Barlett and Steele Awards to offer regional/local and under 30 categories

The Barlett and Steele Awards, named in honor of renowned investigative business journalists Donald L. Barlett and James B. Steele, are being expanded this year! The awards will now have two categories: one for news organizations with a national or global audience and one for publications with a regional or local focus. Additionally, a new award will be given to an Outstanding Young Journalist that will recognize the work of a journalist under 30 years of age who demonstrates outstanding ability in investigative business reporting.

Award Categories

Best in Investigative Journalism – National publications

News organizations with a national or global audience and/or a newsroom with more than 100 editorial staff.

Gold – $3,000
Silver – $2,000
Bronze – $1,000

Best in Investigative Journalism – Regional publications

Organizations with a regional or local focus and/or a newsroom with 100 or fewer journalists.

Gold – $3,000
Silver – $2,000
Bronze – $1,000

Outstanding Young Journalist

A journalist under 30 years of age who demonstrates outstanding ability in investigative business reporting.

$3,000

Requirements for entry:

Entries will be accepted between June 1st, 2022 and July 31st, 2022 for articles originally published or broadcast between July 1st, 2021 and June 30th, 2022. Applications will be accepted only online and from editors or the contest coordinator designated by your news organization. Entries from freelance journalists are welcome but must be accompanied by a letter from an editor or director.

There are no entry fees for the 2022 Barlett and Steele Awards.

Entries must include:

Either active links or PDFs of published work. Any links behind paywalls must include instructions on how they can be accessed by judges.
No more than three works of journalism (articles, videos, podcasts, etc.). Videos and podcasts should be no longer than 20 minutes each. All materials must be in English, or have an English-language translation.
Nomination letter that addresses any obstacles encountered in reporting, any reforms or impact as a result of publication, and any corrections or challenges to accuracy. For the Young Journalist Award, the nomination should include relevant biographical details of the nominee.
Contact information for the editor or director submitting the entry.

Submissions will open June 1. For more information, go here.

Chris Roush

Chris Roush was the dean of the School of Communications at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. He was previously Walter E. Hussman Sr. Distinguished Professor in business journalism at UNC-Chapel Hill. He is a former business journalist for Bloomberg News, Businessweek, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Tampa Tribune and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. He is the author of the leading business reporting textbook "Show me the Money: Writing Business and Economics Stories for Mass Communication" and "Thinking Things Over," a biography of former Wall Street Journal editor Vermont Royster.