Chicago, IL (April 14, 2009) – ChicagoTalks, an independent online news source featuring the work of Columbia College Chicago journalism students has won a national Sigma Delta Chi Award for online investigative reporting for a May, 2008 story by Columbia students Erica Christoffer and Becky Schlikerman. The story, an in-depth expose of questionable recordkeeping by the Chicago City Council, was co-published by the online Beachwood Reporter.
The award will be given in late August at the national conference of the Society of Professional Journalists, the nation’s largest journalism group.
Also receiving awards this year at the SPJ event are the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Washington Post, National Public Radio, CBS News / 60 Minutes and a host of other print, online and broadcast news outlets.
ChicagoTalks is co-published by journalism department faculty members Suzanne McBride and Barbara K. Iverson. The team launched the site two years ago with a grant from J-Lab: The Institute of Interactive Journalism. ChicagoTalks has published more than 400 stories, including an earlier investigation that won a national ward from Investigative Reporters and Editors.
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