Spotlight PA named a finalist for 2 national online journalism awards

Spotlight PA is an independent, non-partisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLIVE/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free weekly newsletter.

HARRISBURG — The Online News Association has named Spotlight PA — an independent, nonpartisan newsroom dedicated to covering Pennsylvania state government and urgent statewide issues — a finalist for two national awards honoring excellence in digital journalism.

“Big Spending, Little Accountability,” an investigative series published in October in partnership with The Caucus, was named a finalist for the Al Neuharth Innovation in Investigative Journalism Award. The year-long investigation found Pennsylvania lawmakers, operating under some of the weakest campaign finance laws in the country, obscured nearly $3.5 million in campaign spending from 2016 through 2018.

Spotlight PA was also named a finalist for General Excellence in Online Journalism for small newsrooms. Since launching in September 2019, Spotlight PA has become the largest statewide news organization in Pennsylvania committed to accountability and investigative journalism. The newsroom recently joined forces with PA Post, a project of WITF Public Media, to further expand its coverage across the state.

As part of its uniquely innovative and collaborative model, Spotlight PA now provides all of its journalism free of charge to 51 newsroom partners across Pennsylvania, ensuring communities in all corners of the state have access to the information they need to hold their elected officials to account, make informed decisions at the polls, and stay up to date on the latest data and trends related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Our investigative reporting relies on the support of our readers, with every dollar donated going straight back into our 100% essential journalism. Join us in celebrating these awards and marking our first birthday by making a tax-deductible donation today at spotlightpa.org/donate.

The winners of the Online Journalism Awards will be announced during the first two weeks of October.

Christopher Baxter is the editor in chief of Spotlight PA.

100% ESSENTIAL: Spotlight PA relies on funding from foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results. If you value this reporting, please give a gift today at spotlightpa.org/donate.