Tremendously powerful, the winning entry “The 61 Percent Project” offered impressive storytelling across different aspects of a subject that is not discussed enough: mental health. The work mixes illustration and video to inform and educate, while it also provides useful resources and help for people who may be struggling with some of the important issues brought forward.

The winning entry powerfully articulates a subject matter not usually covered in sports. The story’s subject matter and visuals were equally impressive. It was a moving narrative aided by compelling graphics, illustration and storytelling.

The team of the Anchorage Daily News and ProPublica took a potentially traumatic set of stories and told it with thought and care and really delivered a project that respected and centered victims and made an impact in their communities. Well done.

With simple, elegant storytelling that belied a mastery of technical tools, platforms, and methods, Grist’s reporting — including how we might find solutions amid highly complex issues — stood apart among an exceptional field of entries.

The story and what is at stake is set up beautifully at the top of the story with the explanation of land rights with an owner of “above ground” and a different owner “below ground” is remarkable. It lets readers know from the start that things are different in Texas and New Mexico. The images and panoramic views with the drone are compelling, as is a smaller video/animated gif with a subtle "gas leak" bubbling up. Excellent use of data and projections.

The breadth and depth of this reporting is astounding. The series is a huge boon for other reporters in all 50 states who'd like to parse the data themselves. Bravo for KHN and AP to be generous enough to hold video conferences to demo what's there and how to use the data. This insightful investigation showed the impact of disinvesting in public health across the United States. This is an excellent example of collaborative investigative work with local and national stories that led to further investigations and reporting.

“Kids Imprisoned” paid attention to all of the details. The experience, both for mobile and desktop, immersed the reader in an important subject with excellence in execution.The topic is painful but powerful, and the project resonates with you long after you leave it.

Such a great piece of service journalism. The video narratives are extremely personal and compelling and allows the audience to make important decisions about their own birth plans. Love the ability for the audience to use thie piece to build their own birth plan. An extremely actionable piece of journalism.

El Timpano did an outstanding job defining the impact of their reporting.

It's impressive how the team conceptualized telling this story, including how people flaunted the law and damaged their own beaches. They combined local on-the-ground investigations with great data visualizations on a national level, and the collaboration here is a model for future partnerships. Notably, this story talked about environmental impact in an accessible way. Their use of maps, graphics and photos was excellent, particularly in sketching out what existed before and is now gone, giving a jaw-dropping sense of what was lost.

Jaw-dropping law enforcement over-reach and the reporting team's understanding of the power of seemingly benign data deliver this series with power. The impact this will have on the 1,000+ people who have been surveilled and possibly long-term reform for data mining citizens for projected crime will be felt. The body camera footage is carefully curated and made into an interactive scroll that demonstrates to readers the depth of the story.

This project really put a spotlight on the people of all the boroughs of New York and elevated stories we haven't heard about over the last year.

Seasonal and migrant farmworkers have been an exploited class for decades, and this series done by CPI did a great job of showing how COVID-19 has affected this needed, but repeatedly forgotten, group of workers. The data work on this project was amazing; it must have been a massive lift to identify the people invovled. This project illuminated how COVID-19 intersects with racism, labor issues, food supply and more, showing the scale fo the problem and how people suffered disproportionately. This story was the ideal of what data journalism can do.

A beautiful, cinematic experience showing the real-life consequences of a decades-long war and the native people still struggling to clear their ancestrial homeland of deadly land mines.

The winning portfolio entry demonstrates a command of storytelling across an array of forms. ‘Hope at the End of the Line’ smartly tackles a complex subject through photography, writing and graphics. It’s easy to forget that this entry, and the finalists, are still the work of students

This newsletter series stood out to the judges because of its clear focus on solving a problem that its readers have: How to make sense of a complicated municipal election. The structure and content of the newsletters made learning about the election accessible and almost fun, which isn’t something usually associated with local elections. It’s a great example of the medium of newsletters to reach readers where they already are with information they may not even know they needed. Well done!

What an exemplary presentation of a well-reported, powerful story, told with humanity and depth. The juxtaposition of photography, video and text worked well to tell a story in a way we haven't felt so acutely before. It demonstrates the plight of Black America through a person's individual story. So many places would have considered these two stories; the fact that they were able to meld it together so seamlessly is at another level.

This early report on the Capitol intrusion offers complete storytelling of the day that allowed listeners to form their own opinion versus being told how to feel about the event. Very detailed and well-paced unpacking of the situation from multiple vantage points. Smooth integration of natural sounds from the day. Excellent organization and scripting. The subject is newsworthy and important for people to understand. Works well as an audio story because so much visual coverage of this event was already out there, so the sounds effectively evoke the listener's existing mental images.

This raw storytelling shone a light on the investigative reporting process and offered a transparent example of how sexual assault stories can be responsibly and respectfully reported. The 7-part series was compelling from start to finish, as it gave a fresh spin on a topic that much has been written about since the "Me Too" movement began. The use of audio gave strong space for silences, forcing the listener to sit in what could be uncomfortable moments and come to terms with the emotions felt.

With limited turnaround time each episode offers clear-eyed analysis and fresh angles to breaking news stories reported from far-flung locations. There is good diversity of voices and audio that captures the environment. Listeners get a full, comprehensive picture of each issue being discussed.

This was a really special piece. Learning about Graham tells a lot about the context of racism in America. The journalists put you into the persons' stories, and you can empathize with them. It has a level of depth you very rarely see in a single story. A particularly noteworthy element is essentially telling the story of a place over many decades; how generation after generation can drive these mentalities and these conflicts. The use of video throughout was well-done, and would have been worthy of a watch all on its own.

This piece represents this category. Truly innovative approach to not only immersive but also "traditional" storytelling. Incorporating the 360 illustrations via parallax is brilliant. And an incredible story. While we have heard about this story before we have never seen it like this.

What a powerhouse of a piece. This is new and uses all types of immersive techniques to tell this compelling story. The combination of illustrations merges with 360 images, tiny planets, VR and parallax storytelling sets a new, high bar. The use of these techniques really elevated the story -- I felt the panic during the surgery and the bag being tossed over my head in the "text-based" piece. And that's not looking at the amazing 20-minute immersive documentary.

The winning entry's execution reinforces The New York Times' ongoing commitment to excellence in digital storytelling. The portfolio shows the value of using many entry points to tell the story of the pandemic. The breadth of the portfolio was impressive. The New York Times consistently sets the standard and this entry was no different.

The New York Times' entries reflected how the newsroom rose to the challenges of the past year to produce stellar digital journalism and inform audiences on a global scale. Especially of note, their impactful forays in spatial and sensor journalism serve as a prescient sign of things to come.

This groundbreaking feature signals a new form of storytelling. Borrowing elements from video games, this immersive feature encourages you not merely to consume the story but to interact with it. Leveraging a rule of good drama — show, don’t tell — it vivifies a historical event, contributes to our understanding of history and draws you back for repeat visits.

The Times led the way with both its reporting and its presentation, showing that the years of work they have put into live coverage tools, workflow and culture is paying off. It shows the Times pulled just the right digital levers along the way throughout Jan 6, providing great value on that day and a lasting historical record

ProPublica's entry displayed a depth and breadth of public service journalism that's nearly unparalleled today. But it was the organization's ability to marry extraordinary reporting with extremely engaging digital production that made it stand out among its peers -- specifically the ingenuity, effort, and lightning quick work that went into its piece on videos of the Capitol insurrection, which published less than two weeks after January 6th.

PublicSource demonstrated an impressive breadth of content serving the people of Pittsburg, including news analyses, first-person essays, a limited series podcast and audience-driven, public service products. The ADA series, which analyzed how the city is performing in terms of accessibility, was a smart and well-executed package that brought in underrepresented voices from the community.

The series encompassed the complexity and ambivalence of so many other protests happening around the world. And did so in a very nuanced, layered yet clear narrative. Great journalism and stunning videography.

This breaking news story broke over and over, requiring an unusual stamina for this newsroom. It was harrowing reporting and excellent presentation, including powerful visuals and data, with an important focus on service journalism. There was good balance of covering climate change as well as the events at hand.

This in-depth investigation raises the subject of many contracts with hidden conditions and how they can harm lives, especially from the most vulnerable populations. Reporter Rebecca Moss really dug into the subject from Census detail, public records requests, numerous interviews and traveled the length of the pipeline noting vulnerable buildings and communities. The addition of the interactive graphic helped to support the reporting, giving those with less time the ability to understand visually what is at stake. In terms of impact, you can't get much better than having stalled legislation pass and holding a company accountable -- both of which happened in the wake of this reporting.

Judges said they would expect nothing less from the Star Tribune in its excellent coverage of the murder of George Floyd, using a compelling mix of words, striking photos and riveting video. The focus on rebuilding tells a clearer picture beyond simply the protests. This story reverberated far beyond Minneapolis, affecting the way we think about race in police ranks, local governments, journalism and communities. But the Star Tribune stayed on to pay attention to this after everyone else moved on to the trial and covered block-by-block what happened and telling it in a nuanced way, and what people wanted from their local leaders.

The reporting and presentation on the first article are top notch; there's real interactivity but with a purpose. By including, "You’ll see samples of these tests later in this story. For now, let’s focus on their outcomes." is a great way to orient the reader and get them comfortable with where they are in understanding the report. The behind-the-reporting feature is an excellent way to build transparency. The impact of this story is what pushed this series over into the “winner” slot.

Compelling use of high definition images, video, and text. Interactive storytelling really augmented investigative journalism. An important story boldly told.

This project showcases collaborative work at its finest. The judges were left so impressed by the way each of these organizations worked to tell the untold stories of people mauled by police dogs.

Leveraging wide-display photography and a compelling scroll experience, this feature tells a familiar narrative in a fresh, new way. It immerses you in a borderland purgatory marred by heartbreak and violence for those trying to enter the U.S.

An excellent, immersive piece weaving together the real human impact with the broader scale of destruction of the virus. Accessible, informative and everything data journalism should be.

This visual-rich feature amplifies a regional story to a global audience. From the thoughtful planning involved in cultivating sources to the beautiful and compelling digital execution, this piece demonstrates smart, audience-focused thinking from top to bottom.

The judges agreed that this was a very strong category overall. The New York Times’s project was an impressive technical feat, The Verge tackled a bizarre year in the world of money and Geoffrey Fowler gave us insight into what happens behind the scenes of tools we use every day. But Catherine Rampell’s series on immigration was a clear winner through her disciplined, clear writing that unearthed the underbelly of a system few readers truly understand. Rampell used the freedom of commentary to efficiently slice through the partisan fog that can often hamper reporting on immigration from the news desk. Her use of a wide variety of storytelling tools — including tweets, videos, documents and graphics — helped create a clear narrative that described the immigration system as it operates in the real world, rather than repeating spin from politicians. Her work had a real-world impact and its emotional resonance will earn her loyal readers for years to come.

While the judges appreciated all the finalists in this category — The City’s dedication to working class readers, The Washington Post rising to the challenge of creating a unique coronavirus newsletter — the entry from the Wall Street Journal team stood out. The Six-Week Money Challenge was a surprise from WSJ because the intended audience is not financial insiders but people who are struggling to control their finances. The limited-series, on-demand format is a perfect fit for learning and the writing is both informative and fun to follow. Of the many strong contenders, this series is the one people could conceivably still be using years from now and a great example of making newsletters a longer-lasting medium for journalists.

Very entertaining and fun to watch. The storytelling is engaging, creatively edited, makes great use of sound throughout and has good pacing.