The association, which recognizes major media, international and independent sites for excellence in digital journalism, announced its 2024 Online Journalism Awards on Friday.
As up to 9 inches of rain caused catastrophic flooding throughout Vermont last summer, VTDigger’s reporters traveled hundreds of miles to document the damage in major cities and isolated mountain towns.
The entire staff worked quickly to publish lifesaving information before, during and after the disaster.
In the first week alone, the news organization’s 15 reporters, seven editors and one photographer produced 116 stories, with reporters filing from 30 different towns and cities. By the end of the first month, the number of flood-related stories had risen to 214.
VTDigger’s coverage followed the storm’s impacts on individuals, small business owners, farmers and municipalities, providing critical health, safety and financial information to those rebuilding their lives and livelihoods.
The news organization also examined efforts to ensure the safety of low-income Vermonters, isolated rural residents, unhoused people, manufactured home residents and multilingual communities. And it stepped back to tackle big-picture questions, such as the role of climate change, and how Vermont’s development patterns and topography have made the state vulnerable to natural disaster.
Residents on Second Street evacuate their apartment building in Barre on Wednesday, July 12, 2023. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDigger
“This award is a testament to the dedication and professionalism of our entire team at VTDigger, who excelled in providing accurate, timely, and impactful reporting during one of the most challenging times our state has faced,” VTDigger CEO Sky Barsch said.
“Our mission has always been to serve the people of Vermont, and this achievement underscores the vital role that nonprofit journalism plays in keeping our communities informed and connected,” Barsch continued. “I’d also like to thank our donors who make it possible for VTDigger to do this critical work.”
“I am so proud of our team,” said Deputy Managing Editor Alicia Freese. “The newsroom showed incredible commitment to capturing how this storm affected Vermonters, and it’s exciting to see that recognized. Staff worked tirelessly throughout the flooding and its aftermath — and have continued to do so as other natural disasters have struck Vermont.”
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