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Two Reuters journalists, arrested while reporting on human rights abuses in Myanmar, have been selected as recipients of the Don Bolles Medal from Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE).
The Don Bolles Medal recognizes investigative journalists who have exhibited extraordinary courage in standing up against intimidation or efforts to suppress the truth about matters of public importance.
Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo have been imprisoned since December 2017.
"These two dedicated journalists were interested in one thing: the truth," IRE President Matt Goldberg said. "The pursuit of the truth should never be a crime, in Myanmar or in any country."
At the time of their arrest, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were investigating the September 2017 massacre of 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys in Myanmar’s Rakhine state. The murders occurred during an army crackdown that the United Nations said has sent 700,000 people flooding into Bangladesh.
The two journalists were accused of "illegally possessing confidential government documents" after two police officers invited them to dinner and handed them a stack of rolled-up papers.
A police captain has testified that officers had been ordered to "trap" Wa Lone.
"I should be in the newsroom," Wa Lone said during a February court appearance. "I am a journalist. I never did anything wrong."
Formed in 1975, IRE is a grassroots nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of investigative reporting around the globe.
The Don Bolles Medal was created last year in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of the Arizona Project, an effort led by IRE to finish the work of Don Bolles, an Arizona Republic investigative reporter who was killed in 1976 by a car bomb.
Bolles' death came a few days before the first national IRE conference in Indianapolis, where the veteran reporter had been scheduled to speak on a panel. At the time, Bolles had been investigating allegations of land fraud involving prominent politicians and individuals with ties to organized crime.
After his murder, nearly 40 journalists from across the country descended on Arizona to complete his investigation. News organizations across the country published their findings.
Their message: Even if you kill a reporter, you can’t kill the story.
"This year, our message is that you cannot lock up journalists, in an attempt to hide the truth, without the world taking notice," said Phil Williams, chair of IRE’s public engagement committee.
The Don Bolles Medal will be accepted June 16 by Reuters representatives during the annual IRE national conference in Orlando.
By Naseem Miller, Orlando Sentinel
The 2018 IRE Conference at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld is located Southwest of Orlando, at the heart of city’s tourist area known as International Drive, or I-Drive. It’s about 15 miles away from downtown Orlando.
There are attractions, museums, shops and many chain restaurants nearby. But don’t count on walking ... anywhere. Locals mostly get around with cars or buses, because the area is spread out and the weather is usually hot, humid and/or rainy.
For the fitness buffs, it’s best to avoid running and biking outdoors. You may get hit by a car.
That said, here’s some info that might help you get around and enjoy the city:
Food
You’ll most likely notice the chains, but there are some good small restaurants around. Domu ramen bar has received rave reviews from The New York Times. While there, check out the other shops and restaurants in the East End Market. Bosphorus serves up great Turkish food and has a location near the hotel. If you like Vietnamese food, there’s a row of them on East Colonial Drive (S.R. 50).
Consider driving or riding over to Orlando’s Restaurant Row on Sand Lake Road. This district is about a 10-minute drive from the hotel. If you’re looking for sushi, visit Dragonfly Robata (reservations recommended.) In the same area, you’ll find steakhouses, seafood restaurants and a taco bar.
You can also find more restaurant reviews from the Orlando Sentinel here.
Excursions
If you decide to venture away from the hotel, about 20 miles into the city you’ll find Park Avenue in an older suburb of Orlando called Winter Park (a.k.a. old money). There are many restaurants and boutiques on Park Ave. The Morse Museum, which has a permanent exhibit of Louis Comfort Tiffany’s work, including his incredible chapel, is also on Park Avenue. It makes for a nice evening stroll.
Another quaint area to visit for restaurants and shops is a stretch of Edgewater Drive in College Park, which is about 20 miles away from the hotel. Also consider visiting downtown Orlando, home to Lake Eola Park, the Doctor Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, and plenty of restaurants.
Get a taste of theme parks without paying for a ticket
For a night out of eating, window shopping and entertainment, check out Disney Springs. If you’re a Universal Studios fan, try Universal CityWalk. Both are located near the main theme parks.
Pointe Orlando is another nearby entertainment hub for tourists with chain restaurants, shops and a few quirky entertainment spots like the WonderWorks Upside-Down Mansion.
Shopping Popular shopping destinations near the conference hotel — not in walking distance — are Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets, which is close to Florida Mall, Orlando International Premium Outlets, and Mall at Millenia. If you’re planning to have breakfast at Tiffany’s, Mall at Millenia is the place to go. The mall is surrounded by lots of shops and restaurants.
Car
If you’re comfortable following your GPS, driving is the easiest way to get around Orlando.
Tip: SR 408 (East-West Expressway), SR 417 (Central Florida Greenway) and SR 528 (Beachline Expressway) have tolls. Some toll stations have an attendant, some take coins, some have both. All have an E-Pass lane, which you can zoom through if you have an E-Pass sticker or transponder that will automatically charge your account. Visit www.cfxway.com/for-travelers to calculate your toll.
I-4 is Orlando’s main toll-free highway. However, it’s almost always congested due to an ongoing construction project.
Bus system
Orlando’s bus system is called LYNX. If you’re staying in the International Drive area, the bus services can be used to travel to most attractions. It’s inexpensive, but using it takes some planning. Visit golynx.com for the schedule.
Trolley on International Drive
I-Drive has its own trolley system called I-Ride. All conference attendees will receive a three-day pass for the trolley in their registration packets (watch for more information in the conference welcome email). Visit iridetrolley.com for schedule or click here for a map of trolley stops.
Pedicab
Another way to get around International Drive is hopping on a Pedicab. Visit redipedicabservices.com for more info.
Taxi
There are several cab companies in Orlando. Visit taxifarefinder.com to get an estimate for the fees and taxi options.
Tip: Many taxis have started accepting credit cards, but some still ask for cash, so don’t forget to carry cash.
Uber & Lyft also have services in Orlando.
SunRail
Central Florida’s two-year-old commuter rail system is still expanding, but it can provide for a clean and quick transportation option in certain areas of Orlando. Visit sunrail.com for routes and schedule. There is no late-night or weekend service. The closest stop is Sand Lake Road, about 10 miles from the hotel.
Biking
Orlando is still working on becoming bike-friendly. In touristy areas like I-Drive, it can be risky to bike. So if you want to bike for a workout, consider using the hotel fitness center instead. If you’re a serious biker, two safe and established biking trails in Orlando are Cady Way Trail and West Orange Trail.
Running and walking
If you decide to run or walk outdoors, be careful. Drivers are still working on learning to share the road. Please put your safety first. Again, for a workout, your hotel fitness center is the best option.
Health emergencies
Central Florida is growing rapidly, so are its hospitals. We have free-standing ERs and urgent care centers popping up like Starbucks. The nearest hospital to the hotel is Dr. P. Phillips Hospital. There are several urgent care centers nearby, including Paramount Urgent Care and a few Florida Hospital Centra Care urgent care centers.
We’re offering several opportunities for broadcast journalists to receive individualized and small-group coaching at the IRE Conference in Orlando.
These coaching sessions are free to attendees but require sign-up. Sixty percent of the available slots are open for registration now; The remaining 40 percent (designated as "Drop-In Slot" on the schedule) will open for sign-up on Wednesday, June 13.
Barry Nash and his team return this year to provide personalized coaching sessions. If you have questions about any aspect of your delivery — your appearance, how you use your voice, how you can perform most effectively in the field or in the studio — this is an opportunity you won’t want to miss. Barry has been working with talent at all levels of experience and ability for over 30 years. Jenni Steck works with network and local talent, and specializes in using the body, voice, and breath to project confidence, maturity, and urgency. Barrett Nash works with network and local talent, and specializes in both performance and development of a powerful and credible visual image. Sign up!
Al Tompkins will also offer one-on-one broadcast mentoring in Orlando. Sign up for a session.
We’ll also be offering Broadcast Show & Tell (Sponsored by Napoli Management Group). These popular, interactive sessions allow you to share your investigations with colleagues from around the country. Veteran broadcasters will moderate each session. Each slot runs for 15 minutes. Learn more about how it works, including how to sign up.
Questions? Email Sarah Hutchins at sarah@ire.org.
Starting today, IRE members can vote online for the IRE Board of Directors and Contest Committee. Ballots will be sent to the primary e-mail as listed in your membership profile.
So far, ten people have declared candidacy; seven of the board’s 13 seats are up for election this year. Three incumbents have decided not to run for new terms. Two people have declared candidacy for the Contest Committee. To learn more about the candidates, click here.
After your vote is cast, it cannot be changed. Please be mindful that candidates for the IRE board and the contest committee have the option of joining the race up to June 15.
If you'll be joining us in Orlando for the 2018 IRE Conference, you'll have a chance to hear from the board candidates in person. A short forum will be held at 6:15 p.m. on Friday, June 15, immediately following the Showcase Panel. You'll still have a day to vote online after the forum.
Voting closes at 6 p.m. EDT on Saturday, June 16. Results will be announced shortly afterward during the annual IRE membership meeting and later posted online. To learn more about the voting process, click here.
The IRE Conference will have something for everyone, but we’ve put together several themed tracks to address key issues, skills and challenges facing the industry.
For more details on these sessions, use the IRE18 online schedule.
Special for IRE18:
Timely for 2018…
If you’re new to investigative reporting...
If you want to hone your research skills...
If you need story ideas...
If you’re a beat reporter...
If you’re a broadcaster...
If you need advice...
If you’re interested in diversity inside and outside the newsroom...
If you cover politics or elections….
If you’re a manager…
If you want to up your FOIA game...
If you want to tell a better story...
If you want to meet new people...
If you want to pick up new tools and tech skills...
If you want to improve your workflow...
If you’re a freelancer (or want to be one)...
Thanks to the generosity of donors, IRE is fortunate to have funding available to award 23 fellowships and scholarships for the June 2018 IRE Conference in Orlando.
Mark Olalde, an independent journalist in Washington, D.C., received the David Dietz Fellowship.
The fellowship was established in 2011 for the late David Dietz, an award-winning journalist and a past president of IRE. The fellowship supports early career journalists who have a demonstrated interest in financial investigative reporting.
Courtney Johns from KOLN-TV (Lincoln, Nebraska) was awarded the Napoli Management Group TV Scholarship.
Established by the Napoli Management Group to support early career TV journalists interested in investigative reporting.
Sarah Gamard and Devon Sanders, both from Louisiana State University, received the James Richard Bennett Scholarship.
The scholarships are made possible by Dr. James Richard Bennett, professor emeritus of English at the University of Arkansas. The scholarships support college students in Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Louisiana.
Jessica Priest from the Victoria Advocate (Victoria, Texas) and Saja Hindi from the Fort Collins Coloradoan (Fort Collins, Colorado) were awarded the Godfrey Wells Stancill Fellowship.
Established by former IRE board member Nancy Stancill and her family in memory of her father, Godfrey Wells Stancill, who was an editor and publisher of the Suffolk (Va.) News-Herald. The fellowships support journalists working for newspapers with a Sunday circulation of under 50,000.
Melissa Montoya from The News-Press (Fort Myers, Florida), Hayat Norimine from the Seattle Met (Seattle, Washington), April Simpson from Current (Washington, D.C.), Steph Solis from Asbury Park Press (Neptune, New Jersey) and Nicole Foy from the Idaho Press-Tribune (Nampa, Idaho) were awarded Philip L. Graham Fund Fellowships.
Established by the Philip L. Graham Fund to increase diversity of the investigative journalism community. The fund is named for the late publisher of The Washington Post and president of The Washington Post Company (now Graham Holdings Company).
Carlos Vazquez Ortero from the Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, Florida), Silvia Foster-Frau from the San Antonio Express-News (San Antonio, Texas), David Manoucheri from KCRA-TV (Sacramento, California) and Loren Thomas from WLTX-TV (Columbia, South Carolina) received IRE’s Minority Development Scholarship.
IRE established the Minority Development Fund in order to increase the diversity of the IRE membership.
Lindsey Boyd from San Jose State University, Lauren Mapp from San Diego State University, Amanda Lien from Temple University, Erin Dobrzyn from California State University, Long Beach and Ashlea Brown from Spelman College received Columbia Journalism School Student Fellowships.
Established by the Columbia Journalism School to provide future journalists the ability to attend the IRE conference in order to network, receive training and to learn about journalism trends to better prepare for successful careers.
Katie Shepherd from the Willamette Week (Portland, Oregon) and Sami Edge from The Santa Fe New Mexican (Santa Fe, New Mexico) received the Jennifer Leonard Scholarship.
Established by IRE member David Cay Johnston to honor his wife, Jennifer, who is a national leader in promoting ethical standards for endowments. The scholarship supports women studying journalism or in their first three years of their professional journalism career.
Katrease Stafford from the Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Michigan) received a Chicago Tribune Foundation Fellowship.
The Chicago Tribune Fellowships support IRE’s goal of increasing diversity within the investigative journalism community.
If you are interested in applying for a fellowship or scholarship for financial assistance for future IRE training events, go here for more information and due dates. The next deadline is June 18 for fellowships and scholarships to attend August boot camps.
Registration is now open for the fourth edition of Double Exposure Investigative Film Festival and Symposium in Washington, D.C., October 11-14, 2018, presented by 100Reporters.
Uniquely among film festivals, Double Exposure pairs showings of the most exciting new investigative works on film with a symposium custom-built to advance investigative projects, and promote dialogue between investigative reporters, filmmakers, and the industry that supports them.
Beyond film screenings, panels, master classes and workshops, this year's edition will offer exciting initiatives, based on what you've told us you need. These include pitch sessions for journalists with projects that lend themselves to film; pre-arranged one-on-one meetings with industry gatekeepers through DX Access; free legal guidance, with the possibility of ongoing representation, via the DX Pro Bono Legal Clinic and more. Funders, commissioning editors, journalists, producers, and directors who return each year value Double Exposure for the lively, provocative conversation and spirit of collegiality.
Join us! Register now for early bird discounts.
Unaffiliated (freelance) reporters working on investigative stories are invited to apply for Virtual Newsroom services and associated grants of up to $10,000 from Freelance Investigative Reporters and Editors (FIRE) (firenewsroom.org), by the application deadline of Thursday, May 31, 2018. To learn more or apply, visit Guidelines and Application.
FIRE is a fiscally sponsored project of Investigative Reporters and Editors
COLUMBIA, MISSOURI: Investigative Reporters and Editors is proud to announce the finalists for its 2018 Golden Padlock Award celebrating the most secretive government agency or individual in the United States.
"Politicians and civil servants committed to undermining the public’s right to know are a special breed," said Robert Cribb, chair of IRE’s Golden Padlock committee. "Perfecting the art of government secrecy requires ingenuity, courage and advanced techniques as illustrated by the finalists for this year’s Golden Padlock Award. Their inspirational creativity includes destroying government documents, creating false invoices, ordering bureaucrats to breach information laws and accidentally dropping cell phones containing sensitive government business into the ocean."
"These nominees give us reassurance that there is no shortage of public officials across America anxious to shield us from unpleasant truths of vital public importance."
The finalists are:
Texas Attorney General communications director Marc Rylander: For his candid advice to civil servants on how to delay and frustrate reporters making public information requests. During a January seminar, Rylander told public information officers that, “Communications guys love it when reporters make a request and you all wait until the 23rd hour of the 10th day to send it back to them.” He then lamented the loss of “real, trained, degreed journalists” who have been replaced by reporters who, “troll Twitter all morning, steal a bunch of ideas and jot down some crappy article.” Journalism, he said, has been reduced to “a joke.” A Dallas Morning News editorial called the speech delivered by a spokesperson for the state’s chief legal officer an “unconscionable disservice.”
The City of Riviera Beach and Councilman Terence Davis: For going to great lengths — including destroying public records — to prevent the public from knowing why popular city manager Jonathan Evans was suddenly fired in September 2017. At the time, councilman Terence Davis said “legal legalities” prevented him from revealing the reasons behind the firing of Evans who, at the time, had launched an internal investigation into one city council member’s use of public funds to pave a private driveway, and into sexual harassment allegations against several city officials. WPTV NewsChannel 5 made a records request for text messages sent between councilman Davis and two other council members who had voted to axe Evans. Months later, still having not received the vast majority of the text messages, WPTV filed a lawsuit against the city. Once in litigation, WPTV was told the text messages on Davis’ cell phone had been “professionally and intentionally” deleted. When WPTV’s attorney requested an opportunity to examine the phone, the station was told Davis’ phone had accidentally “fallen into the ocean.” As a result of actions by the city and councilman Davis, Evans’ firing remains a mystery to the residents of Riviera Beach.
The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction: For making director Gary Mohr disappear from view — and public accountability — even as continued lapses under his watch were tied to the deaths of Ohioans. In February 2017, WBNS-TV began filing requests seeking more information after the murder of a college student led to questions about the department’s monitoring of released felons. In response to the inquiries, Mohr’s department stonewalled. Requests for annual evaluations of the state’s sex offender registry were off limits as “quality assurance records.” The department also denied repeated on-camera interview requests. Reporters had hoped to use Mohr’s schedule to find a time to ask him questions, but the agency said his schedule would not be released, calling it a security record. Because of these maneuvers, the public has been left in the dark as problems appear to persist: Another murder has been linked to a parolee who was supposed to be under electronic monitoring. Meanwhile, the department continues to refuse to answer on-the-record questions.
The United States Department of Agriculture: For its liberal use of black ink to redact every single word from an animal welfare inspection report. WISH-TV in Indianapolis filed a Freedom of Information Act request to determine whether a company called Silly Safari Shows had ever been cited for violations of federal animal welfare regulations. In response, the USDA sent the station five responsive pages that apparently contained the findings of an agency inspection of the company. But it’s tough to tell. Every word was hidden beneath black ink placed there by the USDA before forwarding to WISH-TV. To mitigate every possible risk of inappropriate disclosure around the Silly Safari inspection, the USDA even redacted the inspection date and the date the agency and company signed off on the findings. If a picture tells a thousand words, the responsive documents here show what it looks like when a federal agency redacts pages of words in the spirit of shrouding the government’s work in black.
Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens: For failing to disclose the most basic campaign finance information and repeatedly denying public records requests. You may know Greitens best as the man accused of taking nude photos of his mistress and allegedly threatening blackmail, but his penchant for secrecy does not stop there. A former Navy SEAL, Greitens has put his experience in classified operations to work in refusing to release information about his political donors and in denying reporters’ requests for public records. Who provided a $2 million donation to his campaign? The donation went through two non-profits, a process that keeps the public from knowing the source of the donation. Who financed his inauguration festivities? Donors who anonymously funneled money through another non-profit. While not the least of the governor’s problems — he’s facing felony charges and multiple investigations — his implacable hostility to transparency earns him the additional burden of nomination for the Golden Padlock.
Sioux Falls Mayor Mike Huether: For going beyond even state law to shroud public business in secrecy. In early 2017, the city council passed an ordinance to require meetings of a city board to be recorded and published on the city website. Huether vetoed the bill and said: “Here’s the way (transparency) works: It protects you one minute. It stabs you in the back the next.” The Argus Leader newspaper filed a lawsuit in 2015 against the city that went all the way to the South Dakota Supreme Court to get a simple contract detailing what the city called a $1 million refund from a settlement over flawed siding installed on a $115 million event center. After the court ruled in the newspaper’s favor in September 2017, the documents showed city officials weren’t telling the truth: The city received less than half of what Huether claimed. After the drowning of a 5-year-old girl in a park in March, the city defended its safety protocols by citing a 2016 audit officials said was conducted on the park. City officials denied the Argus Leader’s request for a copy of the audit, claiming it belonged to the insurance company. When the newspaper contacted the insurance company, reporters confirmed no such audit exists. Huether is term-limited but has indicated he’d seek public office in the future.
The City of Atlanta: For directing city staff to block records requests and for releasing false invoices that triggered a criminal investigation into alleged violations of Georgia’s Open Records Act. In response to a potentially embarrassing records request from Channel 2 News, former Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed’s press secretary sent text messages to city staff advising they respond by being, “as unhelpful as possible…Drag this out as long as possible…And provide information in the most confusing format available.” In a separate case, a city attorney provided legal invoices totaling $1.4 million in response to an Atlanta Journal Constitution request. Here’s the problem: the invoices weren’t real. City officials buried the real ones and created new documents made to look like invoices for release to reporters without disclosing the sleight of hand, the newspaper found. In March, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation opened a criminal investigation into alleged violations of the state’s open records act. Then, in April, the two Atlanta news outlets filed a complaint with Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr alleging “a culture of political interference” with open records requests at Atlanta City Hall, outlining 10 examples of alleged violations of the law and “a pervasive culture of noncompliance.”
The winner will be announced June 16 at IRE’s annual conference in Orlando. A representative from the winning agency will be invited to receive the honor.
Investigative Reporters and Editors, Inc. is a grassroots nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of investigative reporting.
Judges for the 2018 Golden Padlock:
CONTACT:
Robert Cribb, Golden Padlock committee chair: 416-579-0289; rcribb@thestar.ca
Doug Haddix, IRE Executive Director: 573-882-1984; doug@ire.org
To comply with new U.S. Postal Service requirements for periodical mailings, the IRE Board of Directors at its 2 p.m. meeting on June 14, 2018 in Orlando will consider adding one line to the IRE Code of Bylaws:
"Section 5.07 IRE Journal. A copy of The IRE Journal shall be sent to each member of Investigative Reporters & Editors."
The bylaws amendment would ensure that IRE qualifies for the periodical rate to mail the IRE Journal. The Postal Service requires this wording in order for IRE to receive non-profit periodical mailing privileges. Otherwise, IRE would have to mail the magazine at a higher rate per issue, increasing costs by $4,000. The IRE Journal will continue to be mailed to U.S. members. International members have the option of paying for mailing outside the United States or downloading a full PDF of the magazine on the IRE website.
As prescribed in the bylaws, IRE members will have at least 30 days before the meeting to submit comments about the proposed change. Any comments or questions may be submitted via bylaws@ire.org. Please submit your feedback by June 10.
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