them special with her tender warmth,
insight and economical writing."
Drew Sheneman,
Central Michigan University--College cartoonist. Sheneman will
receive $2,000 and the Charles M. Schulz Award plaque.
A college junior, Sheneman was recognized
for his editorial cartoons, which appear in the newspaper,
Central Michigan Life.
Judges
said: "What we have in Drew Sheneman is a thoroughly
professional cartoonist ready to move directly to a
metropolitan newspaper and perform his stint on the editorial
page."
The News &
Observer, Raleigh, N.C.--Environmental reporting, over 100,000
circulation. The News & Observer will receive $2,000 cash
and an Edward J. Meeman Award plaque, recognizing the work of
reporters Pat Stith and Joby Warrick.
The newspaper's
seven-month investigation documented the first scientific
evidence that waste pits from immense hog farms were leaking
into groundwater and creeks.
Judges said: "This
series brought to light an incredible situation involving the
rise of corporate hog farming in North Carolina that had led
to pollution of the air and water. It combined the best
elements of environmental reporting, investigative reporting,
political reporting and public service journalism."
Tony Davis, The Albuquerque (N.M.)
Tribune--Environmental reporting, under 100,000 circulation.
Davis will receive $2,000 and an Edward J. Meeman Award
plaque.
In a series of
articles, Mr. Davis explored and explained the political and
social underpinnings of the conflict in Catron County, a
remote area 200 miles southwest of Albuquerque. There, the
raging triangle of strife among ranchers, federal officials
and environmentalists is boiling out of control.
Judges said: "This was a well-done examination of the
conflict between private rights and public lands in the modern
West. It's a series ahead of the curve, warning readers of
something that could explode at any time."
The Blade, Toledo, Ohio--Service in support of
literacy, newspaper category.
The Blade will
receive $2,500 and will designate a literacy program in its
community to receive a $5,000 grant from the Scripps Howard
Foundation. The newspaper will also receive a Charles E.
Scripps Award plaque.
The Blade was
recognized for a multi-faceted approach to fostering reading
in its community. Through its support of Toledo's Read for
Literacy group, the newspaper helped increase the number of
people served from 300 to 1,800 adults.
Judges said: "We
were impressed with the commitment from the top down and the
ongoing efforts that had measurable results in this
community."
WDEF-TV,
Chattanooga, Tenn.--Service in support of literacy,
broadcast/cable category.
WDEF will receive
$2,500 and will designate a literacy program in its community
to receive a $5,000 grant from the Scripps Howard Foundation.
The station will also receive a Charles E. Scripps Award
plaque.
For the second
consecutive year, WDEF has been honored for its outstanding
campaigns to promote literacy. Education reporter Chris Allen
coordinated various segments and projects to raise more than
$115,000 to purchase reading and writing materials for
inner-city school children.
Judges said:
"Allen's volunteer work was driven by his own enthusiasm, but
he was obviously empowered by his station and management to
take the time and effort necessary. The manner in which he
marshaled community and advertisers' support generated public
spirit and pride."
WUAL Radio,
Tuscaloosa, Ala.--Broadcast/cable journalism, small market
radio category.
The station will
receive $2,000 and a Jack R. Howard Award plaque.
A report by WUAL, a National Public Radio affiliate,
focused on Mississippi's new welfare reform proposal by
profiling a single mother who struggles to raise her family.
Judges said: "A clear and thorough look at real people
in need of help from religious and governmental institutions.
An informative report on a critical issue that got
results.
WHAS Radio, Louisville,
Ky.--Broadcast/cable journalism, large market radio category.
The station will
receive $2,000 and a Jack R. Howard Award
plaque.
A 20-minute report
by WHAS Radio told the powerfully moving and stark reality
about life in an urban ghetto as told through the everyday
lives of one family. The feature was followed by an hour-long
discussion program.
Judges said:
"Through fine, sensitive writing, WHAS painted a vivid picture
of life in the projects. A clear and powerful message to
disturb the status quo."
KXLY-TV, Spokane,
Wash.--Broadcast/cable journalism, small market television
category.
The station will
receive $2,000 and a Jack R. Howard Award plaque.
In a 30-minute historical account, KXLY re-enacted a
gunman's rampage through the local Air Force base, which left
five people dead and 22 people injured. The show's objective
was to bring closure to the tragedy that affected the entire
community.
Judges said: "Keeps
you glued to your seat. A spellbinding telling of a tragic,
important event with exceptional production values.
Brilliantly photographed and produced."
WSOC-TV, Charlotte,
N.C.--Broadcast/cable journalism, large market television
category.
The station will
receive $2,000 and a Jack R. Howard Award plaque.
WSOC's broadcast summarized a two-year project to
decrease crime in nine high-crime neighborhoods. In all, the
station aired more than 200 stories, conducted research,
coordinated town meetings and established phone banks to sign
up volunteers.
Judges
said: "Exceptional in conceptand community commitment by a
television station concerned about its public. A great process
that helped bring about change."
El Vocero de Puerto
Rico, San Juan, P.R.--Service to the First
Amendment.
The newspaper will
receive $2,500 and an Edward Willis Scripps Award plaque
recognizing efforts of publisher Gaspar Roca and reporter
Maggie Bobb.
The newspaper
recently neutralized an onerous law that made it a felony for
Special Investigation Bureau employees to leak information to
the press.
Judges said: "It
took the courage of El Vocero to challenge the commonwealth
whistle blower laws and force a fundamental change that will
be the law of the land for decades to come."
Ken Ward, The Charleston (W.Va.) Gazette--Public
service reporting, under 100,000 circulation.
Ward will receive $2,500 and a Roy W. Howard plaque.
The people of West Virginia knew a new pulp mill would
provide hundreds of jobs, but they didn't know what kind of
tax breaks, infrastructure improvements and other inducements
the government had offered the project. Reporter Ken Ward
changed that with his three-part series.
Judges said:
"Watchdog journalism at its best. The Gazette went to great
lengths, and to court, to report what the state did not want
it citizens to know, including the use of hundreds of millions
of dollars in tax breaks to a pulp mill company."
The Orange County (Calif.) Register--Public service
reporting, over 100,000 circulation.
The Register will
receive $2,500 and a Roy W. Howard plaque recognizing the work
of its staff reporters.
Through more than
230 stories last year, The Register covered the story about
renowned fertility doctors who were stealing patients' eggs
and implanting them in other unsuspecting women.
Judges said: "Far and away the best example of public
service journalism and investigative reporting this
year--maybe this decade. The Register's reporting ripped the
wraps off the business of fertility medicine and propelled the
medical community toward long overdue reform."
FINALISTS AND JUDGES EDITORIAL WRITING FINALISTS: Don
Harrison, Philadelphia Daily News; and Maria Henson, The
Charlotte (N.C.) Observer.
JUDGES: Karla
Garrett Harshaw, editor, Springfield (Ohio) News-Sun; Morris
Thompson, editorial page editor, The Philadelphia Daily News;
and Jay Ambrose, chief editorial writer, Scripps Howard News
Service.
HUMAN INTEREST WRITING
FINALISTS: Clare Ansberry, The Wall Street Journal; and Rick
Bragg, The New York Times.
JUDGES:
Judith W. Brown, editor and publisher, The Herald, New
Britain, Conn.; Tim J. McGuire, editor, Star Tribune,
Minneapolis; and Robert W. Burdick, editor, Rocky Mountain
News, Denver.
COLLEGE CARTOONIST
FINALISTS: Alan Gardner, Utah State University; Shawn Carter
and Bill Coleman, The Witchita State University; and Bradford
Bittner, Colorado State University.
JUDGES: Charles M.
Schulz, creator of PEANUTS; Lucy Caswell, associate professor
and curator, Cartoon, Graphic and Photographic Arts Research
Library, The Ohio State University; and Roy Paul Nelson,
professor emeritus, University of Oregon, School of Journalism
and author of the novel, The Cartoonist (Seven Gables Press).
ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNALISM FINALISTS--OVER 100,000: Rich
Heidorn Jr., The Philadelphia Inquirer; Kathleen Kerr and
William Bunch, Newsday; and Cindy Schreuder, Chicago Tribune.
FINALISTS--UNDER 100,000: Doug McEachern, Tribune
Newspapers, Mesa, Ariz.; Greg Campbell and Susan Towers, The
Bakersfield Californian; and Dan Whipple, Casper (Wyo.)
Star-Tribune.
JUDGES: Tim Kelly,
editor, Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader; Jane Healy, managing
editor, The Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel; and Thomas W. Tuley,
retired editor and president, The Evansville (Ind.) Courier.
FOUNDATION AWARD WINNERS LITERACY FINALIST-NEWSPAPER:
Beverly Franz, The Item, Sumter, S.C.
FINALIST:
BROADCAST/CABLE: Todd Toerper, WSBA/WARM 103, York, Pa.
JUDGES: Paul Scripps, chairman and editorial director,
John P. Scripps Newspapers; Lucinda Stiff, School of
Journalism, Florida A & M University, Tallahasee, Fla.;
and Grace Gilchrist, vice president and general manager,
WXYZ-TV, Detroit.
BROADCAST/CABLE JOURNALISM FINALIST--SMALL
MARKET RADIO: WUNC Radio, Chapel Hill, N.C.
FINALIST--LARGE MARKET RADIO: WJR Radio, Detroit.
FINALIST--SMALL MARKET TV/CABLE: WGME-TV, Portland,
Ore.
FINALIST--LARGE MARKET TV/CABLE: WXYZ-TV, Detroit.
JUDGES: Loren Tobia, news director, KMTV, Omaha, Neb.,
and chairman of the Radio/Television News Directors
Association; David B. Dick, professor, University of Kentucky
and former CBS News correspondent; and Don Dunphy, Jr., vice
president/ Affiliate News Services, ABC News.
FIRST AMENDMENT FINALIST: Michael Diamond,
The Press of Atlantic City.
JUDGES: Louis D. Boccardi, president and CEO,
The Associated Press; Reginald Stuart, assistant news
editor/Washington Bureau, Knight Ridder and immediate past
president of the Society of Environmental Journalists; and
Robert H. Giles, editor and publisher, The Detroit News and
president-elect of the American Society of Newspaper Editors.
PUBLIC SERVICE FINALISTS--UNDER 100,000: None
FINALISTS--OVER 100,000: Carol A. Marbin
and Stephen Nohlgren, St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times; and Staff,
The Daily Oklahoman, Oklahoma City.
JUDGES: Debbie Price, vice president
and executive editor, Fort Worth Star-Telegram; Roger Oglesby,
editor, The Morning Call, Allentown, Pa.; and Angus McEachran,
president and editor, The Commercial Appeal, Memphis,
Tenn.
Contact: Sue Porter, The E.W. Scripps Company, 513-977-3030