Combo of deep beat knowledge and investigative know-how power investigation into medical misconduct

In this special edition of “How They Did It,” Ananya Bhargava interviews Chicago Tribune reporters Lisa Schencker and Emily Hoerner about their recent award-winning investigative series “Medical Misconduct.” The two reporters demonstrate the great investigative work that can be done when an investigative reporter teams up with a beat reporter to dive deeper into their realm of expertise. Schencker, a reporter covering the business of healthcare, spent many years reporting on allegations of abuse by a single doctor but felt there was still more to the story. With the assistance of Hoerner, a long-time investigative reporter, the two reporters were able to uncover repeated mishandling of sexual abuse allegations within multiple well-known Illinois health systems. In this episode, the reporters discuss how they got started on the investigation, the obstacles they faced, and what surprised them most about the process.
Their series won the 2024 Silver prize in the Barlett and Steele Awards Regional/Local category. Visit the Chicago Tribune to read their investigation or businessjournalism.org/awards to view all the 2024 winners.

Social Security overpayment clawbacks spur award-winning investigation – and outrage

In this special edition of We Mean Business, Ananya Bhargava interviews Jodie Fleischer, the managing editor of investigative content and collaboration for Cox Media Group. She is a member of the 2024 Barlett and Steele Gold Award-winning team in the Regional/Local Category. Their investigative series, “Overpayment Outrage,” is a collaboration of eight local TV news stations across seven states. With the assistance of KFF Health News, the team helped uncover the immense toll Social Security repayment demands have on some of the nation’s most vulnerable families. Fleischer discusses the behind-the-scenes of this investigation, including how it began and what it took to make the collaboration happen.
 
Visit KFF Health News to read their written investigative work or businessjournalism.org/awards to view all the 2024 winners.

Cultivating a document state of mind: Tips in investigative journalism with Jim Steele

Jeffrey Timmermans, Director of the Reynolds Center, sits down for an interview with award-winning journalist James B. Steele, half of the namesake for the Barlett and Steele Awards. Steele shares how he got started in business journalism, how his long-term partnership with Donald Barlett began, and the value of having a "document state of mind." He also gives young journalists tips on how to find and write award-winning investigative stories.

Bloomberg reporters gain answers to Cerebal Inc.’s ’Questionable Practices’

Janaé Bradford interviews Bloomberg reporters Caleb Melby and Polly Mosendz, two members of the bronze award-winning team for their investigation 'Questionable Practices.' Their investigation brings the first important revelations about the largest medical mental-health startup, Cerebral, and its effort to bring telemedicine techniques to mental healthcare.
Bloomberg reporters found a lack of delicate consideration assessment from the million-dollar business when prescribing medication to their patients. Listen to what the reporters had to say about what it took to make this investigation happen.

Behind the 2016 Barlett & Steele Bronze Prize Winner, Oxycontin’s 12-hour Problem

Los Angeles Times Reporter Harriet Ryan and Editor Matt Lait, now of CNN, spoke with Jenna Miller of the Reynolds Center to discuss their work with the award-winning Oxycontin's 12-hour Problem investigation. This project took home the Bronze Award at the 2016 Barlett and Steele Awards for Investigative Journalism.

Behind the 2016 Barlett & Steele Silver Prize Winner, Testing Theranos

Christopher Weaver of the Wall Street Journal talked with Jenna Miller of the Reynolds Center to discuss his work with the award winning Testing Theranos investigation. This project took home the Silver Award at the 2016 Barlett and Steele Awards for Investigative Journalism.

Behind the 2016 Barlett & Steele Awards Gold Prize Winning Investigation

Bastian Obermayer of the Munich based paper Süddeutsche Zeitung and Gerard Ryle, Director of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, talked with Jenna Miller of the Reynolds Center to discuss their work with the award winning Panama Papers. Their organizations, along with more than 100 other media partners, took home the Gold Award at the 2016 Barlett and Steele Awards for Investigative Journalism.

Inside the award-winning investigation “Fish Slavery”

In this episode, hosted by Megan Calcote, Katherine Fitzgerald and Eddie Keller interview Robin McDowell and Martha Mendoza of the Associated Press about their 2015 Barlett and Steele Gold award-winning investigation “Fish Slavery.” McDowell and Mendoza explain what sparked this investigation, some of the decisions they had to make to protect their sources before publication, and what it took to conduct award-winning work.

Behind the award-winning investigation "Unchecked Care"

In this episode, Katherine Fitzgerlad and Eddie Keller interview Christopher Serres and Glenn Howatt of the Minneapolis Star Tribune about their award-winning investigation “Unchecked Care.” Their investigation exposed issues in the home care industry, including inadequate care, inadequate training for aides, and aggressive sales tactics by for-profit franchises. Serres and Keller give advice to new reporters on working with data and where to get started.
“Unchecked Care” won the Silver Award in the 2015 Barlett and Steele Awards for Investigative Business Journalism. Megan Calcote is the host of the How to Cover Money series. Check out the full four-part series:
Sick, frail and abandoned by home care firms
Care aides get little to no training for life-and-death tasks
The marketing of home care shifts into high gear
Minnesota falters in fight against home care fraud

Inside the award-winning investigation, Dying for Care

In this episode, host Megan Calcote shares a conversation Katherine Fitzgerald and Eddie Keller had with Pat Beall of The Palm Beach Post. Her award-winning investigation, Dying for Care, won the 2015 Bronze Award in the Barlett and Steele Awards for the best in investigative business journalism. Beall shares some of her advice for young journalists, what sparked this investigation, and why she enjoys her work.