WASHINGTON, D.C. — Superlative reporting on leaked data, prison reform and undue police force led coverage that garnered top honors for 29 media organizations Saturday night at the 2017 Online Journalism Awards, which closed the Online News Association Conference.
At the 17th annual awards dinner, emceed by host of WAMU and NPR’s 1A Joshua Johnson, Nexo Jornal, Le Temps and The Globe and Mail each took home a $3,000 General Excellence in Online Journalism award, courtesy of the Gannett Foundation. The $15,000 University of Florida Awards for Investigative Data Journalism were won by The Intercept and First Look Media’s “Trial and Terror” and The Globe and Mail for “Unfounded.”
The Knight Award for Public Service, with a $5,000 prize from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, went to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for “Doctors and Sex Abuse.” The Guardian US Mobile Innovation Lab won the $5,000 Gannett Foundation Award for Technical Innovation in the Service of Digital Journalism for its app, “Live Notifications.” The Knoxville News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK – TENNESSEE and The New York Times were recognized in the Breaking News categories.
Two new categories were added this year to honor evolving forms of journalism: Excellence in Audio Digital Storytelling, which recognizes exceptional efforts in telling stories through digitally-focused audio, including podcasts, audio-centric online works and other emerging media; and Excellence in Immersive Storytelling, which honors exceptional efforts in telling stories through digital, immersive media: virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality, 360 video and other emerging media. FRONTLINE and The Emblematic Group shared the Excellence in Immersive Storytelling category for their bold, compelling presentation in “After Solitary.” Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting, KNBA and AIR received the inaugural Excellence in Audio Digital Storytelling awards.
ONA also named documentary photographer and freelance photojournalist Tara Todras-Whitehill the recipient of the 2017 James Foley Award for Conflict Reporting for her unflinching coverage of vulnerable populations, particularly women and refugees, in the Middle East. Jim Brady was honored with the 2017 Rich Jaroslovsky Founder Award for his longtime work in digital media, including innovations in social and community engagement.
Here are the winners in each category, with links to their winning entries:
General Excellence – Small
Nexo Jornal
General Excellence – Medium
Le Temps
General Excellence – Large
The Globe and Mail
Planned News – Small
CrossCheck France, First Draft
Planned News – Medium
Election 2016, WBUR
Planned News – Large
Electionland, ProPublica and the Electionland Coalition
The University of Florida Award for Investigative Data Journalism Small/Medium
Trial and Terror, The Intercept and First Look Media
The University of Florida Award for Investigative Data Journalism – Large
Unfounded, The Globe and Mail
Online Commentary
Race/Related, The New York Times
Breaking News – Medium
Gatlinburg Fire, The Knoxville News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK – TENNESSEE
Breaking News – Large
Orlando, The New York Times
Knight Award for Public Service
Doctors & Sex Abuse, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Explanatory Reporting – Small (TIE)
Game of Genomes, STAT
Middle East Lobbying: The Influence Game, Al-Monitor
Explanatory Reporting – Medium
Under Our Skin, The Seattle Times
Explanatory Reporting – Large
Weigh Anchor, The Globe and Mail
Feature – Small (TIE)
Dope Sick, STAT
AMERICA RELOADED: The Bizarre Story Behind the FBI’s Fake Documentary About the Bundy Family, The Intercept and First Look Media
Feature – Medium
My Four Months as a Private Prison Guard, Mother Jones
Feature – Large
The Fine Line, The New York Times
The David Teeuwen Student Journalism Award – Small
City of Smoke: Air Pollution in the Land of the Eternal Blue Sky, UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism
The David Teeuwen Student Journalism Award – Large
Cuba’s New Wave, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s School of Media and Journalism
Student Award – Pro-Am
Turning Tides: The Story of the Salton Sea, USC/JOVRNALISM and The Desert Sun
Rich Jaroslovsky, Special Presenter – 2017 Rich Jaroslovsky Founder Award
Jim Brady
Sports Category – Small/Medium
Berlin Marathon 2016 – How Fast Your City Runs, Berliner Morgenpost
Sports Category – Large
Francesco Totti King of Rome, La Repubblica
Topical Reporting – Small
Truckbeat, Localore: Finding America at WUOT
Topical Reporting – Medium
Standing Rock and Beyond, Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting and Inside Energy
Topical Reporting – Large
Trump Charities, The Washington Post
Excellence in Immersive Storytelling
After Solitary, FRONTLINE
Excellence in Audio Storytelling — Small
Frontier of Change, KNBA, AIR: Finding America
Excellence in Audio Storytelling — Large
The Wall, Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting
Al Neuharth Innovation in Investigative Journalism Award – Small
Drinks, Dinners, Junkets and Jobs: How the Insurance Industry Courts State Commissioners, The Center for Public Integrity
The Al Neuharth Innovation in Investigative Journalism Award – Medium
Toxic Armories, The Oregonian / OregonLive
The Al Neuharth Innovation in Investigative Journalism Award – Large
Unfounded, The Globe and Mail
James Foley Award for Conflict Reporting
Tara Todras-Whitehill
Excellence and Innovation in Visual Digital Storytelling –Small
Future Cities, Future Cities
Excellence and Innovation in Visual Digital Storytelling – Medium
Titletown, TX, McClatchy
Excellence and Innovation in Visual Digital Storytelling – Large
Fragments of a Life: A Curbside Mystery, The New York Times
Gannett Foundation Award for Technical Innovation in the Service of Digital Journalism
Live Notifications, The Guardian US Mobile Innovation Lab
The awards ceremony, which was live-streamed directly from the Washington Marriott Wardman Park, will be available for viewing within 48 hours at awards.journalists.org/live.
A group of 119 industry-leading journalists and new media professionals, led by ONA Board members and OJA co-chairs co-chair P. Kim Bui and David Smydra, teamed up to screen entrants and select finalists. Thirty judges, representing a diverse cross-section of the industry, then conferred to determine winners from independent, community, nonprofit, major media, start-up and international news sites.
Launched in 2000, the OJAs are administered by ONA and are the only comprehensive set of journalism prizes honoring excellence in digital journalism, focusing on independent, community, nonprofit, major media and international news sites.
About ONA
The Online News Association is the world’s largest association of online journalists. ONA’s mission is to inspire innovation and excellence among journalists to better serve the public. The membership includes news writers, producers, designers, editors, bloggers, technologists, photographers, academics, students and others who produce and distribute news for digital delivery systems. ONA also hosts the annual Online News Association conference and administers the Online Journalism Awards.
About Knight Foundation
The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation supports transformational ideas that promote quality journalism, advance media innovation, engage communities and foster the arts. The foundation believes that democracy thrives when people and communities are informed and engaged. For more, visit knightfoundation.org
About the Gannett Foundation
The Gannett Foundation is a corporate foundation sponsored by Gannett Co., Inc. whose mission is to invest in the future of the communities in which Gannett does business, and in the future of our industry. It supports projects that take a creative approach to fundamental issues such as education and neighborhood improvement, economic development, youth development, community problem-solving, assistance to disadvantaged people, environmental conservation and cultural enrichment.
About the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications
The University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications is driving innovation and engagement across the disciplines of advertising, journalism, public relations and telecommunication. The strength of its programs, faculty, students and alumni — in research and in practice — has earned the college ongoing recognition as one of the best in the nation among its peers. The college offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees and certificates, both online and on campus. The college’s strength is drawn from both academic rigor and experiential learning. CJC students have the opportunity to gain practical experience in the Innovation News Center, which generates content across multiple platforms, and a strategic communication agency with expertise in targeting messages to millennial audiences. The college includes seven broadcast and digital media properties and the nation’s only chair in public interest communications.
About Journalism 360
Journalism 360 is a global network of storytellers accelerating the understanding and production of immersive journalism. Our mission is to help news organizations, journalists, technologists, content creators and journalism educators experiment with all forms of immersive storytelling, including but not limited to 360 video, augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality. Its founding partners are the Knight Foundation, Google News Lab and the Online News Association.
For more information, contact: The Online News Association at awards@journalists.org.