Related Finalists
2024 News (Broadcast) Finalists
See finalists listed in alphabetical order.
Lisa Kurian Philip, Esther Yoon-Ji Kang, Amy Qin, Alex Keefe, Natalie Moore & Steven Arroyo
WBEZ Chicago & Open Campus
Illinois For-Profit Colleges
- Students at Illinois’ for-profits colleges often leave worse off than when they started
- For-profit cosmetology graduates rarely earn more than high school grads
Comments From the Judges:
“Great investigative stories- on a topic most would not be aware of. I appreciated how the series focused on the students/former students and gave the human touch. The online articles further explained the issue… and it obviously was not an easy task to produce it all. Well written and well told. A data-driven story made personal, intimate and easy to understand.”
“Right from the beginning, I love how you bring people into this story and back it up with data. More people should take advantage of tools like Flourish. Good job making use of public data. It’s hard to get reliable data on for-profit institutions. And thanks for giving an explanation of data methodology. I like how you discuss these ‘scams.’ You leave a lot for the reader to think about why these institutions continue to exist. The links between vulnerable populations and the scams are inescapable. Interesting. It’ll be good to follow up.”
Ray Rogowski, Chris Papst, Jed Gamber & Anthony Durso
Fox45 Baltimore/WBFF-TV
Hiding in the Hallways
Comments From the Judges:
“Impressive reporting. I appreciate the application of all the legal aspects of this case. The reporter really [made] this story understandable and helped parents and others understand the implications of this case. Between the assertiveness of the mother and the doggedness of the reporter, change was pushed forward in schools.”
“Alarming story about how the system does not always get it right. Papst’s reporting was very thorough. The mother going from being unidentified to speaking out was really strong, and I wish it could have been reported differently. Still [a] great job with getting the law changed due to solid journalism. They followed this story over many months and their reporting actually helped change state law! It’s good when journalism can help make a difference in people’s lives going forward. Journalism should have an impact.“
Liz Willen, Meredith Kolodner, Marina Villeneuve, Nick Perez, Soledad O’Brien, Tristan Nash, Rose Arce, Bonnie Bertram, Sandra McDaniel & Amari Leigh
The Hechinger Report & Retro Report
Affirmative Action Backlash
Comments From the Judges:
“It helps see the ‘other’ side from a human perspective while showing both sides of a very complex story. Great job with the basic storytelling. The story did a good job using file video as well. Deeply reported. I like the way they relate the national changes to DEI to specific cases and characters. Also that they found people who thought the dismantling of DEI was a good idea.”
“The opening pulls me into the story. It’s kind of a suspense / teaser lead. It made me wonder. Kind of a ‘Meet the Press’ set of reporting. But that was a way to humanize the reporting. This is a good story showing the impact on people of the changes made by the new administration. I really appreciate how this story shows the tangible changes now made by the new laws. I was really impressed that you were able to find a student and others who were willing to go on camera to discuss other sides of the story. Also, nice link to history. You did a great job finding a variety of sources from a variety of angles. These are tough issues. And you got to the point of the impact over the long haul.”
