INDIANAPOLIS, May 14, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- A Minneapolis
television station and a Kentucky
newspaper will receive American Legion Fourth Estate Awards during
the 105th National Convention of the nation's largest
veterans organization in New
Orleans on August 29.
The Fourth Estate Award has been presented annually by The
American Legion since 1958 for outstanding achievement in the field
of journalism. Nominations in 2024 were considered in broadcast and
print categories. They were selected by the organization's Media
& Communications Commission during its meeting in Indianapolis last week.
Taking top honor in the broadcast category is KARE. In its
series, "Broken Promises," the NBC affiliate examined the high rate
of denials veterans received when applying for benefits after
examinations from one particular neurologist at the VA Medical
Center in Tomah, Wisc.
Investigative reporter A.J. Lagoe exposed a system in which
649 claims denied by Dr. Mary Jo
Lanska were later reversed. Some of the claims included
veterans diagnosed with serious illnesses such as Multiple
Sclerosis and Parkinson's Disease. The denials led to an apology to
the veterans by Secretary of Veteran Affairs Denis McDonough.
Lanska was also removed as an examiner. KARE and Lagoe were
previously recognized with a Fourth Estate Award in 2018.
The Courier Journal of Louisville, Ky. is being recognized
for its 2023 series "Safer Sidelines, which explored the many ways
high schools, athletic associations and lawmakers have failed to
prepare for worst-case scenarios of sudden deaths on athletic
fields. Lead reporter Stephanie
Kuzydym built a searchable "deadly games" database, which
includes more than 100 years of such incidents.
"I am looking forward to presenting KARE and the Courier Journal
with their well-deserved Fourth Estate Awards,' said Daniel J. Seehafer, national commander of The
American Legion. "The American Legion is extremely appreciative of
the importance of a free and independent media. As veterans, we
defended the freedoms guaranteed by our nation's Constitution. Our
Fourth Estate winners represent the best in their field. These
award winners are being recognized for outstanding works of
journalism that not only stand far above normal media reporting but
have had a positive impact on society."
Previous winners of the award include CNN, CBS, USA Today, ABC News, C-SPAN, the Milwaukee
Journal Sentinel, and Life Magazine, among others.
About The American Legion. The American Legion is
dedicated to the motto of "Veterans Strengthening America" and
calls on all Americans to "Be the One" to stop veteran suicide.
Chartered by Congress in 1919, The American Legion is committed to
mentoring youth and sponsoring wholesome community programs,
advocating patriotism and honor, promoting a strong national
security and continued devotion to servicemembers and veterans.
Legionnaires in more than 12,000 posts across the nation and
regions overseas serve their communities with a devotion to mutual
helpfulness.
Contact: John
Raughter
jraughter@legion.org
317-630-1298
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SOURCE The American Legion