In-depth or Investigative Reporting ( Daily Group 2)Back
Place Name: First Place Contestant Name: The Free Lance-Star Entry Title: Behind-the-scenes look at Spotsylvania's search for a new school superintendent Entry Credit: Adele Uphaus-Conner Judge Comment: School Superintendent hiring processes are among a community's most important and difficult decisions, The Free Lance-Star reporters and editors did an excellent job providing readers with context and subtext around a "fixed" deal to bring in a superintendent beholden to the county ed board chairman, well done!
Place Name: Second Place Contestant Name: Bristol Herald Courier Entry Title: BHC W16 Investigative Entry Credit: Calvin Shomaker, Joe Tennis, Joaquin Mancera, David McGee, Emily Ball Judge Comment: Comprehensive reporting on the growth and importance of gaming machines in VA. The 12/18 story was an excellent piece, the kind that rewards readers for subscribing. I think more context as to the importance of the tax revenues to local and state government would help, i.e. is $120 million a significant number to the state budget ... even a sentence that said what % of state revenues that was for the 2021 year.
Place Name: Third Place Contestant Name: Daily News-Record Entry Title: Ian Munro's Coverage of Historic Housing Demolitions for the Daily News-Record Entry Credit: Ian Munro Judge Comment: Very interesting, well reported and well written story that could have benefitted with effort to give the reader context ... a map of where the house is and where the others that have been torn down are. Some clarity on what JMU is planing to put there without having to rad the Master Plan.
Competition Comment: Kudos to the newspapers, reporters and editors who submitted these entries, each entry showed strong reporting, writing and editing that told readers what the issues were about, why they were important and rewarded readers with a sense of engagement in their communities.
My only criticism in I wanted more graphical information to amplify my understanding and give more context and a map in the Daily News-Record story.
Well done!
