Sightline Media Group Celebrates Multiple Finalist Nominations in Prestigious Journalism Awards

Arlington, VA., May 24, 2024  — Sightline Media Group is proud to announce that several of our talented journalists have been named finalists in various categories for the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Awards and the Aerospace Media Awards (AMA).

Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Awards Finalists:

Bryant Harris, Jen Judson, and Noah Robertson have been recognized in the Breaking News Category as finalists for their outstanding coverage of the U.S. agreement to send two Iron Dome batteries to Israel to bolster its air defense amid ongoing attacks from Hamas.

• Story: “US agrees to send two Iron Dome batteries to Israel “ – https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2023/10/24/us-agrees-to-send-two-iron-dome-batteries-to-israel

In the Series Category, Bryant Harris and Megan Eckstein have been named finalists for their in-depth series on AUKUS and how the U.S. Navy is investing billions to stabilize its submarine supply chain, while the U.S., U.K., and Australia are working towards early milestones in the AUKUS pact to ensure a 20-year plan for deploying nuclear-powered submarines stays on track. This was a three part series:

• Part 1: “The U.S. Navy Is Spending Billions to Stabilize Vendors: Will It Work? – https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2023/09/08/the-us-navy-is-spending-billions-to-stabilize-vendors-will-it-work/
• Part 2: “Allies Target Early AUKUS Milestones to Keep 20-Year Plan on Track – https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2023/09/07/allies-target-early-aukus-milestones-to-keep-20-year-plan-on-track/
• Part 3: “AUKUS Standoff: Australia, UK Wait on Congress to Approve Pact – https://www.defensenews.com/congress/2023/09/05/aukus-standoff-australia-uk-wait-on-congress-to-approve-pact/

In the Newsletter/Trade Publication Investigative Category, Leo Shane is a finalist for his investigative piece about Wreaths Across America and Irene Loewenson and Geoff Ziezulewicz are finalists for their insightful investigation on how the U.S. military’s new medical records system, Military Health System Genesis, has significantly slowed down the recruitment process.

• Leo’s Story: “$30M Military Wreath Charity Buys Solely from its Founders’ Farm” – https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2023/12/13/30m-military-wreath-charity-buys-solely-from-its-founders-farm/
• Irene and Geoff’s Story: “The ‘Genesis’ of Today’s Recruiting Crisis – https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2023/04/10/the-genesis-of-todays-recruiting-crisis/

Todd South is a finalist in the Newsletter Features Category for his compelling feature about the soldiers of 3rd Platoon, known as the “Forgotten Bastards,” and how they displayed extraordinary bravery during the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu, but have yet to receive proper recognition for their heroism.

• Story: “Forgotten Bastards: Battle of Mogadishu’s Unsung Heroes Await Honors” – https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-army/2023/11/06/forgotten-bastards-battle-of-mogadishus-unsung-heroes-await-honors/

Aerospace Media Awards (AMA) Finalists:

Noah Robertson has been recognized as a finalist in the Unmanned Category for his exceptional piece on the Pentagon’s ambitious drone program and how it faces significant challenges related to funding, production, and bureaucratic hurdles.

• Story: “Replicator: An Inside Look at the Pentagon’s Ambitious Drone Program” – https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon/2023/12/19/replicator-an-inside-look-at-the-pentagons-ambitious-drone-program/

Sightline Media Group is also being names a finalist for our comprehensive multimedia package on the B-52 bombers, exploring the history, current operations, and the challenges of maintaining its service life for up to 100 years. This multimedia package of stories includes:

• Video: “Can the Air Force Keep B-52 Bombers in Service for 100 Years?” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BaeecIBKB0
• Video: “What You Need to Know Before Going on a Bombing Run in a B-52” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmBiwtxP9Ts
• Video: “Ride Along for a Simulated Bombing Run in a B-52 Stratofortress” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YYs-86iDc4
• Podcast: “Early Bird Brief: How the Air Force is Prepping to Fly Century-Old Bombers” – https://defensenewsebb.podbean.com/e/how-the-air-force-is-prepping-to-fly-century-old-bombers/
• Podcast: “Early Bird Brief: Lessons and Mistakes on a B-52 Bomber Training Flight” – https://defensenewsebb.podbean.com/e/lessons-and-mistakes-on-a-b-52-bomber-training-flight/

Additionally, Rachel Cohen’s insightful piece, “Inside the Air Force’s Massive Mobility War Game in the Pacific,” was nominated in the Military Aviation Category and her thorough investigation “After tragedy, US Air Force probes English training for foreign pilots,” was also nominated in the Safety/Training Category.

The nominations and finalists selected from across Sightline Media Group highlight the dedication and excellence of our journalists in providing in-depth, accurate, and timely reporting on critical military, defense, and aerospace issues. We are honored to have our team’s hard work recognized with such prestigious programs.

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About Sightline Media Group:

Sightline Media Group is an independent news organization covering military, defense, public sector, federal technology, C4ISR and cyber defense. Its publications include Defense News, Military Times, Army Times, Marine Corps Times, Navy Times, Air Force Times, Federal Times, and C4ISRNET. Headquartered in Arlington VA with journalists around the globe, our mission is to provide unparalleled coverage and analysis of the government, defense and military sectors, enabling our readers to stay informed. We understand the critical importance of accurate and reliable reporting, and our award-winning newsroom has established itself as a trusted source of information – the leading voice in the industry. For more information, visit sightlinemediagroup.com

For more information, please contact:

Stephanie Gildea
VP, Marketing
Sightline Media Group 
sgildea@mco.com