Newspaper & Mailroom

Chicago Tribune Wins George Polk Award for Consumer Reporting

Thursday 21. February 2008 - The Chicago Tribune won today the 2007 George Polk Award for Consumer Reporting for a series of articles and editorials about child fatalities and injuries that were the result of the federal government's failure to regulate the makers of many children's products.

The Tribune investigation, “Hidden Hazards,” was a seven-month series that documented the hazards of lead-tainted toys, defective cribs, faulty car seats and dangerously designed magnetic building sets. Chicago Tribune funded the testing and research for the investigation, which led to massive product recalls, import changes and heightened public awareness of these dangers.

“We have been humbled by the great response from our readers and are now honored to receive this prestigious recognition from the Polk jury,” says Chicago Tribune Editor Ann Marie Lipinski. “These stories exposed serious dangers with some of our most important consumer products and resulted in significant protections for readers here in Chicago and beyond. We are proud of this journalism and the work it has done on behalf of consumers, and grateful for this recognition from our peers.”

Established in 1949, the Polk Awards, which were announced today by Long Island University, are among the most coveted honors in journalism.