Fifth Annual Nancy Dickerson Whitehead Awards for Excellence in Reporting on Drug and Alcohol Problems

4/28/2003

From: Gretchen Wright or Annette Rodenas, 202-371-1999, both for Drug Strategies

WASHINGTON, April 28 -- Drug Strategies, a national nonprofit research institute, is now accepting submissions for the fifth annual Nancy Dickerson Whitehead Awards for excellence in reporting on drug and alcohol abuse.

The award is given in two categories: print and broadcast (radio or television). Ten thousand dollars will be awarded in each category. Entries for the year 2003 awards must consist of a single article or broadcast or a series of related articles or broadcasts published or aired between April 1, 2002 and June 1, 2003. Winners will be notified in October 2003 and will be honored at an awards luncheon in New York in Fall 2003.

In 2002, the winners were: National Public Radio's Justice Talking for "Directing America's Drug War: Which Way to a Safer Society?"; Laurence Hammack of the Roanoke Times for "Oxycontin: When a Painkiller Kills"; Times Union for "Getting Loaded, Wasting Lives" and "Last Call," a special section for college students urging them to drink responsibly; and One Voice: Media United Against Drugs (KMTR-TV, KVAL-TV, KLSR-TV and KEVU-TV) for "Connecting with Kids: What You Need to Know." Previous years' winners include: Martin Smith and Lowell Bergman, Frontline; The McClatchy Company; The Spokane Spokesman-Review;" Ted Koppel, ABC Nightline; Barbara Ferry and Abel Uribe, The Santa Fe New Mexican; Eric Newhouse, Great Falls Tribune; Timothy Egan, The New York Times; Matthew Schofield, Kansas City Star; Carol Marin, Don Moseley and Susan Evans, WBBM-TV; and Allison Zigich, Jefferson Public Radio.

The Awards honor Nancy Dickerson Whitehead's efforts to improve media coverage of drug issues. During her long and distinguished career as a broadcast journalist, she reported on many critical social concerns, including the nation's problems with drug and alcohol abuse. Whitehead was a distinguished broadcast journalist and an active member of the Board of Directors of Drug Strategies.

Drug Strategies is a nonprofit research institute promoting more effective approaches to the nation's drug problems through treatment, prevention, education, law enforcement and community coalitions. It is supported by major grants from national foundations including the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

NOTE: For information and applications, contact Gretchen Wright or Annette Rodenas at 202-371-1999, email prsolutions@prsolutionsdc.com or visit http://www.drugstrategies.org.