From: Chris Olds (cco@dydax.com)
Date: Mon Jan 10 2000 - 10:29:40 PST
FoRK and all around good guy Keith Dawson has been named Internet Journalist
of the Year for 1999 by Internet Freedom.
By report, he is as pleased with this as he should be.
/cco
>MEDIA RELEASE 10 January 2000
>
>INTERNET FREEDOM ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF JOURNALISM AWARDS 1999
>
>Internet Freedom today announced the winners of its first ever Journalism
>Awards. With nominations from around the world there were many worthy
>candidates.
>
>The Internet Freedom Journalism Awards were set up to highlight journalism
>about the Net, both good and bad. All too often the Net is misrepresented
>contributing to widespread fears of technology and fueling calls for its
>regulation. Given the way that the Net is often portrayed, it is not
>surprising that some view it as a sink of vice and depravity from which
>addiction leaves no escape.
>
>Journalists have a responsibility to inform the public with fairness,
>objectivity and accuracy. Internet Freedom hopes the Awards will inspire
>more balanced reporting about the Net, and journalists will take seriously
>their obligation to inform.
>
>The winners of the Internet Freedom Journalism Awards are:
>
>*Internet Article of shame. For a news report, feature or opinion piece
>distinguished by misrepresentation, bias or invention of inflated dangers
>about the Internet.
>
>"Cyber-stress panic strikes", Robin McKie, The Observer.
>
>*Internet Investigation of the Year. For a news story or feature revealing
>attempts to regulate the Net.
>
>"AOL, others plan global Net content rating system", Courtney Macavinta,
>CNET.
>
>*The Fair Reporting News Agency of the Year. To a news organisation for
>consistently high standards in writing about the Net.
>
>Salon.
>
>*Internet Journalist of the Year. To a journalist for consistently high
>standards in writing about the Net.
>
>Keith Dawson.
>
>
>COMMENTS FROM JUDGES
>
>Mark Newman, judge, said:
>
>"We've all seen those regular scare stories about online hackers and
>fraudsters - yet in reality the Net is far safer than many journalists
would
>have you think. Eye-catching stories about the Net may sell magazines and
>newspapers, but they don't educate readers about what's really
happening on
>the Net."
>
>Declan McCullagh, judge said:
>
>"It's no longer 1995, when reporters didn't have email access and newsrooms
>weren't wired to the Net. Media coverage has improved dramatically since
>then, thanks to hard working people like our Journalist of the Year. But
>there's still an alarming amount of room for improvement."
>
>Jonathan Wallace, judge, said:
>
>"Although there are more of them than there used to be, journalists who
>really understand the Net are still at a premium--and there are too many
>scare stories out there based on a laughable misunderstanding of the
>technology and its consequences. The Internet Freedom Journalism Awards
>reward the best and place a spotlight on the worst."
>
>Chris Ellison, chair said:
>
>"The Awards were a close run thing. They also revealed a great divide
>between journalists in their reporting about the Internet. On the one hand,
>there are number of individuals and news agencies committed to, and
>succeeding in, sniffing out the best news stories and digging out the
facts.
>On the other, too many news organisations seem simply interested in
>sensationalism. Let's hope that the year 2000 will see a rise in
>journalistic standards."
>
>
>For further comment call Chris Ellison on 00 44 (0) 956 129 518
>
>NOTES
>1. Internet Freedom is one of the UK's leading cyber liberties campaigns.
>Their web site is at http://www.netfreedom.org. They can be contacted
on 00
>44 (0) 207 681 1559 or emailed on campaign@netfreedom.org.
>
>2. Only work published between 1 January and 31 December 1999 was
eligible.
>Nominations could be for any media.
>
>3. The judging Committee comprised of Mark Newman, Declan McCullagh and
>Jonathan Wallace. Chris Ellison chaired the Committee.
>
>4. The judges and chair were not eligible for awards.
>
>5. About the chair and judges:
>
>Chris Ellison is founder of Internet Freedom and has written for The
>Guardian, Index on Censorship and the Institute of Economic Affairs. He was
>listed by Internet magazine as one of the top 40 most influential
figures in
>the Internet industry. He is Head of Business and Multimedia Computing at
>London's Brunel University where he works under his given name of Chris
>Evans.
>
>Declan McCullagh is the chief Washington correspondent for Wired News and
>lives and works in Washington DC. Until October 1998, McCullagh was a
>reporter for Time Digital Daily and Time Magazine, and continues to
>contribute to Time Magazine on a freelance basis. An award-winning
>journalist, his articles have appeared in publications from Playboy
magazine
>to the Los Angeles Times.
>
>Jonathan Wallace is author of 'Sex, Laws and Cyberspace' and publishes 'The
>Ethical Spectacle'. He lives in New York.
>
>Mark Newman is editor of the UK's fastest growing Net magazine: Practical
>Internet.
>
>6. About the winners
>
>*Internet Article of shame. For a news report, feature or opinion piece
>distinguished by misrepresentation, bias or invention of inflated dangers
>about the Internet.
>
>"Cyber-stress panic strikes"
>Robin McKie
>The Observer
>July 4, 1999
>http://www.newsunlimited.co.uk/Print/0,3858,3880480,00.html
>
>
>*Internet Investigation of the Year. For a news story or feature revealing
>attempts to regulate the Net.
>
>"AOL, others plan global Net content rating system"
>Courtney Macavinta
>CNET
>September 2, 1999
>http://www.news.com/News/Item/0,4,41248,00.html
>
>
>*The Fair Reporting News Agency of the Year. To a news organisation for
>consistently high standards in writing about the Net.
>
>Salon.
>http://www.salon.com/
>
>
>*Internet Journalist of the Year. To a journalist for consistently high
>standards in writing about the Net.
>
>Keith Dawson
>http://www.tbtf.com/
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