WRAL's award, for best investigative report produced by a television station in the "below top 20 market" category, is forMilitary Medical Malpractice, by investigative reporterStuart Watsonand WRAL Chief PhotographerRichard Adkins. The five-part series looked at people who's lives had been drastically altered by military malpractice and probed the fact that such malpractice was repeatedly covered up. The Dayton Daily News, of Dayton, Ohio, cooperated with WRAL on those reports. The newspaper was an awards finalist.
The highest award given in the contest is an IRE Medal. Those went toThe Baltimore Sun, ``Dateline NBC'' and KCBS of Los Angeles.
The Baltimore Sun won a medal for ``The Shipbreakers'', a three-part series on the dangerous industry of salvaging surplus ships. In a yearlong investigation, The Sun uncovered shocking practices that resulted in worker deaths, environmental hazards and federal contracts with questionable companies.
Dateline NBC received a medal for ``Probable Cause,'' an expose of the outrageous misuse of Louisiana's drug asset forfeiture law. In its investigation, ``Dateline'' found evidence of unfair seizures of property and a system that benefited judges who oversaw the cases.
The show also received a medal last year for ``Toy Story Part I and Part II'' about the exploitation of child workers in Southeast Asia.
KCBS-TV of Los Angeles won for ``License For Sale,'' an undercover Investigation of widespread corruption inside the California Department of Motor Vehicles. KCBS-TV disclosed scandalous activities in which drivers licenses were sold.
Winner of the Tom Renner Award, which recognizes exemplary work in organized crime reporting, went to ABC News ``Primetime Live'' for ``Blood Money'', a look at the for-profit harvesting of organs from prisoners executed in China. The Renner Award comes with a $1,000 prize donated by Newsday.
Awards will be presented in June at the IRE National Conference in New Orleans.
IRE is a nonprofit professional organization based at the University of Missouri School of Journalism with more than 3,300 members. Its mission is to train journalists in in-depth reporting and editing.
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