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Tonight's 56th annual Southern California Journalism Awards at the Millennium Biltmore downtown were dedicated to Mark Lacter, our business editor and blogger who died suddenly last November. That was a nice touch by the Los Angeles Press Club — thanks. Mark's wife, the author Laura Levine, attended as well and told me it meant a lot to her to be included.
In the competition, the journalist of the year winners included Gene Maddaus of the LA Weekly and Alfred Lee of the LA Business Journal for print, Rolando Nichols of MundoFox in television, Saul Gonzalez of KCRW for radio, Celeste Fremon of Witness LA as online journalist, Cynthia Littleton of Variety for entertainment journalist, and Ringo H.W. Chiu of the LA Business Journal as photo journalist. I think...searching...yes, Maddaus won journalist of the year last year too.
Besides those deserving winners, certain names kept being heard time and again. Stephanie O'Neill of KPCC strode to the winners table at least four times. The LA Weekly, MundoFox, the Hollywood Reporter and KCRW were mentioned a lot. Karen Foshay won once for a SoCal Connected story for KCET and once for a KPCC investigation. I believe the first-time winners included the LA School Report for a blog post by Ellie Herman, “Why Teachers Teach? – Need You Ask?”
And dozens of others. See the entire list of winners and finalists
The club's special awards this year:
- NBC's Ann Curry, introduced by her former CBS2 colleague Colleen Williams, won the Joseph M. Quinn Award For Journalistic Excellence and Distinction. Curry mentioned the late KNXT legend Bill Stout in her remarks.
- Maria Shriver, introduced by Lisa Ling, won the Public Service Award For Journalistic Contributions to Civic Life.
- Michael Bloomberg and Matthew Winkler of Bloomberg News, introduced by Eli Broad, won the President’s Award For Impact on Media. Winkler attended and spoke, but Bloomberg appeared only on video.
- Khaled Abu Toameh of the Jerusalem Post, presented by Judea Pearl for the Daniel Pearl Foundation, for Courage and Integrity in Journalism. Toameh was not present.
Some tweets I have seen tonight, including oddly defensive clankers from The Wrap's editor.
.@KPCC cleans up at #SoCalAwards, taking home eight "bests" and a handful of honorable mentions from @LAPressClub pic.twitter.com/ZmLy65mWWw
— Collin Campbell (@RadioCollin) June 30, 2014Hot damn @LAWeekly wins journalist o the yr, criticism, columnist, design, commentary, & much else. Love these guys pic.twitter.com/wcrXR2iOde
— Sarah Fenske (@sarahfenske) June 30, 2014We just won!! Ganamos!!!! Best Talk/Public Affairs Television Segment LAPressClub @jaimempr @MundoFOX #SoCalAwards pic.twitter.com/yh9NM7blsJ
— Carolina Sarassa (@carolinasarassa) June 30, 2014.@StreetsblogLA wins for best group blog #SoCalAwards pic.twitter.com/vOQPLjb2Zi
— LA Press Club (@LAPressClub) June 30, 2014Part of the team that won for the @USC sexual assault investigative series! @neontommy @LAPressClub #SoCalAwards pic.twitter.com/ldxDWiYSyY
— Ani Ucar (@AniUcar) June 30, 2014Congrats to winners but just thought it was important to clarify @TheWrap PASSED, DID NOT enter this round. Maybe next year, maybe not lol
— Joseph Kapsch (@JosephKapsch) June 30, 2014I had no idea LA Press Club Awards were tonight since @TheWrap DID NOT enter this round. 1 Guest Blogger submitted independently without OK
— Joseph Kapsch (@JosephKapsch) June 30, 2014