The staff of the OU Daily earned 19 honors Saturday night at the Oklahoma Society of Professional Journalists’ banquet in Lawton.
Competing against professionals, the Daily was presented the organization’s top overall honor, the 2022 Carter Bradley First Amendment Award, for work produced in 2021 that aimed to reset norms around transparency at OU and in Norman. Its winning entry included stories that:
Broke down data from the Norman Police Department to show on a per capita basis, the city’s Black residents were three times more likely than their white neighbors to be contacted, arrested or have force used against them by the police.
Examined how university handles records requests, including the response times in comparison to other universities and resources available to the school’s records office.
Monitored the football team’s quarterback controversy via the journalism school windows near the practice field.
The Daily also finished in second place for best newspaper, behind the Osage News, and third in best website.
All honors earned spanned the tenures of spring 2021 editor Jordan Miller, summer 2021 editor Jillian Taylor and fall 2021 editor Blake Douglas.
In individual accolades, here’s how Daily staffers fared:
First-place honorees
Online special report/enterprise reporting: Beth Wallis, Blake Douglas, Jillian Taylor, Ari Fife and Donna Edwards for “Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial.”
Online multimedia/podcast: Beth Wallis & Donna Edwards for “Destination: Greenwood.”
Online sports photography: Trey Young for “Game Day.”
Online breaking/spot news photography: Trey Young for “Venables arrives.”
Newspaper in-depth enterprise and investigative reporting: Blake Douglas for “OU open records access anything but 'prompt, reasonable' due to systemic flaws, vagaries of state law.”
Newspaper government reporting: Jillian Taylor for “How a seldom enforced capacity limit left residents locked out of contentious Norman City Council.”
Newspaper feature writing: Jillian Taylor for “Does God hate? 2SLGBTQ+ individuals seek affirmation, face religious condemnation.”
Newspaper sports feature: Austin Curtright for “We never get football players in accounting’: As senior day nears, Pat Fields has aced every test, from captain of Sooners to advanced degrees.”
Graphic illustration: Beth Wallis, Megan Foisy and Rachel Lobaugh for “100 Years."
Second-place honorees
Online sports photography: Ray Bahner for “Sooners celebrate.”
Newspaper education reporting: Ari Fife for “Where Title IX ends and gray begins: OU case illustrates how federal guidelines limit screening, handling of previously accused employees.”
Third-place honorees
Breaking news reporting: Blake Douglas for “It came out because our prayers were real’: How Julius Jones’ life was spared, 7,154 days after conviction, hours before execution, minutes after deer emerged."
Community engagement: Blake Douglas, Jordan Hayden and Jillian Taylor for “OUDaily Curious Tip Form”
Editorial/commentary: Caroline Sparks for “An open letter to Gaylord College: Recruitment work must be paid work”
Diversity reporting: Blake Douglas for “BERT sit-in one year later: What has changed at OU?”
Newspaper sports reporting: Mason Young and Austin Curtright for “Caleb Williams takes majority of snaps with first team, Spencer Rattler still committed to team, father says."
Newspaper sports feature: Mason Young for “Football, futures and finding one’s self: How Oklahoma shaped Mykel Jones beyond the hurricane moved Tulane game he’ll miss.”
