DETROIT PRESS CLUB FOUNDATION
2008 INTERNATIONAL WHEEL AWARDS
WINNERS with Judges' Comments
THE COMPETITION
The International Wheel Awards honor the best in coverage of the automotive industry.
The competition was established by the 42-year-old Detroit Press Club Foundation, in line with its
charter to reward and encourage excellence in journalism.
Cash prizes and trophies, including a separate Golden Wheel award, are presented to the print,
broadcast, news service and Internet journalists whose work is judged the best among all entries.
JUDGING
Entries were judged by the Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University under the
leadership of Senior Associate Dean Richard Roth.
Judging was based on journalistic enterprise, value and pertinence to the reader, viewer or listener.
In each category, judges designated first-, second-, and third-place winners as well as honorable
mentions. There were no winners in some categories, a decision of the judges. Categories without
sufficient entries or without entries of sufficient quality were ruled out.
From among first place winners from all categories, the judges selected a best-of-the-best Golden
Wheel Award winner.
NEWSPAPER
News Story or Subject-Related Series
1ST PLACE: Mike Casey and Rick Montgomery, The Kansas City Star GOLDEN WHEEL AWARD
2ND PLACE: Katie Merx, Tim Higgins, Tom Walsh, Joe Guy Collier, John Gallagher, Jewel
Gopwani, Justin Hyde, Sarah A. Webster, Katherine Yung, Mark Phelan and Susan Tompor, the
Detroit Free Press
3RD PLACE: Christine Tierney and Bill Vlasic, The Detroit News
“Fatal Failures,” published in The Kansas City Star, is an excellent example of what it means to
discover the news. One nugget buried in a database caused these reporters to analyze 1.9 million
records compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and discover that no fewer
than 1,400 people were killed from 2001 to 2006 because the front-seat passenger air bags did not
deploy during front-end crashes. This exhaustive reporting exercise and the clear, compelling writing
that told the story cannot bring back the 1,400 lives lost, but it surely will have saved many lives in the
future. It’s the best of what journalism can be.
Editorial/Column
1ST PLACE: Mark Phelan, the Detroit Free Press
2ND PLACE: Daniel Howes, The Detroit News
3RD PLACE: Tom Walsh, the Detroit Free Press
In “Forget No. 1; go for profit,” Phelan makes a powerful point about the pride some General Motors
people seem to celebrate when sales figures came out and showed the big Detroit automaker once
again sold more vehicles than any of its competitors, especially Toyota. Phelan says in no uncertain
terms that the ailing auto giant should focus on making better cars, not more cars. That’s where its
reputation among the driving public is made; that’s the formula for long-term success. Phelan notes
that No. 2 Toyota made $14 billion in profit last year. Ah, to be No. 2. The author has a clear,
conversational writing style that makes for easy reading and understanding.
Product Review
1ST PLACE: Scott Burgess, The Detroit News
2ND PLACE: Mark Phelan, the Detroit Free Press
3RD PLACE: none awarded
The approach Burgess used in “Va-Va Vroom,” a review of the Audi R8 was clever, compelling and
convincing. His was a love letter to the Audi: “When I first saw your picture from the Paris auto show,
my heart fluttered….” He maintains the voice throughout while giving readers all the technical details
and analysis they would expect in a product review. Newspapers need more inventiveness and voice
like this.
WIRE/NEWS SERVICE
News Story or Subject-Related Series
1ST PLACE: Bill Koenig, Bloomberg News
2ND PLACE: Peter Robison and Jeff Green, Bloomberg News
3RD PLACE: Jeff Green and John Lippert, Bloomberg News
Koenig’s advance story on the UAW negotiations with the Big Three automakers, “UAW Chief Faces
Reuther Legacy, ‘Crashing’ Industry,” is an insightful, well-written analysis of the task that Ron
Gettelfinger was to have ahead of him – “holding one of the weakest hands in the 72-year-old union’
s history.” This was a long, in-depth look at what was to come, and a darned good one.
Editorial/Column
1ST PLACE: Doron Levin, Bloomberg News
“Too Much CAFE Makes Cars Smaller, More Expensive,” a column by Doron Levin takes on the
legislators (and, for that matter, the consumers) who on one hand demand safety features (or
gadgets) that add weight to cars and on the other hand demand cars that use less fuel. A good read
that makes good points.
GENERAL INTEREST MAGAZINE/SPECIAL INTEREST PUBLICATION
News Story or Subject-Related Series
1ST PLACE: Mary Beth Vander Schaaf, Mark Rechtin, Automotive News
2ND PLACE: Barbara McClellan, Byron Pope, James Amend, Christie Schweinsberg and Tom
Murphy, Ward’s Auto World
3RD PLACE: Mary Connelly, Automotive News
“Turning Points: 25 Pivotal Decisions in Toyota’s 50 Years in America” is an impressive Special
Edition package that begins with Eiji Toyoda’s decision to compete on U.S. soil and examines the
impact of that decision on America and particularly on Detroit. A huge undertaking that is uniformly
well-research, well-written and well-done. Remarkable.
Editorial/Column
1ST PLACE: Edward Lapham, Automotive News
2ND PLACE: Edward Lapham, Automotive News
3RD PLACE: Alex Taylor III, Fortune Small Business
Lapham wins for an unsigned editorial titled “New wave of Toyota bashing is unfortunate.” His piece
takes a strong stand against those who bash and blame Toyota for General Motors’ problems,
some even suggesting protectionist legislation as a way to bail out the Big Three. The courageous
conclusion might not make everyone in the magazine’s readership happy, but it had to be said: “GM
must earn its revitalized image the old-fashioned way – by delighting and satisfying customers with
good products, not blaming Toyota for being successful.” An excellent editorial.
Product Review
1ST PLACE: Tony Swan, Car and Driver
2ND PLACE: Frank Markus, Kim Reynolds and Matt Stone, Motor Trend
3RD PLACE: Richard Truett, Automotive News
Swan’s “Patriot Games” is a careful and clever look at the Jeep Patriot Limited 4x4, which he took for
a spin along the trail that Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid traversed. We learned not only about
what Butch and Sundance were doing on the “Outlaw Trail,” but also about how the “Trail Rated”
Jeep performed on a real and rugged trail. Good writing and research made this one the winner.
INTERNET
News Story or Subject-Related Series
1ST PLACE: Eric Mayne, WardsAuto.com
2ND PLACE: James Amend, Eric Mayne, Byron Pope, Christie Schweinsberg and Dave E. Zoia,
WardsAuto.com
3RD PLACE: Christie Schweinsberg, Eric Mayne, Tom Murphy, Byron Pope and Drew Winter,
WardsAuto.com
Before we talk about the winner, we need to say that while we selected these three as the best news
stories published on the Internet, this isn’t Internet storytelling. Virtually every entry in this category
was a long print story that is more suited to a magazine than the World Wide Web. There’s no
multimedia here. You’re not taking advantage of the medium or the research that tells us what
engages people and what inhibits them on the Web. Thousand-word stories and static pictures
aren’t what you want. We would suggest that next year entries be submitted not on paper, but on disk
or by a link. What we did get on disk this time was, unfortunately, not of the news quality of these (an
annual event) and it was too first person. These were substantial news stories, but again not told in
a multimedia/Internet way.
The winner -- an entry titled “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?” – is well-written (all that writing: seven
printed pages of it), interesting and informative. It’s a meaty look at labor negotiations, the risks
associated with the old way of bargaining and walking out on strike, and the cast of characters.
Again, well-reported, well-written and interesting – but even with all of that, we just don’t know that we
would have read it on a computer screen.
Editorial/Column
1ST PLACE: Joseph B. White, The Wall Street Journal online
2ND PLACE: Alex Taylor III, CNN/Money
3RD PLACE: Barbara McClellan, WardsAuto.com
Again, these entries generally don’t use the medium of the Internet except as a printing press. They
are words-only entries, though the winner did use the medium for the original purpose of a footnote:
to get more information. His footnote was a link to that additional information. The winner, White’s
“Eyes on the Road” column titled “The View From Ecotopia,” was a visit to Portland, Ore., to look at
mass transit, automobiles, fuel economy, urban sprawl and the environment. It’s an interesting look
at the lifestyle we may all need to live on this overheated, crowded planet.
Product Reviews
1ST PLACE: Glenn McClanan, Edmund’s Inside Line
2ND PLACE: Chris Walton, Edmund's Inside Line
Now here’s how to use humor to tell a story! “Follow-Up Test: 2007 Dodge Charger Police Package”
is an informative and irreverent look at the Dodge that seeks to unseat the Ford Crown Vic as the car
for cops. The story and accompanying video are written in street language and humor, the sight
gags make you lol (laugh out loud). We loved this piece.
PHOTOJOURNALISM
Open to Newspapers, Wire/News Services, General Interest/
Special Interest Publications and Internet (no subcategories)
1ST PLACE: Jochen Eckel, Bloomberg News
2ND PLACE: Norm Betts, Bloomberg News
3RD PLACE: Daniel Acker, Bloomberg News
An eye-catching, eye-popping view of a "Car Tower" where cars are displayed in Germany. In this
shot, a Volkswagen Tiguan is being lifted and loaded into of the of the towers.
TELEVISION
News Story or Subject-Related Series
1ST PLACE: Yolanda Vazquez, Motorweek/Maryland Public Television
2ND PLACE: Yolanda Vazquez, Motorweek/Maryland Public Television
3RD PLACE: Yolanda Vazquez, Motorweek/Maryland Public Television
OK, so we like Ms Vazquez’s work. The one we liked the best in this news category was a show that
included segments on extended warranties, vehicle leasing and gas-saving tips. These were all
informative and neatly produced for an audience of non-expert consumers. Her second-place entry
was a timely story about people, principally young people, who send and receive text messages
while driving. Her third-place entry was an interesting look at the Automotive Hall of Fame – quite
engaging, interestingly, but it didn’t have the same news value as those we judged to be first and
second.
News Programming/Documentary
1ST PLACE: Karin Annus, Randy Martin, Mike Schneider, Antony Michels, Joe Valenti and Mary
Linnane, Bloomberg Television
A powerful piece of journalism about the human cost of producing ethanol is Brazil, the world’s
leading exporter of ethanol. “Deadly Brew: The Human Toll of Ethanol” is a riveting half-hour look at
the abuse Brazil sugar cane workers suffer at the hands of ethanol mill owners, including being
arrested, beaten and jailed for daring to go on strike at a mill in Mato Grosso. The documentary also
reminds us that when efforts are made to improve the plight of workers in other nations, they are
often replaced by machines or the companies go out of business leaving the workers in an even
worse position: hopeless and desperate poverty
RADIO
News Story or Subject-Related Series
1ST PLACE: “Auto Talks/Auto Strikes” by Jeff Gilbert, WWJ Newsradio 950
The winning entry is a compilation of Gilbert’s work over many summers of covering the United Auto
Workers union negotiations with the Detroit automakers. It’s a comprehensive compilation that
includes not only what was going on inside the negotiating rooms, but also what was going on
outside – include the presence of retired autoworkers there on the sidewalk looking out for
themselves, reminding the union bosses that they should not be forgotten. Really good work, with a
lot of natural sound and solid reporting
News Programming/Documentary
1ST PLACE: “Riding the Wave of Change” by Jeff Gilbert, WWJ Newsradio 950
This was a special hour-long report from the Management Briefing Seminars, a major auto industry
convention held in Traverse City, Mich. Here, Gilbert button-holed one person after another to get
insider insights on such things as some of the new ideas for fuel efficiency, General Motors sales
outside the U.S., the whole GM-vs-Toyota issues, globalization, the changes at Chrysler and, of
course, labor unions. It is an informative and fast-moving program that shows off the reporter’s own
knowledge of the industry and his considerable interviewing skills.
2008 INTERNATIONAL WHEEL AWARDS
WINNERS with Judges' Comments
THE COMPETITION
The International Wheel Awards honor the best in coverage of the automotive industry.
The competition was established by the 42-year-old Detroit Press Club Foundation, in line with its
charter to reward and encourage excellence in journalism.
Cash prizes and trophies, including a separate Golden Wheel award, are presented to the print,
broadcast, news service and Internet journalists whose work is judged the best among all entries.
JUDGING
Entries were judged by the Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University under the
leadership of Senior Associate Dean Richard Roth.
Judging was based on journalistic enterprise, value and pertinence to the reader, viewer or listener.
In each category, judges designated first-, second-, and third-place winners as well as honorable
mentions. There were no winners in some categories, a decision of the judges. Categories without
sufficient entries or without entries of sufficient quality were ruled out.
From among first place winners from all categories, the judges selected a best-of-the-best Golden
Wheel Award winner.
NEWSPAPER
News Story or Subject-Related Series
1ST PLACE: Mike Casey and Rick Montgomery, The Kansas City Star GOLDEN WHEEL AWARD
2ND PLACE: Katie Merx, Tim Higgins, Tom Walsh, Joe Guy Collier, John Gallagher, Jewel
Gopwani, Justin Hyde, Sarah A. Webster, Katherine Yung, Mark Phelan and Susan Tompor, the
Detroit Free Press
3RD PLACE: Christine Tierney and Bill Vlasic, The Detroit News
“Fatal Failures,” published in The Kansas City Star, is an excellent example of what it means to
discover the news. One nugget buried in a database caused these reporters to analyze 1.9 million
records compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and discover that no fewer
than 1,400 people were killed from 2001 to 2006 because the front-seat passenger air bags did not
deploy during front-end crashes. This exhaustive reporting exercise and the clear, compelling writing
that told the story cannot bring back the 1,400 lives lost, but it surely will have saved many lives in the
future. It’s the best of what journalism can be.
Editorial/Column
1ST PLACE: Mark Phelan, the Detroit Free Press
2ND PLACE: Daniel Howes, The Detroit News
3RD PLACE: Tom Walsh, the Detroit Free Press
In “Forget No. 1; go for profit,” Phelan makes a powerful point about the pride some General Motors
people seem to celebrate when sales figures came out and showed the big Detroit automaker once
again sold more vehicles than any of its competitors, especially Toyota. Phelan says in no uncertain
terms that the ailing auto giant should focus on making better cars, not more cars. That’s where its
reputation among the driving public is made; that’s the formula for long-term success. Phelan notes
that No. 2 Toyota made $14 billion in profit last year. Ah, to be No. 2. The author has a clear,
conversational writing style that makes for easy reading and understanding.
Product Review
1ST PLACE: Scott Burgess, The Detroit News
2ND PLACE: Mark Phelan, the Detroit Free Press
3RD PLACE: none awarded
The approach Burgess used in “Va-Va Vroom,” a review of the Audi R8 was clever, compelling and
convincing. His was a love letter to the Audi: “When I first saw your picture from the Paris auto show,
my heart fluttered….” He maintains the voice throughout while giving readers all the technical details
and analysis they would expect in a product review. Newspapers need more inventiveness and voice
like this.
WIRE/NEWS SERVICE
News Story or Subject-Related Series
1ST PLACE: Bill Koenig, Bloomberg News
2ND PLACE: Peter Robison and Jeff Green, Bloomberg News
3RD PLACE: Jeff Green and John Lippert, Bloomberg News
Koenig’s advance story on the UAW negotiations with the Big Three automakers, “UAW Chief Faces
Reuther Legacy, ‘Crashing’ Industry,” is an insightful, well-written analysis of the task that Ron
Gettelfinger was to have ahead of him – “holding one of the weakest hands in the 72-year-old union’
s history.” This was a long, in-depth look at what was to come, and a darned good one.
Editorial/Column
1ST PLACE: Doron Levin, Bloomberg News
“Too Much CAFE Makes Cars Smaller, More Expensive,” a column by Doron Levin takes on the
legislators (and, for that matter, the consumers) who on one hand demand safety features (or
gadgets) that add weight to cars and on the other hand demand cars that use less fuel. A good read
that makes good points.
GENERAL INTEREST MAGAZINE/SPECIAL INTEREST PUBLICATION
News Story or Subject-Related Series
1ST PLACE: Mary Beth Vander Schaaf, Mark Rechtin, Automotive News
2ND PLACE: Barbara McClellan, Byron Pope, James Amend, Christie Schweinsberg and Tom
Murphy, Ward’s Auto World
3RD PLACE: Mary Connelly, Automotive News
“Turning Points: 25 Pivotal Decisions in Toyota’s 50 Years in America” is an impressive Special
Edition package that begins with Eiji Toyoda’s decision to compete on U.S. soil and examines the
impact of that decision on America and particularly on Detroit. A huge undertaking that is uniformly
well-research, well-written and well-done. Remarkable.
Editorial/Column
1ST PLACE: Edward Lapham, Automotive News
2ND PLACE: Edward Lapham, Automotive News
3RD PLACE: Alex Taylor III, Fortune Small Business
Lapham wins for an unsigned editorial titled “New wave of Toyota bashing is unfortunate.” His piece
takes a strong stand against those who bash and blame Toyota for General Motors’ problems,
some even suggesting protectionist legislation as a way to bail out the Big Three. The courageous
conclusion might not make everyone in the magazine’s readership happy, but it had to be said: “GM
must earn its revitalized image the old-fashioned way – by delighting and satisfying customers with
good products, not blaming Toyota for being successful.” An excellent editorial.
Product Review
1ST PLACE: Tony Swan, Car and Driver
2ND PLACE: Frank Markus, Kim Reynolds and Matt Stone, Motor Trend
3RD PLACE: Richard Truett, Automotive News
Swan’s “Patriot Games” is a careful and clever look at the Jeep Patriot Limited 4x4, which he took for
a spin along the trail that Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid traversed. We learned not only about
what Butch and Sundance were doing on the “Outlaw Trail,” but also about how the “Trail Rated”
Jeep performed on a real and rugged trail. Good writing and research made this one the winner.
INTERNET
News Story or Subject-Related Series
1ST PLACE: Eric Mayne, WardsAuto.com
2ND PLACE: James Amend, Eric Mayne, Byron Pope, Christie Schweinsberg and Dave E. Zoia,
WardsAuto.com
3RD PLACE: Christie Schweinsberg, Eric Mayne, Tom Murphy, Byron Pope and Drew Winter,
WardsAuto.com
Before we talk about the winner, we need to say that while we selected these three as the best news
stories published on the Internet, this isn’t Internet storytelling. Virtually every entry in this category
was a long print story that is more suited to a magazine than the World Wide Web. There’s no
multimedia here. You’re not taking advantage of the medium or the research that tells us what
engages people and what inhibits them on the Web. Thousand-word stories and static pictures
aren’t what you want. We would suggest that next year entries be submitted not on paper, but on disk
or by a link. What we did get on disk this time was, unfortunately, not of the news quality of these (an
annual event) and it was too first person. These were substantial news stories, but again not told in
a multimedia/Internet way.
The winner -- an entry titled “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?” – is well-written (all that writing: seven
printed pages of it), interesting and informative. It’s a meaty look at labor negotiations, the risks
associated with the old way of bargaining and walking out on strike, and the cast of characters.
Again, well-reported, well-written and interesting – but even with all of that, we just don’t know that we
would have read it on a computer screen.
Editorial/Column
1ST PLACE: Joseph B. White, The Wall Street Journal online
2ND PLACE: Alex Taylor III, CNN/Money
3RD PLACE: Barbara McClellan, WardsAuto.com
Again, these entries generally don’t use the medium of the Internet except as a printing press. They
are words-only entries, though the winner did use the medium for the original purpose of a footnote:
to get more information. His footnote was a link to that additional information. The winner, White’s
“Eyes on the Road” column titled “The View From Ecotopia,” was a visit to Portland, Ore., to look at
mass transit, automobiles, fuel economy, urban sprawl and the environment. It’s an interesting look
at the lifestyle we may all need to live on this overheated, crowded planet.
Product Reviews
1ST PLACE: Glenn McClanan, Edmund’s Inside Line
2ND PLACE: Chris Walton, Edmund's Inside Line
Now here’s how to use humor to tell a story! “Follow-Up Test: 2007 Dodge Charger Police Package”
is an informative and irreverent look at the Dodge that seeks to unseat the Ford Crown Vic as the car
for cops. The story and accompanying video are written in street language and humor, the sight
gags make you lol (laugh out loud). We loved this piece.
PHOTOJOURNALISM
Open to Newspapers, Wire/News Services, General Interest/
Special Interest Publications and Internet (no subcategories)
1ST PLACE: Jochen Eckel, Bloomberg News
2ND PLACE: Norm Betts, Bloomberg News
3RD PLACE: Daniel Acker, Bloomberg News
An eye-catching, eye-popping view of a "Car Tower" where cars are displayed in Germany. In this
shot, a Volkswagen Tiguan is being lifted and loaded into of the of the towers.
TELEVISION
News Story or Subject-Related Series
1ST PLACE: Yolanda Vazquez, Motorweek/Maryland Public Television
2ND PLACE: Yolanda Vazquez, Motorweek/Maryland Public Television
3RD PLACE: Yolanda Vazquez, Motorweek/Maryland Public Television
OK, so we like Ms Vazquez’s work. The one we liked the best in this news category was a show that
included segments on extended warranties, vehicle leasing and gas-saving tips. These were all
informative and neatly produced for an audience of non-expert consumers. Her second-place entry
was a timely story about people, principally young people, who send and receive text messages
while driving. Her third-place entry was an interesting look at the Automotive Hall of Fame – quite
engaging, interestingly, but it didn’t have the same news value as those we judged to be first and
second.
News Programming/Documentary
1ST PLACE: Karin Annus, Randy Martin, Mike Schneider, Antony Michels, Joe Valenti and Mary
Linnane, Bloomberg Television
A powerful piece of journalism about the human cost of producing ethanol is Brazil, the world’s
leading exporter of ethanol. “Deadly Brew: The Human Toll of Ethanol” is a riveting half-hour look at
the abuse Brazil sugar cane workers suffer at the hands of ethanol mill owners, including being
arrested, beaten and jailed for daring to go on strike at a mill in Mato Grosso. The documentary also
reminds us that when efforts are made to improve the plight of workers in other nations, they are
often replaced by machines or the companies go out of business leaving the workers in an even
worse position: hopeless and desperate poverty
RADIO
News Story or Subject-Related Series
1ST PLACE: “Auto Talks/Auto Strikes” by Jeff Gilbert, WWJ Newsradio 950
The winning entry is a compilation of Gilbert’s work over many summers of covering the United Auto
Workers union negotiations with the Detroit automakers. It’s a comprehensive compilation that
includes not only what was going on inside the negotiating rooms, but also what was going on
outside – include the presence of retired autoworkers there on the sidewalk looking out for
themselves, reminding the union bosses that they should not be forgotten. Really good work, with a
lot of natural sound and solid reporting
News Programming/Documentary
1ST PLACE: “Riding the Wave of Change” by Jeff Gilbert, WWJ Newsradio 950
This was a special hour-long report from the Management Briefing Seminars, a major auto industry
convention held in Traverse City, Mich. Here, Gilbert button-holed one person after another to get
insider insights on such things as some of the new ideas for fuel efficiency, General Motors sales
outside the U.S., the whole GM-vs-Toyota issues, globalization, the changes at Chrysler and, of
course, labor unions. It is an informative and fast-moving program that shows off the reporter’s own
knowledge of the industry and his considerable interviewing skills.
