The 2014 duPont Award Winners from Alfred I. duPont Awards on Vimeo.
The Center for Investigative Reporting won today two Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Awards for broadcast and digital journalism.
CIR was the only news organization awarded twice.
The panel of judges recognized CIR’s Broken Shield series and Rape in the Fields project. Rape in the Fields/Violación de un Sueño was the first investigation of its kind to expose the widespread sexual harassment and assault of female agricultural workers. CIR collaborated with the Investigative Reporting Program at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, FRONTLINE and Univision on this project.
The investigation produced two hourlong documentaries in two languages broadcast on FRONTLINE and Univision, an animation in English and Spanish, and long-form text pieces that appeared in The Seattle Times and across California. A companion radio series based on the overall Rape in the Fields project was broadcast on KQED, NPR and Radio Bilingue.
Since the documentaries first aired, they have been shown in communities throughout California. The videos are being used in training programs to help migrant women understand their rights.
The project was reported by Bernice Yeung and Grace Rubenstein at CIR with additional reporting by video producer Daffodil Altan. The documentaries were written and directed by Lowell Bergman and Andres Cediel at IRP and edited by CIR’s Stephanie Mechura. Ariane Wu produced “Hidden in the Harvest,” a video illustrated by Marina Luz, with additional story production by Altan, Sam Ward and Mia Zuckerkandel. Editors Susanne Reber, Richard C. Paddock and Robert Salladay managed the project at CIR. Rubenstein and KQED reporter Sasha Khokha produced the companion radio series.
Broken Shield exposed how an internal California police force failed to protect developmentally disabled residents in state-run institutions. The reporting prompted legislative reforms, policy changes and a criminal investigation.
The series has won several honors, including an Emmy Award and George Polk Award, and was a finalist for the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for public service. Reporter Ryan Gabrielson spent 18 months uncovering systemic failures. Carrie Ching and Monica Lam produced videos and multimedia for the series, with contributions from illustrator Luz. Salladay, CIR’s managing editor, directed and edited the series. Sharon Tiller was executive producer for the video, and Zuckerkandel oversaw the design of the project website and e-book.
CIR’s awards were among 14 winning entries in this year’s Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Awards, established in 1942. The winners will be honored at a ceremony at Columbia University on Jan. 21.
The awards cap a year in which CIR, a 75-person newsroom, has won major national awards for video, radio, text and online journalism. CIR’s 2013 honors include a George Polk award, two IRE awards, an Online Journalism Award from the Online News Association, an Edward R. Murrow award, the Barlett and Steele award and a national news and documentary Emmy. CIR also was a finalist in the public service category for the Pulitzer Prize.
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