For the fifth consecutive year, the Stefan Batory Foundation has run its anti-corruption reporting competition for Polish journalists, entitltled "Only Fish Take the Bait," and Amb. Ashe participated in this year's awards ceremony at the Foundation's headquarters in Warsaw on December 7.
At the presentation, Ambassador Ashe, recalling his days as Mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee, said that a free, democratic society needs a press that can look into all public documents. "Investigative journalism contributes to more honest and open government," the Ambassador said. "The press is often referred to as the fourth branch of government in the United States."
Editors of national, regional and local papers, as well as state-owned and commercial TV and radio stations, sent in their best investigative stories (or documentary footage) dealing with corruption in Poland.
This year, the Foundation received 162 pieces from 15 press editorial sections, 8 radio and 3 TV stations.
The American Embassy, as it has in the past, helped the Foundation fund the competition, and one of the Public Affairs staff sat on the jury judging the competition.
This year's winners are:
1st Prize (PLN 11000)
Marek Kęskrawiec of Newsweek Poland and Aleksandra Tudyka of TVN for a series of articles titled "Dead Souls" and a series of reports titled "Community Health Centers"
2nd Prize (PLN 6500)
Bertold Kittel of Rzeczpospolita for a series of articles titled "Secret Bank Accounts for Former Heads of PZU"
3rd Prize (PLN 5500)
Jarosław Jabrzyk of TVN for two reports "General Attorney"
4th Prize (PLN 4500)
Ewa Szkurłat-Adamska of Krakow Malopolska Radio for a broadcast titled "In the Magic Circle." This award was funded by the Country Support Fund
Special Prize (PLN 5500)
Tomasz Prusek of Gazeta Wyborcza for an article titled "I Write About the Stock Exchange So I Don't Play"
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