Okay, here’s the deal: Each year for many years the Greater Los Angeles chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists has honored four journalists, “members of the profession who demonstrate good news judgment, a strong sense of ethics and a passion for getting the story right”. The honors are given to journalists who work in print, radio and TV.
This year SPJ’s Distinguished Journalist honorees are my pal Andrew Blankstein, of the LA Times (for print publications of 100,000 circulation or more); Denise Nix, from the Daily Breeze (for under 100,00 circ). The TV award goes to Dave Lopez, for CBS2/KCAL9 News, radio to Claudia Peschiutta of KNX 1070 Newsradio.
Then in 2008, SPJ added a fifth award—for Distinguished Work in New Media. The award is given for using “…new media’s unique characteristics and capabilities while striving to uphold traditional journalism’s highest standards of honesty, accuracy, responsibility and accountability. ”
In it’s first year the new award went to Kevin Roderick for LA Observed.
This year the very nice folks at SPJ are giving the award to…..well….me, for my work with WitnessLA.
Wooo-hooo!!! (Ooops. Sorry. That didn’t sound very distinguished.)
Anyway, I’m very grateful to SPJ for the extremely kind honor. And I wanted to share the good news with y’all.
“A strong sense of ethics and a passion for getting the story right” sums you up, Celeste, and is sorely lacking in much of the “new media:” CONGRATS!
Congratulations, Celeste! You certainly do act with high ethical standards, even if I often question your conclusions.
We don’t give out awards for ethics in accounting. Everyone in that field is expected to act ethically. The fact that a professional society of journalists gives such an award illustrates the overwhelming lack of ethics in the media – except for FOX.
And, thank you to the society for not considering my commentaries when you decided that Celeste gets stories right. In the future, I hope to be part of a “Society of Professional Commenters” and to receive a similar honor for really getting it right.
Congratulations – your posts are consistently some of the most substantive, considered and “journalistic” of any blog out there.
Congrats to you, Celeste! I’ve enjoyed your blog. Guess we’ll meet in April!
Outstanding! It gives me nachas!
Nicely done. You should accept the award in your pajamas.
“You should accept the award in your pajamas.”
Seems about right. But with snazzy earrings, of course.
Hearty congratulations, Celeste! A well-deserved honor.
Celeste: Congratulations!!
Congrats, it is a Well Earned Award
You should Skype in your acceptance speech…keep it New Media. And use one of those crazy voice things like Laurie Anderson.
I’ve mentioned elsewhere, “I don’t know how she does it?”. Sometimes three stories a day with links. You are amazing and deserving of awards. Congrats Celeste!
Hooray!!!
congratulations and well deserved.
You go, girl! I am honored to be your friend!
Congratulations, you’re putting in an amazing effort here Celeste and the recognition is deserved.
Celeste, don’t accept the award in your pajamas unless you’re part of Pajama’s Media. To reflect opena and honest journalism that covers up nothing, go streaking across the platform and grab your trophy along the way. Oh, but still wear your earrings so we’ll recognize you.
Congrats.
-If a monument was built in Celeste’s honor, Mt. Rushmore would close, due to poor attendance.
-Respected journalists fight over her discarded apple cores.
-Her pillow talk is years ahead of it’s time.
-She is LA’s gal!
Well done my dear
Well done Celeste!
What designer dress did Celeste wear to the SPJ’s Distinguished Journalist awards. I haven’t seen the fashionista’s critique of Celeste’s dress yet.
Most Interesting: -Her pillow talk is years ahead of it’s time.
Care to give us some examples, Celeste? The SPJ might have a really special award for that.