7th annual First Amendment Awards and Scholarship Dinner
Pulitzer Prize winner Dan Malone received the Open Doors Award, and 37 other journalists in Texas and Oklahoma
were honored at the Society of Professional Journalists, Fort Worth
Professional Chapter’s 7th annual First Amendment Awards and Scholarship Dinner, April 16, 2010, at
Cacharel in Arlington, Texas.
The chapter also distributed $23,200 in scholarships to 18 students who are
either from Texas or attending school in Texas. Assisting journalism students
is a tradition dating to the chapter’s early days in the 1940s. An estimated $400,000 has been handed out, $177,900
of that since 2000.
Open Doors winner Malone, an instructor in the communications studies department
at Tarleton State University, joins previous recipients Craig Flournoy from Southern Methodist University; Jennifer Autrey when she was with the Star-Telegram; Hadassah Schloss in the Texas Attorney General’s Office; Ralph Langer with the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas; Diane Wilson, who wrote “An Unreasonable Woman: A True Story of Shrimpers, Politicos, Polluters, and the
Fight for Seadrift, Texas”; and Jennifer Peebles at the Texas Watchdog.
Malone, then with The Dallas Morning News, received the Pulitzer Prize for
investigative reporting in 1992 for his stories that charged Texas police with
extensive misconduct and abuse of power.
The Open Doors Award celebrates the record of an individual or organization that
defends the people’s right to open government and open records. It complements the chapter’s larger First Amendment Awards competition, which recognizes work in two
divisions — over and under 50,000 circulation — that defends the freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment to the
Constitution, furthers the people’s right to know how governments and businesses affect their lives, and champions
the powerless and disadvantaged.
First Amendment Award categories, winners, finalists and comments from judges at
the SPJ Pittsburgh Pro Chapter:
1. Defending the Disadvantaged
• circulation over 50,000
Chris Vogel, Houston Press, “For Their Own Good,” a story about Harris County teen-agers locked up in isolation 23 hours a day
while awaiting their day in court
judges: “Well-documented and sobering explanation of juveniles certified and jailed as
adults. This is the kind of journalism that will effect change.”
finalists: Randy Ellis, The Oklahoman; Mike Giglio, Houston Press
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• circulation under 50,000
Eric Griffey, Fort Worth Weekly, “Captive Care,” on the inmate patient area at the county hospital, where county, state and
federal inmates are sent for medical care
judges: “Excellent job of investigative reporting. Story is strengthened by on-the-record
interviews with former employers. It appears the Weekly beat other media on
this story.”
finalists: Greg Schwartz, San Antonio Current; Dave Pasley, The Boerne Star
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• broadcast
Dawn Tongish, Barry Blonstein, Jose Sanchez, KDAF/CW 33, “The Price of Freedom”
finalists: Michael Henrich, KOKH; Brian Sasser, Amy Davis, Jon Hill, KPRC
2. General News
• circulation over 50,000
Nolan Clay, The Oklahoman, “Mental State May Play Into Pharmacist’s Case,” about an Oklahoma City pharmacist who shot and killed one of two boys who
attempted to rob the pharmacy
judges: “A good use of public documents to highlight criminal cases. Nolan made the story
seem effortless, but it was apparent that a great deal of initiative, good
reporting and diligence sending for records paid dividends.”
finalists: Craig Malisow, Houston Press; Vallery Brown, The Oklahoman
3. Reporting on Open Government
• circulation over 50,000
Bryan Dean, The Oklahoman, “Nine Cities Fail Records Law Test”
judges: “The article not only exposed a not surprising failure for nine cities to obey a
state open records law, but also the pathetic explanation why — not knowing! Excellent job!”
finalist: Bryan Dean, The Oklahoman
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• circulation under 50,000
Dan McGraw, Fort Worth Weekly, “Self-Fulfilling Bureaucracy”
judges: A disturbing, yet informative look at how it has become more complicated
to get city records via public information requests. Solid documentation and
reporting on an important topic that demands follow-up.”
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• broadcast
Britten Follett, Billy Dry, KOKH, “Secret Police Report,” illustrating the station’s efforts to learn more about the arrest of an off-duty Oklahoma City police
officer in the town of Valley Brook
judges: “Good job of staying with a story, since open records are so important.
Hopefully, Follett’s persistence will not only yield the police report, but educate the public as
well.”
finalists: Amy Davis, John Barone, KPRC
4. Investigative
• circulation over 50,000
Nolan Clay, The Oklahoman, “Dying Too Young,” on the alarming trend of Oklahoma children dying — more than 2,100 since 2006 — from all causes, including accidents or abuse
judges: “It is one thing to write about children who die too young, but quite another to
put names, faces and stories with it. A strong lead is an indication of the
powerful writing found throughout. Statistics comparing Oklahoma’s figures to those of other states helped put a useful perspective on the story.”
finalists: Matt Stiles, Houston Chronicle; Emily Ramshaw, The Dallas Morning News
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• circulation under 50,000
Greg Harman, San Antonio Current, “Nukes of Hazard,” which puts a face to the story of nuclear power and the long-term environmental
and human costs
judges: “The winner in a very competitive category. Exhaustively researched and well
written, ‘Nukes of Hazard’ explored a topic that requires such depth.”
finalists: Betty Brink, Fort Worth Weekly; Elaine Wolff, San Antonio Current
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• broadcast
Brian Sasser, Robert Arnold, Stephen Dean, KPRC, “FEMA Frustrations,” on dozens of fully furnished modular homes sitting in a Houston warehouse, even
though the need for emergency housing was evident across Southeast Texas
finalists: Nick Winkler, Bill Dry, KOKH; Amy Davis, Brian Sasser, John Barone, Jon Hill, KPRC
5. Opinion or Commentary
• circulation over 50,000
Paul Monies, The Oklahoman, “Datawacth: Technology and the OK Supreme Court”
judges: “Monies goes the extra mile to provide the reader with both context and facts
surrounding a confusing but critical court decision.”
finalists: Owen Canfield, The Oklahoman; Christy Watson, The Oklahoman
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• circulation under 50,000
Elaine Wolff, San Antonio Current, “Prospect Park,” on the future of a neglected acre of land in east San Antonio that the city
considered selling to a hotel developer
judges: “Ms. Wolff’s well-researched work gives the residents of a disadvantaged community a voice
they otherwise would not have had.”
6. Green News
• circulation over 50,000
Chris Vogel, Houston Press, “A Quiet Hell,” a four-month investigation of Texas Commission on Environmental Quality records
from the past 6½ years at 20 facilities along the Houston Ship Channel (it took a week to print
out the thousands of emission reports, months to tabulate and additional weeks
to calculate the penalties)
judges: “The ineffectiveness of a public agency responsible for enforcing pollution
standards is laid out for all to see. Vogel’s story is sobering, with extensive reporting and research. Charts, maps and art
add to the reader’s understanding of this complex topic.”
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• circulation under 50,000
Peter Gorman, Fort Worth Weekly, “Sacrificed to Shale,” on what has really been happening to the people, plants, animals, property
values and indeed the future of the town of Dish, Texas
judges: “Weeklies can produce journalism that makes a difference. ‘Sacrificed to Shale’ is an outstanding example. Solid research shows how the situation came to be
and what the pubic is doing to fight back.”
7. Opening the Books
• circulation over 50,000
Craig Malisow, Houston Press, “Credit Repairs,” a look at two intertwined companies, one run by a former convict and recovering
crack addict, that weren’t exactly helping their customers
judges: “The reporter tracked a very important consumer issue and wrote about it in a
fresh way that mimics the rap of a film-flam man. Very nice.”
finalists: Craig Malisow, Houston Press; Randy Ellis, The Oklahoman
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• circulation under 50,000
Dan McGraw, Fort Worth Weekly, “Worth the Paper They’re Written On,” about what exactly does make a binding contract with a gas company
judges: “Too often newspapers tell the story of the day without ever going back to see
how things turned out. Dan does a great job of tracking back on an important
local story to uncover a trail of broken promises and companies’ lack of accountability. This is the sort of reporting newspapers should be
doing.”
8. Online Project 1
Jennifer Peebles, Steve Miller, Texas Watchdog, “Houston Mayor’s Race Made Transparent”
judges: “The project forced these candidates to turn over documents and used the
documents — tax returns — to create graphics that made sense and were very meaningful to voters.”
finalists: Matt Stiles, Niran Babalola, The Texas Tribune
8: Online Project 2
Emily Ramshaw, The Texas Tribune, “Detaining Care: Medial and Mental Health in Immigration Detention”
judges: “Great mix of research reporting and presentation. Visual elements added emotion
and depth to a well-written story.”
finalists: Jennifer Peebles, Steve Miller, Texas Watchdog
9. Student Work
Sarah Perry, Fort Worth Weekly (University of North Texas intern), “Breeding Trouble,” interviews and firsthand accounts of dog-breeding operations
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2010 Texas Gridiron Club Scholarships
Staley and Beverly McBrayer Scholarship
Catharine Hirst Baylor University
Donna Darovich Scholarship
Jonathan Resendez Texas Wesleyan University
Jack B. Tinsley Scholarship
Rob Boscamp Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
Joe Holstead Scholarship
Cynthia Green University of North Texas
Al Panzera Scholarship
Heidi Stout Weatherford College
Ric Cooper Scholarship
Edna Horton Tarrant County College
Gridiron Scholarship
Kamren Thompson Tyler Junior College
Lina Davis Scholarships
John Harden UT Arlington
Jessica Huseman Southern Methodist University
Andrew Lynch University of Missouri
Maria Magga UT Arlington
Mayra Marquez University of North Texas
Ashley Neesley UT Arlington
Nohelia Parkerson UT Arlington
Sharayah Sherrod UT Arlington
Shelby Weir UT Arlington
Shelly Williams Tarrant County College