Discussion with Leading Luminaries in the Field of Investigative Business Reporting
On Wednesday, November 9, the 16th annual Barlett & Steele Awards for investigative business journalism were held, recognizing exceptional work in the field. The awards, named after reporting duo Jim Steele and his partner, honored journalists who have made significant contributions to uncovering manipulations, malfunctions, and other issues within various industries.
In the Local/Regional category, Jeffrey Meitrodt and Nicole Norfleet of ProPublica, in collaboration with American Public Media, KUER Public Radio, and the Salt Lake Tribune, won the Gold award for their investigation titled 'Unsettled.' Their work exposed manipulations in the insurance industry in Minnesota, revealing that insurance companies were buying future settlement checks on the cheap from car accident victims.
Meitrodt, a Gold winner in the Local/Regional category, expressed his belief that there hasn't been enough investigative business journalism in his career. He, along with Norfleet, discussed their investigations during the event.
In the National/Global category, a four-person team won the Gold award for a seven-part podcast series titled 'Sent Away.' The series, which delved into the troubled-teen industry in Utah, was a collaboration between ProPublica, NPR, and the Marshall Project.
Neil Bedi of ProPublica won the inaugural Outstanding Young Journalist Award for his work, which started at the Tampa Bay Times and continued at ProPublica. Bedi's investigation found that HeartWare, a company with known malfunctions leading to patient deaths since at least 2015, was causing the most harm.
Curtis Gilbert, another ProPublica journalist, spoke about the collaboration in the 'Sent Away' investigation. He emphasized the importance of collaboration in investigative journalism, highlighting the power of a team working together to uncover the truth.
Jim Steele, speaking at the event, noted the evolution of business journalism from simple company releases to sophisticated investigative reporting. He emphasized that people are at the heart of award-winning business journalism stories. Meitrodt, Bedi, and Gilbert all agreed that people are crucial in business journalism.
The Cronkite YouTube channel has a recording of the awards event, and more information on each winner can be found in the news release by the Reynolds Center. Interviews with award winners will also be posted on the website.
Each award-winner expressed optimism about the progress of business journalism but also emphasized the need for more investigative work. As the field continues to evolve, these journalists serve as a reminder of the importance of investigative journalism in holding powerful institutions accountable.
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