2019-20 SATW Foundation Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Competition
110 Travel News/Investigative Reporting ( Newspapers,Travel Magazines,Travel Coverage in General Magazines,Travel Audio-Radio,Travel Audio-Podcasts and Guides)Back
Place Name: First Place Contestant Name: Miami Herald Entry Title: Crew are stuck on Miami cruise ships with COVID-19 spreading. Some aren’t being paid Entry Credit: Taylor Dolven, Alex Harris Judge Comment: Excellent sourcing and powerful reporting produced a breakthrough about the COVID-19 virus and the cruise industry. The ability to get crews to talk candidly, despite orders from their bosses, revealed the tip of a massive health and labor crisis. The story raised serious ethical questions and provided a platform to the voiceless.
Place Name: Second Place Contestant Name: Chabeli Carrazana Entry Title: Laborland: In a theme park parking lot, a worker sleeps in her car Entry Credit: Chabeli Carrazana, Rich Pope, Adelaide Chen Judge Comment: Behind the faces of happy characters at America's biggest theme parks in Orlando is a workforce that's living hand to mouth. The strength of the story is the ability to get employees to go on the record about wages so slim that some sleep in their cars. Backed by strong data, the story was brave and spoke a brutal truth about theme parks.
Place Name: Third Place Contestant Name: Outside Entry Title: The Last Days of John Allen Chau Entry Credit: Alex Perry Judge Comment: Skillful writing and masterful story-telling capture the behind-the-scenes story of a young man’s fateful odyssey to convert a little-known island tribe to Christianity. The story is told in intricate detail - from in-depth interviews with fishermen, family, police, and an intimate journal. The writer’s own journey to the area created extraordinary and engaging journalism.
Place Name: Honorable Mention Contestant Name: Bloomberg Pursuits Entry Title: Carbon Credits Won't Be Travel's Saving Grace Entry Credit: Nikki Ekstein Judge Comment: Crunching the numbers and examining policy are critical to weighing the effectiveness of complex travel topics like carbon credits. What’s revealed is that carbon credits often don’t work as intended, but there are solutions. Applause for tackling a tough subject, making it accessible and offering hope.
