Over the past year, we have cataloged the foibles, foul-ups, and facts-averse finagling seen in the press, and with the flip of the calendar, we recognize and reward the best (worst) examples in journalism from 2023. For this inauspicious honor, we have created The Golden Remington Trophy, a nod to days past when reporters would grind out work, burn shoe leather chasing stories, and journalism ethics still existed.
The Remmy – our statue of the classic typewriter, encased in luxurious repurposed 8-karat gold — is awarded in several categories. Below, they are arranged with the nominees and announced WINNER (the recipient entitled to the physical manifestation upon payment of creation and shipping costs).
So, without any further fanfare (or any), we bring you The Remmys of 2023!
(un)Distinguished Cultural Commentary
WINNER: Jennifer Kingson - Axios
Jennifer went to great lengths explaining that a hot new trend was people putting ice in their drinks.
(un)Distinguished Cultural Criticism
WINNER: Maham Javaid - Washington Post
With pumpkin spice season came this lecture about how you were enjoying a racist food flavoring with a violent history because 500 years ago, explorers exploited a country for its nutmeg, committing “corporate genocide” in doing so.
(Un)Distinguished Sports Reporting
WINNER (by unanimous vote): Carron Phillips - Deadspin
The reliably race-baiting writer went after a 9-year-old KC Chiefs fan, accusing the boy of racism for wearing blackface and a Native American headdress. The kid was painted in team colors, and he is Native American himself. Deadspin revised the original piece repeatedly, attempting to save face and stave off a lawsuit.
(un)Distinguished Editorial Writing
WINNER: Adam Grant - New York Times
In this brilliant example of a writer locked into a narrative but failing to step back and ponder his position — this time the threats to our elections — Grant went on to suggest that he sees what is a danger for our democracy – elections. This was so roundly ridiculed that The Times had to alter the headline to look less ridiculous.
(un)Distinguished Explanatory Reporting
WINNER: Mark Tutton - CNN
For the sake of the planet, CNN suggested overseas freighters could slash their carbon emissions if they retrofit ships with parachutes or giant kites that can boast thrust efficiency by using captured air currents. So CNN has invented sailboats.
(un)Distinguished Feature Writing
WINNER: Anita Singh - The Telegraph
The depth of the lack of self-awareness was on display in this strained piece declaring George Orwell was sadistic, sexist, violent, and homophobic. This is all based on one person’s impression — a biographer of Orwell’s wife — and says the “proof” is in the characters of his writing. Yes, the Telegraph is trying to cancel the writer of “1984.”
(un)Distinguished Investigative Reporting
WINNER: Ben Collins - NBC News
After teasing for some time that he had an explosive exposé on Elon Musk, Collins delivered an inept claim that an article from the website of a racist former Trump acolyte spelled out the gameplan for Musk’s purchase, and the billionaire followed it to the letter. EXCEPT…the piece was written after the purchase process began, no reason is given why Musk would follow an anonymous article, and the plan laid out in the article actually is for how others should act so Musk could be opposed. This was remarkably inept by Collins.
(un)Distinguished International Reporting
WINNER: 60 Minutes Australia
In a bat-crap crazy segment from “60 Minutes Australia,” we were served this report on parents who want to raise genderless children. The euphemisms fly freely to excuse away what one “expert” described as an experiment – on their children. It is called “Gender-creative Parenting,” with an author cited who wrote the book “Raising THEM” and these parents raising what are called “They-bies.”
(un)Distinguished Local Reporting
WINNER: Mary Ellen Klas, Syra Ortiz Blanes – The Miami Herald
The reporters contacted the DeSantis press office about the new immigration law with a clear agenda. In a contentious series of exchanges, they were asking why there were so few arrests made, based on Florida Highway Patrol figures. Press Secretary Jeremy Redfern informed them that numerous state law enforcement agencies have the jurisdiction, and he provided them with a link to a newspaper article listing far more arrests had been made – it was the Miami Herald.
(un)Distinguished Breaking News
WINNER: CNN
For his arraignment, the network provided constant - LIVE! - coverage of Trump driving from his home to the airport, and then lifting off, and then landing, and then driving to the courthouse. Prior to this “historic” (their words) commuting, there were steady live shots of the front gate, where nothing at all was happening, for much of that morning.
(Un)Distinguished National Reporting
WINNER: Nicolle Wallace – MSNBC
Ms. Wallace had on Tennessee state Representative Justin Pearson, he being one of the politicians who led an insurre–...um, that is, he led a protest inside the state capitol chambers. Pearson was brought on “Deadline: White House” to discuss a new law his legislature passed addressing protests such as the one he led, and he referred to the Republican majority in his state as a “mobocracy.” To reiterate: This was a politician who led a mob complaining about new rules to limit mob-like activity, and calling that “mob rule.”
(Tomorrow, we will announce the ten Special Honors Remmy Awards.)