Pubradio sweeps IRE award category

Pubcasters swept the radio category in the Investigative Reporters and Editors Awards, presented yesterday by one of the nation’s top journalism organizations. Receiving the certificate was “36 Years of Solitary: Murder, Death and Injustice at Angola,” by NPR’s Laura Sullivan, Amy Walters and Steven Drummond on All Things Considered. It was praised by the judges as a “chilling tale of injustice” told in a “graceful and compelling way.” The piece was an in-depth look at the 1972 murder of a prison guard. Finalists in the category: “Natural Gas Drilling: Is New York Ready?” by WNYC’s Ilya Marritz, Abrahm Lustgarten, Andrea Bernstein and Karen Frillmann; “Dirty Money” by NPR’s John Burnett, Marisa Penaloza and Quinn O’Toole; and “Witnesses Wait” by PRI’s Ingrid Lobet.