An invitation from the Nieman Foundation
SHOWCASE | September 28, 2008
What: Presentation of the I.F. Stone Medal for Journalistic Independence, followed by a workshop of leading writers and editors on that subject. When: Oct. 7, 2 to 5 PM. Where: The Newseum in Washington, DC.
By Barry Sussman
bsussman@niemanwatchdog.org
The Nieman Foundation and Nieman Watchdog will present the first annual I.F. Stone Medal for Journalistic Independence to editor John Walcott on October 7th at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.
Walcott, now Washington bureau chief for McClatchy, is being honored for directing outstanding, against-the-grain reporting at the Knight Ridder Washington bureau during the run-up to the war in Iraq, a period of great importance in American life and journalism.
Walcott will receive the award and give a talk, followed by a 90-miinute workshop where a moderator and six distinguished journalists will hold a post mortem of the run-up coverage and discuss ways to improve reporting of the next presidential administration.
Moderator of the panel is Tom Rosenstiel, director of the media group, the Project for Excellence in Journalism.
To be sure of getting seating, people should register their names by email at stoneaward@gmail.com. For those who aren't registered, seating will be on a first-come, first-seated basis.
The award presentation will be made at 2 PM at the Newseum's Knight Conference Center. The workshop is expected to begin at about 3:30 and end at 5. Panelists are:
- Gilbert Cranberg, formerly editor of the editorial page of the Des Moines Register and a frequent contributor to Nieman Watchdog.
- Florence Graves, a veteran investigative reporter who now heads the Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism at Brandeis University.
- Charles Lewis, the founder of the Center for Public Integrity, a unique national and international investigative news organization and now heading a start-up investigative news group at American University.
- Michael Massing, a contributing editor of Columbia Journalism Review, one of the sharpest, earliest critics of press coverage of the run-up to the war.
- Jane Mayer, a New Yorker writer and author of “The Dark Side,” an acclaimed 2008 book detailing horrific actions and decisions by figures in the Bush administration.
- John Walcott, winner of Stone medal. As Washington bureau chief for McClatchy, Walcott’s group continues to stay ahead of most news organizations in reporting on Iraq. Walcott also teaches journalism at Georgetown University.
More on the I.F. Stone Medal is available here, on the main Nieman Foundation Web site.
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