CalMatters ‘stands out above all the rest’ in California Journalism Awards

CalMatters journalists had a stand-out exhibiting within the California Journalism Awards that acknowledge the state’s finest journalism.

Judges referred to as the employees’s work: “relentless,” “attractive in presentation, writing and strategic thought,” “in-depth however comprehensible,” “eye-catching and user-friendly” and “an excellent useful resource for readers to know what’s at stake for numerous communities.”

The nonprofit newsroom employees earned first place for common excellence whereas now competing, for the primary time, within the largest viewers class for digital information. This places CalMatters up towards the state’s largest organizations together with the Los Angeles Instances, San Francisco Chronicle, The Sacramento Bee and the San Diego Union-Tribune.

CalMatters journalists took house one other 5 first-place awards throughout investigative reporting, land-use reporting, enterprise information, Gov. Gavin Newsom recall election protection and youth and training protection. The employees additionally earned 2nd place within the coveted public service class for the Newsom recall election voter information. In all, CalMatters earned 17 awards for its protection in 2021.

The statewide contest is organized by the California Information Publishers Affiliation, recognizing newsrooms as judged by neutral skilled journalists.

Common Excellence

1st Place — CalMatters Employees. 

Judges: “Judging by pure influence, CalMatters stood out for its relentless method to telling partaking tales from a number of views, maximizing the potential to succeed in a wide range of audiences across the state on completely different platforms and with completely different preferences. The one-two-THREE punch of the gun management sequence was notably spectacular in its reframing of an investigation in dramatically completely different kinds. Whereas this isn’t a standard interpretation of newspaper ‘common excellence,’ the attractive presentation, writing, and strategic thought that go into this web site make it stand out above all the remainder.”

Investigative Reporting

1st Place amongst publications with 400,001 and extra month-to-month distinctive guests and third Place amongst all digital publications — Robert Lewis and Jeremia Kimelman for “Ready for Justice.”

Judges: “The analysis plus the person views plus the presentation/group (which was GOALS) made for a complete and transferring narrative that delved deeply with tangible takeaways. Wonderful work right here.” “Nice use of knowledge to convey an necessary matter. The usage of firsthand interviews actually units off the stakes concerned, particularly with household on either side of the justice system.”

Public Service

2nd Place — CalMatters Employees for the “Newsom Recall Voter Information.” Tales 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Judges: “Glorious use of graphics, photographs, movies and different multimedia. The recall voter information part of this challenge is de facto eye-catching and user-friendly. I admire the simple presentation of the ‘what he has and hasn’t carried out’ protection. That actually spells it out for readers and makes it clear what’s been completed and what’s nonetheless missing. The illustrated information to the Newsom recall was one among my favourite elements of this entry: enjoyable, distinctive and straightforward to observe whereas not being patronizing. And whereas all of that is stand-out public service journalism already, the ‘how one can vote within the recall election’ information actually drives that time house. Improbable work.”

Land-Use Reporting

1st Place — Manuela Tobias for “Why it’s so laborious to go housing payments in California.” Tales 1, 2 and three.

Judges: “That is “the” land-use matter of the day in California, and the CalMatters crew confirmed out right here. Stellar in-depth, however comprehensible, reporting on a fancy and dense matter. Necessary reporting. Nice visuals.”

Enterprise Information

1st Place amongst all digital publications and likewise 1st Place amongst same-sized publications — Sameea Kamal for the California redistricting sequence: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.

Judges: “This sequence provides a 365-degree view of the redistricting course of — no small feat for a topic so obscure. The quantity and high quality of reporting on this sequence is obvious. The infographics go far in telling the story.” “A wonderful sequence explaining the advantageous particulars and total plan for state redistricting. Clear writing in addition to advantageous graphics make the modifications in districts simple to know. An awesome useful resource for readers to know what’s at stake for numerous communities.”

4th Place — Byrhonda Lyons and Laurel Rosenhall for “Is California’s new police lethal drive legislation making a distinction?” 

Judges: “Robust on writing, analysis and group; hits the important thing level of an absence of coaching on the core of the issue right now and certain sooner or later with out motion. Mixes the human toll with the information to indicate private influence.”

Newsom Recall Election Protection

1st Place — Laurel Rosenhall, Sameea Kamal, Emily Hoeven, Matt Reagan for a sequence of tales on key voting blocs: 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 

Judges: “Nice assortment of tales that take a contemporary have a look at frequent components of an election, voting blocs. The separate tales current a range of voices and considerations which can be reflective of state demographics and public sentiments. Excellent writing and presentation of textual content, pictures and graphics.”

2nd Place — Ben Christopher for “Polling error: How one survey modified the Newsom recall marketing campaign” 

Judges: “Nice thought to take what might’ve been a easy story and as an alternative do in-depth reporting concerning the total observe of polling and the particular influence the SurveyUSA ballot had. Glorious writing, various sourcing and use of graphics.”

Youth and Schooling Protection

1st Place — Jocelyn Wiener, Erica Yee, Anne Wernikoff for “The pandemic laid naked present inequalities. California’s children felt the ache.” 

Judges: “​​Nice use of interactive graphics and maps. Additionally customized voices helped deliver the battle house.”

third Place — Ricardo Cano and Elizabeth Aguilera for “Particular-needs youngsters nonetheless search assist after 12 months adrift.”

Judges: “Good use of characters within the story.”

Writing

third Place — Robert Lewis for “Outgunned: The story of a lady, an abuser and California’s failing gun management.” 

Judges: “Exhaustive analysis and a heartbreaking story.”

In-Depth Reporting

2nd Place — Rachel Becker, Julie Cart, Jeremia Kimelman for “California’s Drought Disaster.” Tales 1, 2 and three.

(No judges remark)

Function Story

4th Place — Ana Ibarra for “COVID lungs: Transplants are final resort for a lot of California sufferers.”

Judges: “Till I learn this story, I had no thought about this matter. Good writing and good visuals.”

Infographics

4th Place — John Osborn D’Agostino for “Spend the excess: This recreation places you accountable for California’s funds.” 

Judges: “This interactive put me within the footwear of a legislator. It’s laborious work! Very clear presentation. The titles and descriptions for the choices have been enjoyable to learn and stored me engaged. Additionally valued seeing how my solutions in comparison with different customers on the outcomes web page.”

Breaking Information

fifth Place — Emily Hoeven for:  “Meeting chief: California isn’t main on local weather” 

Judges: “As its headline makes express, the article makes clear California’s standing on the planet’s efforts to fight local weather change. Its writing deftly highlights the disparity between what Gov. Newsom has been saying and others with completely different opinions and the related information like Meeting Speaker Rendon. Its publication amid the UN convention on local weather change in Scotland additionally underscores the urgency of the matter.”