mikemcguff.com: KHOU 11 does it again

KHOU 11 in Houston just won the prestigious IRE Medal award. That's as high as it gets in this contest:

Under Fire: Discrimination & Corruption in the Texas National Guard — KHOU-Houston; Mark Greenblatt, David Raziq, Keith Tomshe, Chris Henao, Robyn Hughes, Keith Connors
- Judges' comments: No system can be more impenetrable for a team of reporters than the military "old boys" network, but that's exactly what reporter Mark Greenblatt and producers David Raziq and Chris Henao took on when they followed up on a tip to check out the "Vagisil Award" being given to women in the Texas National Guard. From that one tip, the team – which also included photographer/editor Keith Tomshe and graphic artist Robyn Hughes – found a system of misogynistic actions that went beyond humiliation. In some cases, female officers were being disciplined or even discharged despite exemplary service records. Data and documents gathered by the team showed a systematic refusal to consider women for top posts, and swift punishment for any who complained about the male power structure. In the end, this two-year investigation resulted in the Texas governor firing three top generals in the Texas National Guard and the state legislature changing the way it oversees Texas Guard operations.

- FINALISTS:
- 33 Minutes to 34 Right — KMGH-Denver; Jeff Harris, Tony Kovaleski, Tom Burke, Arthur Kane, Jason Foster
- Beyond the Verdict — KMSP-Minneapolis; Jeff Baillon, Brad Swagger, Eric Gedrose, Spencer Driskill
- Deporting Justice — WFAA-Dallas; David Schechter, Mark Smith, Kraig Kirchem
- Safety for Sale — WFAA-Dallas; Byron Harris, Mark Smith, Sasha Gurevich, Kraig Kirchem, Billy Bryant, Greg Johnson