2014 Page One Award winners announced

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Minnesota Public Radio’s ongoing investigation of how the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis responded to allegations of sexually abusive priests – “Betrayed by Silence” – was named the Story of the Year at the Minnesota Society of Professional Journalists’ Page One Awards on Thursday. The series also won top honors for continuing coverage in online news and Madeleine Baran, one of the lead journalists covering the story for MPR, was named Young Journalist of the Year.

The annual Page One Awards recognize the best in Minnesota journalism. Awards were given in more than 60 categories for newspaper reporting, online news, photography, television, radio, multimedia and several other categories at MN SPJ’s Page One Awards banquet on Thursday evening in St. Paul.  Entries for the 2014 Page One Awards were judged by journalists from the Oklahoma Pro Chapter of SPJ.

Star Tribune State Capitol reporter Jim Ragsdale was named Journalist of the Year. The award for the Best Use of Public Records went to Star Tribune reporters Rachel E. Stassen-Berger and Glenn Howatt, for their reporting on campaign finance in Minnesota.

Art Hughes and Joan Gilbertson were given the 2014 Peter S. Popovich Award, which recognizes people or an organization that exemplifies the fight for First Amendment rights. Hughes, a freelance journalist, and Gilbertson, a WCCO producer, have been instrumental in the ongoing effort to bring cameras into Minnesota courtrooms.

Minnesota SPJ board member Jonathan Kealing presents the Peter S. Popovich award.
Minnesota SPJ board member Jonathan Kealing presents the Peter S. Popovich award.

MN SPJ also announced scholarship awards two journalism students – Jordan Gerard of Winona State University and Gino Terrell of Hamline University. Each received a $2,500 scholarship. MN SPJ awards student scholarships each year, funded partly by generous donations from its annual silent auction.

Minnesota SPJ board member Amanda Theisen presents scholarships to Jordan Gerard and Gino Terrell.
Minnesota SPJ board member Amanda Theisen presents scholarships to Jordan Gerard and Gino Terrell.

Politico co-founder John Harris, a Carleton College graduate, delivered the keynote address at Thursday’s banquet.

John Harris, co-founder and editor in chief of Politico, gives the keynote address during the 2014 Page One Awards banquet May 29 in St. Paul.
John Harris, co-founder and editor in chief of Politico, gives the keynote address during the 2014 Page One Awards banquet May 29 in St. Paul.

The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) is the oldest, largest and broadest-based organization of journalists in the U.S. and was founded as Sigma Delta Chi in 1909. The MN SPJ chapter was founded in 1956. The chapter membership totals about 150.

If you would like to order duplicate awards, or have any awards-related questions, please contact MN SPJ at minnesota.spj@gmail.com

Download full list of winners/event program (PDF)
Download full list of winners (Excel)