Journal Sentinel recognized by National Headliner Awards

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Updated ·2 min read

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has been recognized with eight awards, including one first place, in the National Headliner Awards competition.

“We are exceptionally proud of the work of our team,” said Executive Editor Greg Borowski. “Our Headliner winners show the range of our work across departments, always with a focus on our audience and the community we serve.”

The first place award was for the series "Behind the Gun," which looked the full extent of gun deaths in Wisconsin. It conducted a first-of-its-kind effort to obtain gun death data from every county, talked to dozens of gun owners about their experiences with firearms, and conducted the most in-depth survey of gun owners in Wisconsin to date.

For Journal Sentinel reporter John Diedrich, a project on gun deaths in Wisconsin started with two goals: Could we get the data and would gun owners talk to us?
For Journal Sentinel reporter John Diedrich, a project on gun deaths in Wisconsin started with two goals: Could we get the data and would gun owners talk to us?

The series was reported by John Diedrich and Andrew Hahn. It won first place for public service journalism not in a top 20 media market.

Judges noted, "Remarkable facts included were that 75 percent of all gun deaths in Wisconsin are suicides and that Wisconsin's suicide rate is 12 percent higher than the national average. This package was thorough, insightful and well put together. Excellent work."

The Headliner Awards, one of the nation's oldest journalism contests, are organized by the Press Club of Atlantic City.

Other Journal Sentinel recognitions include:

Second place for business news for "Milwaukee's Hidden Landlords" by Cary Spivak and Genevieve Redsten.

Second place for education writing for higher education reporter Kelly Meyerhofer.

Second place for environmental writing not in a top 20 media market for "Ancestral Knowledge" from Caitlin Looby, Madeline Heim and Frank Vaisvilas.

Felicia Owens, left, mother of new Milwaukee Police Officer Darell Owens, pins his badge on him during the police officer graduation at the Milwaukee Safety Academy in 2023. Owens was among 51 new officers who graduated.
Felicia Owens, left, mother of new Milwaukee Police Officer Darell Owens, pins his badge on him during the police officer graduation at the Milwaukee Safety Academy in 2023. Owens was among 51 new officers who graduated.

Second place for staff photography, and third place for a portrait from Angela Peterson.

Third place to the staff for coverage of the Wisconsin Supreme Court race.

And third place for a narrative podcast focused on a single incident for "Unsolved: A Missing Girl, a Search for Truth" from Gina Barton of USA Today and Ashley Luthern and Bill Schulz of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel journalism awards for 2023