January 15, 2007

Nominations open for 2007 Taylor/Tomlin Award for Investigative Journalism

The University of South Carolina School of Journalism and Mass Communications is pleased to announce the 2007 competition for the Taylor/Tomlin Award for Investigative Journalism.

Eligibility & Nomination
The Taylor/Tomlin Award for Investigative Journalism recognizes enterprising, perceptive and beneficial reporting by journalists whose work is published in a South Carolina daily or weekly newspaper or wire service. The prize seeks to stimulate and honor the work of investigative journalists who ask the extra question, see more than the tip of the iceberg and probe beyond superficiality. Judging for the entries will be done by a panel of out-of-state journalists and will be coordinated by the South Carolina Press Association. The winner will receive $5,000 and is expected to attend the School of Journalism Awards Ceremony in April during Information and Communication Week and to discuss the subject of the investigative series for which he or she is being honored.

Full-time or freelance reporters working for a general circulation South Carolina newspaper or wire service are eligible. Entries may be based on a single, significant article, a sequence of articles or a planned series. Up to five articles in a series or sequence may be submitted. Team reporting efforts may enter, with the prize to be shared by team members.

An editor, publisher, other reporter, concerned citizens group, journalism organization, civic leader or educator may nominate or submit entries on behalf of eligible candidates. A letter describing how the story was identified, under what circumstances it was developed and what obstacles were overcome, the major problem or issue reported about, and the results or consequences of that reporting, must accompany each entry. Please submit four copies of each entry in tearsheet form, or photocopies of tearsheets.

Award Criteria
Each entry must include the reporter’s name, professional or home mailing address, present occupation, organization and resume.

Criteria for the award include:

• Initiative in discerning an issue and
• reporting on it
• Quality of reporting
• Obstacles overcome in getting the full story
• Heightened public awareness as a result
• of reporting
• Beneficial consequences of reporting

The Award
The Taylor/Tomlin Award for Investigative Journalism was created in 2005 by South Carolina businessmen Joe E. Taylor Jr. and Donald R. Tomlin Jr. The School of Journalism and Mass Communications administers the annual prize.

Previous recipients of the award
Ron Menchaca and Glenn Smith, “Tarnished Badges,” Charleston Post & Courier. More>>

Deadline
Submit entries by March 1, 2007, to:

Taylor/Tomlin Award
School of Journalism and Mass Communications
University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC 29208

Entries will not be returned. Entrants agree to accept the decision of the judges.