Second annual media award competitionANN ARBOR—The University of Michigan Institute for Research on Women and Gender (IRWG) announces its 2001 Media Award for Excellence in Coverage of Women and Gender. Submissions will be accepted for print and electronic (radio/television/on-line) media. Up to two prizes
“We are grateful to U-M Prof. Susan J. Douglas and the distinguished panel of judges she has assembled for creating a new standard for our expectations of media coverage of issues affecting women and gender,” says Abigail J. Stewart, IRWG director, the Agnes Inglis Collegiate Professor of Psychology in the U-M College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, and professor of women’s studies. “The outstanding examples of work by our 2000 awardees demonstrate that this quality of journalism is already being produced. Not only are we delighted to acknowledge their important contributions, but we hope that other journalists will use their work as models for their own.”

Last year’s awardees were freelance writer Betty Rogers and Chicago Tribune reporter Judy Peres. Rogers won the award for her feature-length magazine article, “Bitter Harvest,” published in Ms. magazine. Peres was selected for her series of reports on the partial-birth abortion controversy in the Chicago Tribune.

Submissions for the 2001 awards should meet at least one of the following criteria: coverage of neglected, underrepresented issues of concern to women; that appreciates and emphasizes the gender aspects of a particular issue or event; that challenges gender-based stereotypes, including stereotypes about feminism and feminist politics; that brings a fresh, feminist perspective to familiar stories; that offers excellent coverage of academic research on gender.

In the print category, submissions should be a substantive article of at least 1,500 words. Submissions are restricted to stories printed or aired in 2000. Copyrighted submissions must include the author’s permission for the Institute to duplicate the submission solely for the purpose of judging it. The deadline for submission is
Nominees should send photocopies and/or tear sheets or videotapes to: Media Awards Selection Committee, Institute for Research on Women and Gender, U-M, 1136 Lane Hall, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1290.

Institute for Research on Women and GenderSusan J. DouglasBitter Harvest