Projects by J-School Students Win Three Online Journalism Awards
The Online News Association held it's annual Online Journalism Awards Banquet on Oct. 3 in San Francisco and recognized two examples of the excellent multimedia work produced by J-School students. "It Happens at Midnight" by Lisa Pickoff-White (MJ '09) and The Chauncey Bailey Project, which features work by several students, both took home awards.
Lisa Pickoff-White's multimedia masters thesis "It Happens at Midnight" won in the "Student Journalism, Small Team" category. Her project documents the return of midnight movies, B-rated films and cult classics in independent theaters around the country. The ONA judges commended her work for its creativity and entertainment value. They called it "a fine example of how to tell an online story in multiple components."
"I'm incredibly honored to be among all of the other amazing projects that won," said Pickoff-White. "I think these awards are a real testament to the work we're doing at the J-School. We have the skills, the support and we're not afraid to innovate."
The other big winner of the night was the Chauncey Bailey Project, a collaborative effort between a number of local news organizations, reporters and editors—including several J-School students. The project investigated the murder of Chauncey Bailey, a reporter for the Oakland Post who was gunned down in 2007. The investigative reporting led to the indictment of two men, an investigation of the Oakland Police Department and the resignation of the Chief of Police. The Chauncey Bailey Project won two Online Journalism Awards: The Knight Award for Public Service and another in the "Investigative Journalism, Small Site."
The judges wrote, "The Chauncey Bailey Project is absolutely exemplary -- a type of investigation that we wish more organizations could pursue. Its role is necessary, the reporting great."
Launched in May 2000, the OJAs are administered by the Online News Association, in partnership with the University of Miami School of Communication.
To learn more about the awards and other OJA winners, click here.