Government Writing (OPEN) ( Daily Group 1,Daily Group 2,Daily Group 3,Non-Daily Group 1,Non-Daily Group 2,Non-Daily Group 3,Non-Daily Group 4,Online,Specialty )Back
Place Name: First Place Contestant Name: Richmond Times-Dispatch Entry Title: Registrar, p-cards and Tavares Floyd Entry Credit: Samuel B. Parker Judge Comment: These three stories are wonderful hyper-local investigations full of detail that had direct impact on public officials. Spanning wildly different topics, this work shows the breadth of curiosity from this writer. Acting on a tip, he explores nepotism, the abuse of purchasing cards by government employees and lies by a candidate claiming to be related to George Floyd. The purchasing card investigation was filled with details describing how multiple accounts were misused, proving rampant abuse. The journalist dug through 23,000 separate transactions made by 336 different city employees. The story is full of information mined from the digging. In another story, the audacity of a politician using the deceased Floyd’s name as part of campaign tactic was confirmed through family. The journalist also revealed this person was claiming to be a lawyer but was not in the state bar association. Good watchdog reporting.
Place Name: Second Place Contestant Name: Cardinal News Entry Title: Tad Dickens portfolio Entry Credit: Tad Dickens Judge Comment: Difficult research and confirmation of details around accusations against a university technology set against a background of Pro-Palestinian demonstrations. The reporter’s tenacity to track down the details behind the accusations using public records and sources shows, but the reporting shows the obscurification of information coming from Federal contracts and relationships. Readers are left wondering about the transparency around the drone technology. The wonderful history lesson, framing the relationship of government and higher ed as tightly intertwined, adds to the inability to directly answer the accusations raised by protestors. All of this muddied by the acts of protestors and misinformation.
TikTok
The report on the TikTok law includes a democratic senator, TikTok stars and computer experts. There is an impressive amount of research and sourcing that brings the conflict into real terms for readers, explaining a complicated topic through multiple faces. The author includes the complicated and secret relationship with China for additional complicated context. Plus, he includes a university scholar to bring additional questions and perspectives.
Broadband
This scope of this grand topic is localized to the region with “heartburn” inducing numbers more than double the original estimates. But hearings and talks stall. The story is riveting because of the politicians working to help their region but are stuck. The story weaves to show patchwork solutions and other options, probably out of frustration, which is what the reader feels while ingesting this saga.
Place Name: Third Place Contestant Name: The Washington Post Entry Title: Virginia government reporting Entry Credit: Teo Armus, Jonathan O'Connell Judge Comment: There’s a wonderful voice that comes through in this writing, with complex ledes and anecdotes that set the tone for woven narratives about individuals mired in the campaigns and politics of the region. From a candidate who borrows his friend’s wife and kids for a photo shoot, a pricey new arena and a candidate involved in the impeachment of Trump. Colorful writing: “Most of those digging into plates of noodle kugel said they knew Vindman”, makes this story full of life. The approach is consistent through all entries.
