For Immediate Release
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CONTACT: Jason Westphal
State Bar of Wisconsin
(800) 444-9404, ext. 6077
jwestphal@wisbar.org |
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Appleton, Janesville reporters receive Golden Gavel Awards
MADISON, February 5, 2003 - The State Bar of
Wisconsin would like to congratulate Dan Wilson of The Post-Crescent
(Appleton) and Sid Schwartz of The Janesville Gazette for winning 2002
Golden Gavel Awards.
The Wisconsin Gavel Awards competition was established in 1985 as an
annual event to recognize outstanding public service messages by
newspapers, television/radio stations and other media outlets. Atty.
Kelly Centofanti, chair of the Bar's Media-Law Relations Committee, will
honor the winning journalists during a noon luncheon on February 7 at
the Marriott West in Madison. The awards presentation is being held in
conjunction with the Wisconsin Newspaper Association's Annual
Convention.
Wilson was selected by the judging panel for his column entitled
"Inmate Calls Shackle Families." A review by The Post-Crescent
discovered that Outagamie and other county jails in northeastern
Wisconsin, as well as the state prison system, sign exclusive agreements
with vendors to provide inmate phone service. This piece describes how
high priced phone service hampers an inmate's ability to secure legal
counsel and maintain contact with family members.
Schwartz's winning entry, "Jury Trials Dropping Steadily," analyzed
95 criminal jury trials in Rock County between 1998 and 2001. This
series of articles not only indicated that the number of trials
consistently decreased over that period of time, but revealed that cases
handled by staff attorneys in the public defender's office were
significantly less likely to end in a trial than those handled by
private attorneys appointed by the public defender's office.
All entries in the broadcast category (television, radio and
internet) must be received by March 3. Winners will be honored during
the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association's Summer Conference in June.
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