Television: Short Form
2009 Casey Medals
Winner: "Signs of Injustice," KOLR-TV
This is an example of local television at its best, helping real people who do not deserve terrible treatment and cannot advocate for themselves. Sade Lopez, a 15-year-old boy, was trapped in a nursing home for the elderly and mentally ill – simply because he was deaf. Because the state of Missouri would not allow Weidinger to interview Lopez as a minor, she literally waited three years for him to grow up. The power of her work and her tenacity is admirable.
Runner-Up: "Swimming Lessons," KARE News
A remarkable story about teen suicide, using the example of one young athlete who seemed to have it all. It is compelling, compassionate and effective without being exploitative. It would have been easy to have simply done a story and ended it there, but the additional step of having suicide prevention counselors available to talk to viewers illustrates the station’s commitment to the community.
2008 Casey Medals
Winner: "In Harm’s Way," KHOU-TV
KHOU should be lauded for pressing a public records request and then pursuing the faces behind the numbers. Well-researched, thoroughly documented, the stories reveal racial bias and other flaws in the state’s child protection system. The station deserves credit for investing the time and effort over months to nail down the story and the series sparked new government oversight and agency action.
Runner-Up: "Stop Snitchin’," CBS News 60 Minutes
This piece highlights an institutional and cultural norm that is at odds with our system of justice. Good efforts were made to tell all sides of the story and to humanize the issues presented with a tangible example.
Honorable Mention: "Drilling for Dollars," WJLA-TV
This is an important story told in an authoritative voice that evokes sympathy for Small Smiles’ victims and disgust toward its management. Those who have come forward to expose the systematic abuse are to be commended for their courage as the I-team deserves recognition for their tenacity and skill in reporting
Honorable Mention: "Feeding Hungry Children in the Ozarks," KSFX News
The story looks not only at the problem of childhood hunger, but also at the solutions. The station followed up with a town hall meeting, which was met with great community response.
2007 Casey Medals
Winner: "Special Ed -- Broken Promise?" KRIV-TV
KRIV did a masterful job telling a story that illustrates the tension between what special education children need and what school systems are often willing to provide – a topic routinely dismissed as "too hard to tell." The team took on a Texas school system and reported the difficulty faced by some parents who sought a “free and appropriate” education for children who need special education. Eschewing the glitz or flash of a “special report,” KRIV showed enterprise in reporting on American education.
Runner-Up: "Community in Crisis," WATE-TV
WATE’s exploration of the deplorable living conditions of a trailer park in Kentucky revealed the trailer park’s unfathomable ‘rent to own’ contracts and examined the role of the owners, city and lawmakers to ensure improvements.
Honorable Mention: "Changing the Odds," The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer
This report provides a solid medical explanation of the type of leukemia 4-year-old Tara Koon battled and explains the immense significance of clinical trials, in which more than half of child cancer patients are treated.
about this award
The Casey Medals for Meritorious Journalism recognize exemplary reporting on children and families in the U.S. More than 4,500 journalists have competed for Casey Medals since 1994.