June 1998
Kevin Corcoran
"Tobacco Antes Up"
The Portage (Ind.)
Times
Indiana Gov. Frank O'Bannon continued
accepting campaign contributions from cigarette makers even
while backing a lawsuit charging that they had marketed
their products to children. After Corcoran's article ran,
O'Bannon agreed not to accept any more money from tobacco
interests and to return any money given since January
1.
Rita Braver
"Hardball"
Public Eye with Bryant
Gumbel
Ken Starr's intrusive investigative
practices have been well documented by the press. Braver
shows how federal prosecutors use these same practices in
many of their lower-profile investigations and how damaging
these tactics can be to average citizens.
Thomas Zambito and Jim
Haner
"Dirty Money"; three part series
The Hackensack (N.J.)
Record
More than 200 interviews and 7,000 pages
of documents were reviewed for this three-part series
detailing the state's problem with money laundering, its
reluctance to take action to stem the illegal activity, and
the connections between the money-laundering schemes and big
business. On the day the first installment of the piece ran,
both the governor and the state's attorney general vowed to
pressure state legislators to addresss the issue.
July
1998
Scott McCartney
"Below the Radar"
The Wall Street
Journal
McCartney documents a variety of sloppy
practices at the Federal Aviation Administration that are
enough to make even a seasoned air traveler sweat bullets.
Last September a Continental flight's engine burned out in
midair. It was no isolated incident; the airline had
experienced similar problems with the same type of engine
five times in the previous 24 days. If the FAA wants to shed
the legacy of its "tombstone" approach to flight safety, it
has a long way to go.
Mark Arax and Mark
Gladstone
"Corcoran Prison: State Turns Blind
Eye to Inmate Abuse"
The Los Angeles
Times
For seven years, the state of California
tolerated flagrant abuses at its Corcoran prison, where
nearly 50 inmates were shot or wounded. As Arax and
Gladstone reveal, the guards who allegedly committed and
encouraged the violence are members of the prison guard
union, a million-dollar contributor to Gov. Pete Wilson's
campaign. Now, in the wake of the Times' series, the FBI and
two state senators have started their own probes.
The Monthly
Journalism Award is presented each month to one or more
newspaper, magazine, radio, or television stories (or series
of stories) that demonstrate a commitment to the public
interest. We are particularly interested in reporting that
explains the successes and failures of government agencies
at all levels and of other institutions such as the media,
corporations, unions, and foundations that contribute to the
existence or solution of public problems. Please send
nominations (including two copies of the article or
broadcast text) to Monthly Journalism Award, 1611 Connecticut
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