Legal Journalism Awards Presented at 2024 Media Conference
The Parker Thomson Awards for Outstanding Legal Journalism in Florida are awarded each year by the Florida Bar’s Media & Communications Law Committee. Qualified entries highlight the system of law and justice as it affects Floridians. The awards have been presented for more than 60 years with first-place award recipients currently receiving a cash prize of $500 ($250 for second place) and travel reimbursement to attend the ceremony.
The awards were presented at the well-attended FSNE luncheon on July 25 held in the ballroom of the Bonnett Creek Hilton in Orlando as part of the Florida Media Conference. Attached is the brochure created and printed by the Florida Bar.
This year’s judges were David Cuillier, PH.D., director of the Brechner Freedom of Information Project at U of Fla., Jeff Forward, senior reporter at the Freemont Tribune in Nebraska, Jim McGuire, litigation partner at Thomas & LoCicero, Jessica O’Toole, Director at the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Rocky Mountain Chapter, and David Snyder, attorney and former writer for the St. Petersburg Times. FPA chairs the awards committee.
The winners were as follows–
First place in the print category went to Dan Sullivan a journalist at the Tampa Bay Times for his story, “Death penalty changes are eyed.”
As one of the judges commented–“This reporting compilation provides insights for the public into the complexities of the death penalty, from a deep understanding through years of reporting. It sheds light on an extremely important – and political – issue.”
Second place in print went to Michael Moline at the Florida Phoenix for his piece “A monumental abortion question for FL Supreme Court: How did voters in 1980 define ‘privacy’?”
First place in the broadcasting category was awarded to Evan Dean and Kirk Erwin at WBBH-TV, the NBC affiliate in Fort Myers for the story called “Cape Coral man shares his story of restorative justice and rehabilitation.”
As one judge commented: “A very nicely composed, sourced and informative reporting segment. I liked the weaving of a formerly incarcerated person’s story with advocate, doctor/nurse as well as legal/lawyer source describing how this type of alternative approach can help people as well as the public.”
Second place in broadcasting went to Peter Delis and Gregory Fox at WESH in Orlando. “Zeigler: Last chance for Freedom?”
Finally, the Susan Spencer-Wendel Lifetime Achievement Award honors a retired or working journalist who has written or reported extensively in an outstanding fashion to educate citizens on the system of law and justice as it affects the people of Florida. The prize includes a cash award of $500 and travel reimbursement.
This year’s winner was Gregory Fox, an investigative, political, and government reporter at WESH in Orlando who has served in that capacity for 20 years of a 36-year career in Central Florida. Greg’s commitment to illuminate the judicial system through coverage of groundbreaking court cases and related reporting has helped citizens better understand the justice system affecting their communities.
Congratulations to all our winners on their remarkable achievement!