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7th annual
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DEADLINE Friday, March 28, 2008
Sponsored by the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas and Texas Press Association, the Monson FOI Award recognizes journalists and/or newspapers for outstanding efforts that uphold First Amendment principles, increase public access to government, and improve awareness of state open government statutes.
Texas Press Association members can nominate their own newspaper's efforts, or those of fellow journalists and publishers at other newspapers. The award will recognize specific efforts or actions taken during the preceding calendar year (2007). The achievements can be a single news story or series, an editorial or series of editorials, columns, editorial cartoons or a community FOI project.
There are two award categories: Daily and Non-Daily.
Monson FOI Award
Entries must be postmarked by March 28, 2008. Winners will be announced at the TPA Summer Convention, June 21, in Arlington.
For more information, contact Katherine Garner at FOIFT 214-977-6658. Past Winners: In 2002, The Galveston County Daily News won in the daily category and presentation editor Dave Matthews was on hand to accept. The Canton Herald won in the weekly category and editor Vince Leibowitz accepted the award. In 2003 the Wichita Falls Times Record News won for reporting on access issues at meetings of the local higher education board. In 2004 the Seguin Gazette-Enterprise won for reporting on a teacher/coach grievance against a school board president. Publisher Tommy Crow accepted the award on behalf of the newspaper. 2005 individual winners: Daily Category: Andy Alford and Erik Rodriguez of The Austin American-Statesman. The judge called their series on "use of force" by police -- "an exhaustive, records-driven approach to a controversial topic. The use of academic experts to further the reporting was excellent, as was the voluminous use of material generated through FOI." Non-daily Category: Edward Looby of the Alvin Sun-Advertiser. The judge wrote: "An ethics charge against a city council member was met by stonewalling the paper's FOI requests ... and the "Knowledge Held Hostage" feature was born. Love the spunk and tenacity on display here. This is what defending our right to know is all about!" 2006 Winners Dailies: The Galveston County Daily News: "The newspaper's dogged pursuit of the state's mismanaged, oft-conflicted arrangement with Reliant is a tale so complex, so full of detail, that few would pursue it half as far. In the face of ugly attacks from the official in charge, including a bizarre house ad likening the paper's management to communists, the reporters and editors here just went back to work, day after day, leveraging their stories with public records along the way. Marvelous work." Non-Dailies: The Muleshoe Journal: "A hospital district in trouble, and a community newspaper using public records and lots of gumshoe reporting to make a huge difference in a small Texas town. Breaking through a wall of public apathy at first, the newspaper is to be commended for its relentless pursuit of an important story. This is what community journalism is all about." 2007 winner The Galveston County Daily News, for its continued coverage of the state power program. "The Daily News has performed quite a service to Texans for continuing to use a myriad of public records to shine a light on the deregulation of the power industry. A $40 billion business that has seen consumer rates rise as much as 114 percent begs for scrutiny, and the Daily News is bringing home the goods, and the effort is now creating legislative attention. A classic use of public records in the public interest." |