Best international reporting in the broadcast media dealing with human rights.
Award Year: 1998
Award Name: The Eric and Amy Burger Award 1998
Recipient: Cynthia McFadden, Beth Osisek
Affiliation: ABC News: Primetime Live
Honored Work: “Russian Girls for Sale”
The “girls” of the title are Russian women who answer ads for overseas jobs. When they arrive, their passports are taken away and they are forced to become prostitutes. In effect, they become slaves. The team’s use of undercover video contributed greatly to the piece. The narration followed the entire process of the trafficking of women as commodities. It was both gut-wrenching and enraging. This piece also explained the economic and societal reasons why such practices can flourish.
Citations for Excellence:
Brian Ross
ABC News: Primetime Live
“The Baby Trade”
Sandra Dennison
NBC News: Dateline
“The Long Way Home: Forced Removal of Aboriginal Children”