Barlett & Steele Award Recipients

The winners of the Barlett & Steele Awards demonstrate time and time again the importance of investigative business journalism in exposing corporate wrongdoing and protecting the vulnerable. Winning entries are chosen not only for their journalistic merit but the impact that ripples out from the publication of the investigation. All of these investigations have led to significant change, with many seeing legislative reforms, federal investigations, or major changes in business practices that ultimately benefit the lives of everyday people. 

An investigation into a business, especially private for-profit corporations, often comes with major hurdles, including tight-lipped employees, a lack of available data, legal barriers, and working with limited resources. These hurdles force journalists to get creative in their methods and the solutions they come up with show the sheer determination and willpower they possess to tell the stories we don’t know, but should.

All of these winning journalists and publications continue the long-standing legacy of Don Barlett and Jim Steele.

View the annual winners or filter through individual winners below.

Best in Investigative Business

2010
Honorable Mention

Best in Investigative Business

2010
Honorable Mention

Inside the Health-Care Crucible: Reports from a Hospital in a Time of Upheaval

By: Michael Vitez

Publication: Philadelphia Inquirer

Best in Investigative Business

2010
Honorable Mention

The Credit Trap

By: Kathy Chu

Publication: USA Today

Best in Investigative Business

2009
Gold
An eight-month investigation found the Florida agency in charge of regulating mortgage professionals broke down at every level, allowing thousands of people with criminal records to get licenses — many who went on to steal millions from borrowers and banks. The newspaper also found the agency failed to discipline crooked brokers and monitor scam operations, leaving consumers to fend for themselves.

Best in Investigative Business

2009
Silver

Best in Investigative Business

2008
Gold

Best in Investigative Business

2008
Silver

Best in Investigative Business

2007
Gold
Pulitzer Prize Recipient

Best in Investigative Business

2007
Silver

About Donald Barlett & James Steele

Donald Barlett and James Steele worked together for more than four decades, first at The Philadelphia Inquirer (1971-1997), where they won two Pulitzer Prizes and scores of other national journalism awards, then at Time magazine (1997-2006), where they earned two National Magazine Awards, becoming the first journalists in history to win both the Pulitzer and its magazine equivalent, and most recently were contributing editors at Vanity Fair (2006-2017).

The Washington Journalism Review said of Barlett and Steele: “They are almost certainly the best team in the history of investigative reporting.”

Two men dressed in nice suits stand for a portrait
Image from barlettandsteele.com

Years

Categories

Place

Search

Get Two Minute Tips For Business Journalism Delivered To Your Email Every Tuesday

Two Minute Tips

Every Tuesday we send out a quick-read email with tips for business journalism. Sign up now and get one Tuesday.