The creation of the Bart Richards Award for Media Criticism was announced at a ceremony at The National Press Club in Washington, D.C., on October 27, 1994. The award recognizes distinguished contributions to the improvement of print and broadcast journalism through responsible analysis or critical evaluation. The award is one of the few in the country to take a hard look at the media and the job being done by publishers, editors, and reporters.
The Bart Richards Award for Media Criticism honors work that evaluates news media coverage of significant subjects or issues. The award is intended to recognize constructively critical articles, books, and electronic media reports; academic and other research; and reports by media ombudsmen and journalism watchdog groups. Entrants are judged by professionals from journalism and journalism education. The winner receives $1,000 and is expected to attend the award ceremony and to talk on the subject for which he or she is being honored.
