32nd Annual
Peter Lisagor Awards
for
Exemplary Journalism
Union League Club of Chicago
Friday, April 24, 2009
The Chicago Headline Club, the largest Society of Professional Journalist chapter in the country,
proudly salutes:
Watchdog Award Winners
Dan Mihalopoulos, Robert Becker, Darnell Little, Todd Lighty and Laurie Cohen, Chicago Tribune, “Neighborhoods for Sale”
The Watchdog Award honors Chicago-area news reporting that calls attention to situations in which the public is being harmed or poorly served. The $1,500 award, which includes a $1,500 cash prize, is explicitly designed to encourage stories that stick up for the common person. Committee members sifted through many entries before selecting a nominee that was approved by the Headline Club board.
The cash award and accompanying Watchdog Fund, which gives small grants to aid journalists who are working on investigative projects, are funded by a generous grant from the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation. Information about how you can apply for a grant and a list of journalists who have received money can be found on our Watchdog Fund page.
Lifetime Achievement Award Winners
ABC7 Andy Shaw
Chicago Sun-Times Fran Spielman
The Chicago Headline Club Lifetime Achievement Award is an annual award recognizing journalists for their extraordinary contribution to the community and/or the profession. The Lifetime Achievement Award honors those journalists who tirelessly work to cover, report, edit and tape the news day in and day out.
Lifetime Award recipients recognized by the Headline Club are journalists known primarily for their work in Chicago or who have worked primarily in Chicago media. Nominees come from various aspects of the media, including print, broadcast, the trade press and Web-based publications. A nominating committee appointed each year by the Headline Club president seeks out nominations both from inside and outside of the journalism community. The Headline Club board then votes to approve each year’s honorees.
LISAGOR AWARD WINNERS
Print, online and broadcast reporters and editors from SPJ chapters in seven cities across the country judged this year’s Lisagor Award entries. Winners were selected for such attributes as enterprise, accuracy, scope, style and impact.
GENERAL INTEREST DAILY NEWSPAPER, NEWS SERVICE or BUREAU
Best Deadline Reporting, circulation more than 300,000
Staff, Chicago Sun-Times, “Corruption Crime Spree: the Arrest of Gov. Rod Blagojevich”
Best Deadline Reporting, circulation less than 300,000
Staff, Kane County Beacon News, “Fallen Angels”
Best Investigative Reporting, circulation more than 300,000
Dan Mihalopoulos, Robert Becker, Darnell Little, Todd Lighty, Laurie Cohen, Chicago Tribune, “Neighborhoods for Sale”
Best Investigative Reporting, circulation less than 300,000
Lori Caldwell and Jon Seidel, Post-Tribune, “The Killing Streets”
Best Political and Government Reporting, circulation more than 300,000
Mark J. Konkol, Annie Sweeney, Maudlyne Ihejirika and Frank Main, Chicago Sun-Times, “59 Hours”
Best Political and Government Reporting, circulation less than 300,000
John Patterson and Joseph Ryan, Daily Herald, “Governor’s Arrest”
Best Education Reporting, circulation more than 300,000
Maudlyne Ihejirika and Annie Sweeney, Chicago Sun-Times, “Four Minutes of Violence at Crane High School”
Best Education Reporting, circulation less than 300,000
Angela Caputo, SouthtownStar, “Pay and Perks”
Best Science, Health, Technology or Environment Reporting, circulation more than 300,000
Sam Roe and Ted Gregory, Chicago Tribune, “Allergy Threat”
Best Science, Health, Technology or Environmental Reporting, circulation less than 300,000
Marni Pyke, Daily Herald, “A Wing and A Prayer/Rescued and Released”
Best News Column or Commentary, circulation more than 300,000
John Kass, Chicago Tribune
Best News Column or Commentary, circulation less than 300,000
Catherine Ann Velasco, The Herald News
Best Editorial Writing, circulation more than 300,000
Editorial Board, Chicago Sun-Times
Best Editorial Writing, circulation less than 300,000
Karen Sorensen, SouthtownStar
Best Business or Consumer Reporting, circulation more than 300,000
Patricia Callahan, Sam Roe and Michael Oneal, Chicago Tribune, “Child Hazards”
Best Business or Consumer Reporting, circulation less than 300,000
Staff, Southtown Star, coverage of the fate of St. Francis Hospital
Best Feature Story, circulation more than 300,000
Melissa Isaacson, Chicago Tribune, “Fade to Black – Something’s Not Right with Mom”
Best Feature Story, circulation less than 300,000
Barbara Vitello, Daily Herald, “Unfit or Unjust?”
Best Arts Reporting and Criticism, circulation more than 300,000
Blair Kamin, Chicago Tribune, “A gallery of rogues”
Best Arts Reporting and Criticism, circulation less than 300,000
Ted Cox, Daily Herald, “Edgy Stuff: George Carlin Remembered”
Best Sports Story, circulation more than 300,000
David Haugh, Chicago Tribune, “2 Bad Centuries in a Row?”
<;h3>Best Sports Story, circulation less than 300,000
Tim Sassone, Daily Herald, “Right Where They Belong”
Best Sports Commentary, circulation more than 300,000
Greg Couch, Chicago Sun-Times
Best Sports Commentary, circulation less than 300,000
Tony Baranek, Southtown Star
Best News Photo, circulation more than 300,000
John H. White, Chicago Sun-Times, “Blagojevich and the Rat”
Best News Photo, circulation less than 300,000
Mark Welsh, Daily Herald, “Mother’s Day Tears”
Best Feature Photo, circulation more than 300,000
Charles Rex Arbogast, The Associated Press, “Faces in the Crowd – The Obama Campaign”
Best Feature Photo, circulation less than 300,000
Matt Marton, SouthtownStar, “Hope Gifts”
Best Sports Photo, circulation more than 300,000
Tom Cruze, Chicago Sun-Times, “One Day with the Cubs and Sox”
Best Sports Photo, circulation less than 300,000
Brett Roseman, SouthtownStar, “Home Plate Obstruction”
Best Design, circulation more than 300,000
James Smith, Chicago Sun-Times
Best Design, circulation less than 300,000
Chad Merda, SouthtownStar
Best Graphics, circulation less than 300,000
Tim Broderick, Daily Herald
NON-DAILY NEWSPAPER, MAGAZINE or
NEWSPAPER MAGAZINE SECTION
Best In-depth Reporting in a General-Interest Publication
Jessica Pupovac, In These Times, “Silenced in the Barracks”
Best In-depth Reporting in a Community Newspaper
Pauline Dubkin Yearwood, Chicago Jewish News, “Obama and the Jews”
Best In-depth Reporting in a Business Magazine or Newspaper
Staff, Crain’s Chicago Business, “Markets in Crisis”
Best In-depth Reporting in a Magazine or Magazine Section
Jessica Reaves, Chicago Tribune Magazine, “Inheritance of Loss”
Best News Column or Commentary
Michael Miner, Chicago Reader, “The Greater of Two Evils”
Best Editorial Writing
Ben Myers, Chicago Journal-Skyline, Series on Lincoln Park Hospital Closing
Best Business Reporting
Kelly Virella, The Chicago Reporter, “A Renter’s Nightmare”
Best Feature Story
Lynda Edwards, ABA Journal, “The Forgotten”
Best Arts Reporting and Criticism
Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune magazine, “Comeback Kid”
Best Sports Story
Rick Telander, Men’s Journal, “Brotherhood of the Offensive Line”
Best Photography
Golda Shira, Chicago Jewish News, “Eyewitness to History”
Best Design
Stephanie Gladney, Time Out Chicago
Best Graphics
Eric Semelroth, Modern Healthcare
RADIO
Best Breaking News Story
Steve Grzanick, Bob Roberts, Mary Frances Bragiel and Staff, WBBM Newsradio 780, “NIU Shootings”
Best In-Depth News Story or Series
Steve Grzanich, WBBM Newsradio 780, “Chicago 1968 – The Whole World Was Watching”
Best Investigative Reporting
Linda Paul and Cate Cahan, WBEZ – Chicago Public Radio, “Addolfo’s Story”
Best Newscast
Steve Grzanich, Keith Johnson, Leon Coluin and Staff, WBBM Newsradio 780, The 4 p.m. Newscast (May 21; Nov. 4; Dec. 9, 2008)
Best Feature Reporting
Ben Calhoun and Cate Cahan, WBEZ – Chicago Public Radio, “Hugs”
Best Public Affairs Reporting
John Conroy, Ben Calhoun and Cate Cahan, WBEZ – Chicago Public Radio, “Alton Logan”
Best Business or Consumer Reporting
Ashley Gross and Adriene Hill, WBEZ – Chicago Public Radio, “Bankrupt Builder”
Best Health or Science Reporting
Steve Miller, WBBM Newsradio 780, “Bypass”
Best Sports Story
Lynette Kalsnes, WBEZ – Chicago Public Radio, “Roller Skating”
TELEVISION
Best Breaking News Story
Isis Chaverri, Maria de Lourdes Garcia and Aleksander Banks, Univision Chicago WGBO, Flood coverage
Best In-depth News Story or Series
Jackie Bange, Nelson Howard and Rick Strasser, WGN-TV, “Looking for Justice”
Best Investigative Reporting
Mark Saxenmeyer, Dartise Johnson and Lou Hinkhouse, WFLD Fox Chicago, “Where Did All the CHA Residents Go?”
Best Feature Reporting
Mark Saxenmeyer, Kevin Tomich and Juan Ramirez, WFLD Fox Chicago, “Through the Lens of Loss”
Best Public Affairs Programming
Daniel Andries and Alexandra Silets, WTTW11, “Out and Proud in Chicago”
Best Business or Consumer Reporting
Mark Saxenmeyer, Rod Stanbeck and Dartise Johnson, WFLD Fox Chicago, “Stolen Houses”
Best Health or Science Reporting
Julianne Hill, Sharon Barrett and Carmen Jones, CNBC, “American Greed – Diluted Trust”
Best Sports Story
Pam Grimes and Mike D’Angelo, WGN-TV, “Little Sluggers”
Best Videographer
Patrick Keating, WLS-TV/ABC7, “Bench, Break, Buzz!”
ALL MEDIA
Editorial cartoon
Roger L. Schillerstrom, Crain’s Chicago Business
SPECIALTY/TRADE
Best In-depth Report or Series
Sarah Karp and John Myers, Catalyst Chicago, “Class of 2011”
Best Commentary
John Wasik, Bloomberg News, “No, Virginia”
Best Business or Consumer Reporting
Jeff Wilson, Shruti Singh, Brian Louis and Mario Parker, Bloomberg News, “Crop Crash”
Best Feature Story
John Lippert, Bloomberg News, “Penny Pritzker Shows Why She Got Buffett to Aid Obama”
ONLINE
Best Interactive Project
Stephen Rynkiewicz and Darnell Little, chicagotribune.com, “Chicago Homes Heat Maps”
Best News Web Site
Staff, chicagotribune.com
Best Online Commentary
Roger Ebert, suntimes.com, “Roger Ebert’s Journal”
Best Neighborhood/Community News
Staff, chitowndailynews.org
Best Feature Story
Rex Huppke and staff, chicagotribune.com, “Our Lady of the Angels: The Fire that Changed Everything”
Best Business or Consumer Reporting
Steve Daniels and David Sterrett, chicagobusiness.com, “Deloitte Partner Accused of Insider Trading” and “Buffett a Client of Accused Deloitte Partner”
Best Original Political Reporting
Staff, chicagotribune.com, “Clout Street”
Best Investigative/Public Service Reporting
Greg Scott, Aurora Aguilar and Joe DeCeault, chicagopublicradio.org, “The Brickyard”