These are the winners of the 47th Annual Peter Lisagor Awards
Last updated, 05/13/2024 6:08 p.m.
The Chicago Headline Club congratulates all the winners of the 47th annual Peter Lisagor Awards for exemplary journalism.
The awards were handed out May 10 at a gathering of more than 200 members of the local media community. The entries were judged by an impartial Society of Professional Journalists chapter outside Illinois.
Watchdog Award Winner
“Profiled: The State of Traffic Stops in Illinois” by WBEZ Chicago Staff and the Investigative Project on Race and Equity
Anne Keegan Award
Christy Gutowski, The Chicago Tribune
Best All Media
Best investigative reporting
WBEZ Chicago, Chicago Sun-Times and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project; “Extremism in the Ranks” by Dan Mihalopoulos, Tom Schuba, Kevin Hall
Best feature or human interest single story
WTTW “Chicago Stories: The Outrage of Danny Sotomayor.”
Best feature or human interest series
NewsNation; “Inside the fight to end young veteran suicide” by Mary Hall
Best multimedia collaboration
The Invisible Institute and City Bureau’s “Missing in Chicago” by Trina Reynolds-Tyler and Sarah Conway
Best data journalism
The Chicago Sun-Times’ “Voices from Chicago’s most violent neighborhood.”
Best public service or engagement
ProPublica’s “America’s Dairyland” by Melissa Sanchez and Maryam Jameel
Best Design & Visual
Best news photo
Chicago Sun-Times; “Tornado tree” by Pat Nabong
Best feature photo
The Chicago Tribune; “Holy Flying Carp!” by John J. Kim.
Best illustration or graphics
The Chicago Sun-Times; “Creative Chicago special section cover” by Bryan Barker
Best design in a print publication
Crain’s Chicago Business; “Karen Freese Zane designs” by Karen Freese Zane
Best use of news video
Chicago Sun-Times; “Inside Chicago’s catalytic converter theft epidemic” by Stephanie Zimmermann and Brian Ernst
Best use of feature video
The Invisible Institute and City Bureau’s Missing in Chicago”
Best use of data visualization
The Chicago Sun-Times; “Where the money has come from in Chicago mayoral race” by Jesse Howe
Best multimedia feature presentation
The Chicago Sun Times’ “Voices from Chicago’s most violent neighborhoods.”
Best social or short form video
WTTW News and The Banditry Co for WTTW News Explains.
Best sports photo
The Chicago Tribune; “Neighborhood baseball” by Brian Cassella
Best digital design
Crain’s Chicago Business; “Stephanie Swearngin’s designs” by Stephanie Swearngin
Commentary + Presentation
Best column or editorial from a small print/online publication
Gateway Journalism Review; “Chicago adjunct strike provides student journalists with an invaluable reporting lesson” by Jackie Spinner
Best column or editorial from a large print or online publication
Chicago Sun-Times; “Rummana Hussain” by Rummana Hussain
Best featured reporter or host
WBEZ Chicago; “Erin Allen, Host of The Rundown Podcast” by Erin Allen
Best interview
WGN Radio; “How The Daily Northwestern broke the Pat Fitzgerald hazing story” by John Williams and Pete Zimmerman
Best sports commentary
Chicago Sun-Times; “Rick Morrissey” by Rick Morrissey
Best podcast
PRX, Religion of Sports; “ROS Presents: Counterattack”
Best email newsletter
The Chicago Sun Times’ Matt Moore’s “Afternoon Edition” newsletter
Best food or restaurant coverage
The Chicago Reader’s Mike Sula and Taryn Allen
Best music coverage
Block Club Chicago; “‘Merch Cuts’ In Chicago? Outcry Sparks Closer Look Into Venues Taking A Cut Of A Band’s Merchandise Sales” by Quinn Myers
Best theater or literary coverage
The Hyde Park Herald; “Frank London Brown’s ‘This is Life’” by Christian Belanger
Best reporting by newsroom medium and media
Best headline from a small print/online publication
Patty Wetli of WTTW News for “What the Fluff? It’s a ‘Holy Cow’ Year for Cottonwood, and Here’s Why”
Best headline from a large print or online publication
The Chicago Sun Times’ Paul Saltzman. “They were 2 Chicago pizza delivery guys. Then, they ran a Mexican drug cartel, feds say”
Best feature reporting series by newsroom size and medium
Large newsroom: The Chicago Tribune; “I-55 Crash Aftermath” by Jonathan Bullington and Jake Sheridan
Small newsroom: Injustice Watch; “Exploited Elders” by David Jackson
Audio: The Invisible Institute and USG Audio; “You Didn’t See Nothin”
Best feature reporting single story or episode by newsroom size and medium
Small print: “Juggalo Family Values” by Micco Caporale and Philip Montoro; The Chicago Reader
Large print: “Inside Chicago’s catalytic converter epidemic” by Stephanie Zimmermann; The Chicago Sun-Times
Video: “Chicago Stories: The Outrage of Danny Sotomayor” by Daniel Andries, Anna Gardner, Ken Lumb, Shuling Yong, Sharon Zurek and Anthony Fleming III; of WTTW
Audio: “A visit to New Philadelphia: Freedom on the Illinois prairie” by Dave Schwan; WGN Radio
Best investigative reporting by newsroom size and medium
Large newsroom: WBEZ Chicago and the Investigative Project on Race and Equity; “Profiled: The State of Traffic Stops in Illinois”
Small newsroom: Injustice Watch; “Exploited Elders” by David Jackson
Audio winner: The Invisible Institute and USG Audio; “You Didn’t See Nothin”
Video winner: Voice of America TV; “Lawmakers Seek to Curb Chinese Purchases of US Farmland” by Kane Farabaugh
Best reporting on crime and justice by newsroom size and medium
Large newsroom: The Chicago Sun-Times; “The community stood behind us” by Neil Steinberg
Small newsroom: The Invisible Institute and City Bureau; “Missing in Chicago” by Trina Reynolds-Tyler, Sarah Conway
Audio winner: WBEZ Chicago; “Downstate Illinois leaders ask for help with end to cash bail” by Mawa Iqbal
Video winner: WAND News; “WAND News investigates man wanted in Springfield murder” by Alyssa Patrick, Eric Ahola and Jaylyn Cook
Best education reporting by newsroom size and medium
Large newsroom: The Chicago Tribune; “Election Extremists” by Dan Petrella, Zareen Syed and Rick Pearson
Small newsroom: Chalkbeat Chicago; “Chicago’s shift away from school choice” by Mila Koumpilova, Reema Amin and Becky Vevea
Video: WTTW News; “Teachers, Parents Plead for Hope Learning Academy to Keep Its Doors Open Following Sudden Closure Announcement” by Amanda Vinicky and Acacia Hernandez
Best business reporting by newsroom size and medium
The large newsroom: The Chicago Sun-Times; “Inside Chicago’s catalytic converter theft epidemic” by Stephanie Zimmermann
The small newsroom: Crain’s Chicago Business; “Chicago’s always been a union town. Now the face of organized labor is changing” by Brandon Dupré
Video: Voice of America TV; “The War in Ukraine Comes Home to Farms in Illinois” by Kane Farabaugh and Adam Greenbaum
Best reporting on race and diversity by newsroom size and medium
Large newsroom: The Invisible Institute and The Intercept; “See No Evil: Why Does the Chicago Police Department Tolerate Abusive Racists in Its Ranks?” by Jamie Kalven
Small newsroom: The Invisible Institute and City Bureau; “Missing in Chicago” by Trina Reynolds-Tyler and Sarah Conway
Audio: WBEZ Chicago and the Investigative Project on Race and Equity; “Profiled: The State of Traffic Stops in Illinois” by Matt Kiefer, Ola Giwa, Leslie Hurtado, Taylor Moore, Angela Caputo, Jim Ylisela, Michael Liptrot and Alden Loury
Video: WTTW News; “Chicago Tonight: Black Voices” by Brandis Friedman, Erica Gunderson, Crystin Immel, Angel Idowu
And for best science and technology reporting by newsroom size and medium.
The large newsroom winner is: The Chicago Tribune; “Peoria Botulism” by Jonathan Bullington
The small newsroom winner is: Chicago Health Magazine; “Oh, Naturale! Chicago explores the role of trees in human health and heat mitigation” by Kathleen Aharoni
The video winner is: WTTW; “Chicago Stories: The Race to Reverse the River” by Eddie Griffin, Robert Loerzel, Anna Gardner, Lauren Drell, Tim Boyd, Oral Berat User, Paul Thornton, Anthony Fleming III
And for best political and government reporting by newsroom size and medium.
Large newsroom: The Chicago Sun-Times; “They were 2 Chicago pizza delivery guys. Then, they ran a Mexican drug cartel, feds say” by Frank Main, Oscar Lopez
Small newsroom: Crain’s Chicago Business; “One City, 50 Wards: Does the City That Works Actually Work?” by Steve Hendershot
Audio: WBEZ Chicago; “How admittedly corrupt ex-Illinois lawmakers get to keep their pensions” by Dave McKinney
Video:: Voice of America TV; “Illinois’ First Muslim American Lawmakers Begin Work in Diverse Legislature” by Kane Farabaugh
And for best arts and entertainment reporting by newsroom size and medium.
Large newsroom: The Chicago Tribune; “Nina Metz” by Nina Metz
Small newsroom: The TRiiBE; “Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour inscribes Chicago as the mecca of house music” by Tiffany Walden
Audio: WBEZ Chicago; “Nerdette: Undercover” by Greta Johnsen, Anna Bauman, Brendan Banaszak
Video: WLS-TV; “Chicago’s Magnificent Museums” by Roz Varon, Stephen Bourque, Joseph Imbrogno, Irit Nayden
Best sports reporting by newsroom size and medium.
Large newsroom: The Chicago Tribune; “Simeon Anniversary” by Colleen Kane, Stacy St. Clair
Small newsroom: A Shot on Ehlo (readjack.substack.com); “Million Dollar Shot, Million Dollar Doc” by Jack Silverstein
Audio: WSCR-AM / 670 The Score; “Danny Parkins reports toxic environment at Northwestern Baseball” by Danny Parkins, Mitch Rosen
Video: WAND TV; “Endurance: The Recovery of Amber Johnson” by Deron Molen, Eric Ahola
Best deadline reporting by newsroom size and medium.
Large newsroom: Bloomberg News; “ION Cyberattack” by Katherine Doherty, Mark Burton, Isis Almeida, Donal Griffin
Small newsroom: WTTW News; “Lightfoot Campaign Asks CPS Teachers to Encourage Students to Help Her Win Reelection in Return for Credit” by Heather Cherone
Best community reporting by newsroom size and medium.
Large newsroom: The Chicago Sun-Times; “Voices from Chicago’s most violent neighborhood” by Andy Grimm
Small newsroom: Block Club Chicago; “Basketball Hoops Were Ripped Out Of Beverly Decades Ago. Now, A Push To Bring Them Back” by Crystal Paul
Video: Voice of America TV; “Migrant Surge Overwhelms Chicago” by Kane Farabaugh
Best reporting on climate change by newsroom size and medium.
Large newsroom: The Chicago Tribune; “Mapping a Threat” by Sarah Macaraeg
Small newsroom: Grist; “The End of Coal Culture” by Siri Chilukuri, John McCracken, Virginia Harold
Audio: Respair Production & Media; “Help This Garden Grow” by Damon Williams, Daniel Kisslinger, Cheryl Johnson, Sylvia Ewing, Anne Evens