[Mb-civic] Center for Public Integrity Wins Two Sigma Delta Chi Awards

[Harold Sifton]

> Center for Public Integrity Wins Two Sigma Delta Chi Awards
>
> WASHINGTON, April 15, 2005 - Two projects of the Center for Public
> Integrity have won 2004 Sigma Delta Chi awards, presented by the Society
> of Professional Journalists to recognize the best examples of quality
> journalism.
>
> The Center's "Personal Politics" project won the award for Public
> Service in Online Journalism. The in-depth study of the gas and oil
> industry, "The Politics of Oil," won for Online Investigative
> Journalism.
>
> In announcing the awards, Irwin Gratz, president of the Society of
> Professional Journalists, said, "Improving journalism takes more than
> criticizing bad practice. It also means exalting fine work. That's what
> these Sigma Delta Chi Awards are all about: a celebration of quality
> journalism."
>
> "This is the fourth consecutive year that the Center has won the public
> service award and it is extremely gratifying to have the recognition by
> SPJ for this special type of reporting," said Roberta Baskin, executive
> director of the Center. "We are also thrilled to win the prestigious
> award for investigative reporting, which is the heart and soul of our
> work here."
>
> The Center's "Personal Politics" project was an investigation of the
> outside interests disclosed by state legislators in all 50 states. The
> report showed, for example, that more than 28 percent of state
> legislators who reported their finances sat on a committee with
> authority over at least one of their personal interests.
>
> Staff contributing to this report were Leah Rush, David Dagan, Susie
> Schaab and Daniel Lathrop. Support for the project was provided by the
> Joyce Foundation and the Ford Foundation.
>
> "The Politics of Oil: How one of the world's richest industries
> influences government and policy," revealed how the international oil
> industry spent $440 million over the last six years on politicians and
> lobbyists in Washington, D.C.
>
> SPJ judges commented about "The Politics of Oil" that the Center did a
> "fabulous job taking a complex story and making it readable. Given the
> hurdles reporters had to leap, it was a clear winner. Excellent writing
> allowed the details to sink in and make a strong case for the importance
> of the series."
>
> Staff contributing to this report were Bob Williams, Kevin Bogardus,
> Laura Peterson, Paul Radu, Daniel Lathrop, Teo Furtado and Aron
> Pilhofer. It was funded by the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund and the V.
> Kann Rasmussen Foundation.
>
> For more information on all the SPJ winners, click on
> www.spj.org/news.asp?ref=423.
>
> To read all of the Center's reports log on to
> http://www.publicintegrity.org.
>
>
> Nathan Kommers
> Center for Public Integrity
> 910 17th St. NW
> Washington, DC  20006
> ph: 202-481-1221
>
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