The Better Government Association won an Emmy Award and a top honor from Chicago’s oldest journalism organization this past week.
“You, Too: The Public Cost of Sexual Harassment,” an in-depth investigation into the cost of government sexual misconduct throughout Illinois and Northwest Indiana, was recognized for Outstanding Achievement for News Gathering – Investigative Single Story by the Chicago/Midwest chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
The three-month investigation, published late last year, was done in partnership with Phil Rogers and Katy Smyser of NBC5 Investigates and Hilda Gutierrez of Telemundo Chicago. The award, which also recognized Jared Rutecki and John Chase of the BGA, was announced at the Emmy Awards ceremony in Chicago on Nov. 16.
The BGA’s in-depth probe into O’Hare International Airport, “O’Hare’s Billions in Broken Promises” by Alejandra Cancino was honored by the Chicago Journalists Association with the Sarah Brown Boyden Award in the transportation category. The three-part investigation detailed the long history of corruption, political connections and broken promises at O’Hare. The series launched a city-wide conversation about Chicago’s largest airport as the city is about to embark on an $8.5 billion expansion project there.
The BGA project was also published by Chicago magazine.
BGA reporter Casey Toner’s coverage of questionable dealings in the village of Lyons was a CJA finalist in the politics category. The CJA announced the awards on Nov. 15.
The BGA, a nearly century-old Chicago-based nonprofit news organization, has won 12 national and local journalism awards so far in 2019.
