I'm very happy to blog the news that Kevin Sites, for whom I have endless respect and admiration, has been honored with a Payne Award for Ethics in Journalism. Bravo, and a huge congratulations, Kevin!
At a time when studies show the credibility of the media in steady decline and sensational stories make headline news, there are journalists and news organizations whose ethical decision-making processes set new standards for the keepers of the public trust. The 2005 Payne Awards for Ethics in Journalism will honor The Denver Post, freelance journalist Kevin Sites, and Arizona State's independent student newspaper The State Press for exemplifying the highest standards of their profession in the face of political or economic pressures.(…)
Kevin Sites, a freelance photojournalist for NBC and military pool reporter, is the Payne Awards' professional winner for his "courage, deliberate thinking and outreach" after filming a U.S. soldier killing an unarmed Iraqi man. Sites, an experienced war reporter, shared the videotape with the military, then worked with NBC to create a well-nuanced story that aired 48 hours after the incident. As was required, the footage was also given to others in his pool. When he became a lightning rod for those reacting to the story and for foreign journalists using the footage without context, he responded by using a web blog (www.kevinsites.net) to explain his decision and its reasoning to the public. The judges felt the blog and reactions to it added a new dimension to the story.
Winners will be honored in a ceremony on May 12 at the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication. Link to award info, and Link to Kevin's blog.
