Reason Wins 7 Southern California Journalism Awards
First-place finishes include an investigative piece on egregious misconduct in federal prison, a documentary on homelessness, best magazine columnist, and more.

Reason won seven awards on Sunday at the Los Angeles Press Club's 66th annual Southern California Journalism Awards.
The magazine and TV operation—which was nominated for 14 awards representing work in print, online, and broadcast media published in 2023—netted five first-place wins and two third-place finishes. Thank you to Reason readers, viewers, subscribers, and supporters, who make it possible for us to produce meaningful work.
Senior Producer Austin Bragg, Director of Special Projects Meredith Bragg, Producer John Carter, and freelancer Andrew Heaton won first place in best humor/satire writing for "Everything is political: board games":
Associate Editor Liz Wolfe, Senior Producer Zach Weissmueller, Video Editor Danielle Thompson, Video Art Director Isaac Reese, and Producer Justin Zuckerman won first place in best solutions journalism for "Why homelessness is worse in California than Texas":
Managing Editor Jason Russell won first place in best sports commentary for Reason's August/September 2023 cover story, "Get Your Politics Out of My Pickleball."
Reporter C.J. Ciaramella won first place for best magazine investigative piece for Reason's October 2023 cover story, "'I Knew They Were Scumbags,'" which one judge said "reminds us of investigative journalism's role in bringing hidden things into the light."
Editor in Chief Katherine Mangu-Ward won first place for best magazine columnist. "Deeply insightful commentary in a relatively short column," a judge wrote. "Mangu-Ward knows what she's talking about and isn't afraid to say what needs to be said."
Managing Editor of Video and Podcasts Natalie Dowzicky and Video Editor Regan Taylor received third place in best commentary/analysis of TV for "What really happened at Waco":
And I received third place in best activism journalism (online) for the web feature "They Fell Behind on Their Property Taxes. So the Government Sold Their Homes—and Kept the Profits."
Over 2,300 entries were submitted this year, according to the L.A. Press Club, which announced the winners last night at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.
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Imagine the topics discussed at the post awards cocktail parties!
Congratulations!
Southern California awards?
So get out of DC.
Imagine if Reason was based in Akron, Ohio.
Too purple. Iowa or Alabama.
Nice job.
Didn't we just have an east of the 405/south of the 10 journalisming awards?
Journalists give themselves awards so you don't have to.
Oh man! Same with votes 🙂
Interesting video re TX vs CA and homelessness. No surprise that Texas cities and programs are much more successful because they are less constrained in how they approach and manage it.
Though CA activists will somehow find that approach “problematic” for any number of reasons, starting with holding the beneficiaries of the housing programs in any way accountable.
Special Olympics participation trophies.
Too local
Hmmmm…maybe Reason can learn from this…what are these columns/vids about … more specifically what aren’t they centered on
Speaking of late stage journalilsming:
My local daily front page:
Trump
Biden:
Are you saying there's bias going on here? In our media? I am shocked, SHOCKED to find out there is bias going on here!
But is it bias when experts say it, they truly believe it, and it's good for us?
[looking up clever sounding synonyms for propaganda...]
Best I can come up with is "hogwash"
CNN
Editor in Chief Katherine Mangu-Ward won first place for best magazine columnist.
Lol
Cripes!
Are there other, more prestigious organizations that give out journalism awards or is this the only one that Reason writers can get attention from? There really is very little produced by Reason these days that is even worth sharing and a testament to that is how they seem so proud in highlighting some of the dumbest articles weekly in their "Best of Reason."
Journalists fellating other journalists win circle-jerk award.
coin-flip on whether this is correct place for Go on ...
mazel tov!
Heaton is the second best to come out of reason. No one can top remmey
Agreed. In fact, if Reason cut its staff to just Remy and Heaton (OK, Zach is cool too) - they'd probably get even MORE awards than just a handful in a very specific and highly bigoted locale.
“highly bigoted locale”
Why is it bigoted?
I can’t stand Remy so it makes sense you like him.
That's an oddly personal definition. Do you base all your positions on things I like/dislike, pedo?
It has nothing to do with you. I don’t like him because he’s a no talent ass clown that appeals to uneducated rubes.
Why did you use the phrase “highly bigoted locale?”
The vast majority of Americans would recognize you are wrong for claiming I’m a pedo for simply not hating LGTBQ people.
Why did you use the phrase “highly bigoted locale?”
Oh, it’s anything west of I-5. The insane religious fundamentalism out there makes the Westboro Baptist Church look like quiet monks. The pacific west are the third-most hatefully bigoted people in the nation. (#2 NYC; #1 DC.) Show them anything even slightly misaligned with their highly screwed up worldview and it’s REEEEEEEEE!! *STOMP* *SMASH*
Like, literally. They burn things.
And for all their claims of “tolerance” – they allow NOTHING but their own religion. And they will openly persecute anyone who defies it, and defend doing so.
The vast majority of Americans would recognize you are wrong for claiming I’m a pedo for simply not hating LGTBQ people.
They really wouldn’t. Heck, you’ve seen it yourself firsthand right here on this very site. I’ve personally watched you called out for it.
And these are some of the most tolerant folks around (like, to insane degrees) – but they’re not stupid. They know what the LGBT pedos are really up to. As do most Americans, because the LGBT pedos AREN’T HIDING IT anymore
Anyway, your statement is dumb on its face. The vast majority of people recognized Copernicus/Galileo was wrong for claiming a heliocentric universe instead of a geocentric one. Turns out, the vast majority of people were wrong. Just ever so slightly ago, the vast majority of people believed that Eugenics was the best way to promote a great future. The vast majority of people were wrong. And grossly so.
You seem to bank on this notion of popular support, but you use it as a deflection for refusing any real introspection or critical thought on your own position. They OPENLY prey on children, Kar. They have wormed their way into women’s spaces. They have used virtue signaling to convince otherwise normal people to mutilate their own children. They have infected schools and operate in secret so that their grooming won’t be interfered with. They have declared anything even remotely offensive to them (even cars driving on the road) as a ‘hate crime’ and threatens that people (especially kids) will die if it’s allowed to persist.
You are siding with the most insane cult that has ever existed. Worse than the ones out there vandalizing cultural heritage sites on a fools errand. The LGBT is the most violent, sadistic, hateful, psychotic, child-targeted cult that has EVER existed in all of human history
And you are siding with them.
YES, KAR, that puts you on the side of pedos! Pretending that’s OK because of your jar-world echo-chamber mentality that “the vast majority” is going along with it somehow makes it OK (when they’re not!) doesn’t excuse that. You will answer for this Kar. You and everyone like you. Normal people WILL come for your head if you persist in this. I promise you that.
“ The LGBT is the most violent, sadistic, hateful, psychotic, child-targeted cult that has EVER existed in all of human history”
That’s so stupid.
Are you aware of Christian history? The inquisitions? The crusades? Catholic sex abuse? Mormon sex abuse?
I suspect the people you call bigoted were just rightly calling you out for your bigoted views. People don’t choose to be gay. You choose to believe in a guy dying and coming back to life 3 days later.
The pacific west is not bigoted. It’s the backwards, uneducated rubes like you that are the bigots. People in cities have no choice but to talk down to you and criticize you. You rural social conservatives are just too backwards, uneducated, and hateful you leave us no choice. We would love to leave you people alone, but you folks constantly try to push your stupid goddamn religion on everyone.
“Are you aware of Christian history? The inquisitions? The crusades? Catholic sex abuse? Mormon sex abuse?”
I’ll bite, pedo.
The Crusades ran from 1095 and 1291. Did Muslim armies invade Europe shortly before with various attacks getting as far as Toulouse in France and Vienna in the East? Did Muslim armies invade Italy and burn down the Vatican?
Did the Crusaders attack more Christian cities than Muslim ones? Did some Muslim armies join the Crusades and help attack other armies composed of Christians and Muslims?
Were the Albigensian, Drenther, Stedinger, Bosnian, Bohemian, Despenser’s and Hussite crusades fought against Muslims or Christians?
Did more Christians die in the Crusades than Muslims?
The various inquisitions took place from 1184 to the 19th century.
Were the vast majority of inquisitors university professors or not?
How many were killed in papal inquisitions? Was it over 200 for the entire 800+ years?
The Spanish Inquisition was instituted by the Spanish court, often despite papal opposition. Over its three centuries it executed between 3,000 and 5,000 people or 2.7% of those tried by the Spanish Inquisition courts. Were most of the people executed Jews or Protestant Christians?
Fanatical atheist Mexican President Plutarco Calles tried to eliminate Christianity in Mexico. He called those who opposed his plans Cristeros since they invoked the name of Jesus Christ under the title of “Cristo Rey”. Calles killed 30,000 Cristeros. Dozens of times more than all the inquisitions ever. You’re guilty of Calles butchery and worse than the inquisitions by your own metrics, right?
You’re also guilty of the War in the Vendée by the anti-clerical French revolutionaries that genocided 200,000 Catholic peasants for stubbornly keeping their faith, right? Incidentally that’s probably more than the Muslim death toll from battle over the entire Crusades.
Do you want to get into the Christian death toll caused by the Society of the Godless in the Soviet Union?
Fucking historically illiterate idiot.
Did you read my comment? I was responding to his comment:
“The LGBT is the most violent, sadistic, hateful, psychotic, child-targeted cult that has EVER existed in all of human history”
I was pointing out that his group had a much more violent history than the LGTBQ crowd. I could have been more clear to be honest. I don’t believe Christians are the most violent group ever. Just far more violent than the group he claimed was the most violent group ever.
All your crap about Muslims, Mexico, and the French is irrelevant.
You aren’t as smart as you think you are.
"My group?"
Also, did you just assume my gender? I expect an apology.
Also, you are factually incorrect about history.
Are you aware of Christian history?
Yes. But that's not their doctrine. When you balk at Christianity, you're blaming the majority for the minority. The pedophiles and criminals and oppressors? They're acting against Christian doctrine.
Unlike the LGBT pedo religion, where that IS the doctrine. The pedophiles and criminals and oppressors? They're acting FOR and in accordance with the LGBT pedo doctrine. Because that IS the LGBT pedo doctrine.
That's why you defend the pedos and the child mutilators. It's why you never call them out. Because they are you, and you are them. You are not allowed to betray your pagan rainbow cult.
I am here to tell you that you can. Not only that you can, but that you SHOULD. You should denounce them and everything they stand for, and pray for their souls when normal America - normal WORLD - comes for them and sends them, brutally, to their maker.
The pacific west is not bigoted. It’s the backwards, uneducated rubes like you that are the bigots.
"I know you are but what am I!"
lol.
Please point me to the LGTBQ doctrine with all these claims you’re making…
Trans the kids. DQSH. Every pop-culture effort to introduce children to queerness before they even know the definition of queer. Every rainbow flag. Every parade chock full of grown men in codpieces gyrating in front of children. Every nude bicycle race. A full choir that sings "we're coming for your children." Every school teacher who puts a queer sex cult flag in their classroom. Every single gay couple that adopts or surrogates a little boy (rarely ever a girl). Every school administrator who hides information from a student's parents. Every single degenerate pervert like you who defends and empowers them.
You LGBT pedos can't HELP yourselves. This is ALL you are. It's all - and it always has been - 100% coming for the children. And now that you've cast off your "what happens in the privacy" moniker and switched it to "we're going to rape your children and you will tolerate it" - the whole world knows it. And they are pissed.
"appeals to uneducated rubes"
Check out Kirkland Jr.
Of course there really is nobody more sophisticated and knowledgeable than an inner-city drug addict/welfare queen, whereas a guy farming soybeans on 1280 acres using $25 million worth of equipment and facilities, is the epitome of ignorance.
Check out the rural Canadian thinking he knows more about America than most Americans.
Both your examples are outliers. Unemployment is usually higher in rural areas. In my state the rural counties are subsidized by the urban counties. The backwards MAGAts are the welfare queens.
Not most Americans, but I definitely know more than you.
You're a syphilis-addled libertine sociopath who views the rest of humanity as tropes, and whose historical knowledge is composed entirely of received wisdom.
You're a fucking cartoon.
No you think you know more than me. Most your opinions are contrary to the majority of Americans. You have a very fringe worldview.
I would pity you if you weren’t such a hateful, bigoted, arrogant asshole.
You’re a conspiracy theorist nut job.
He said with zero self-awareness. Again.
You replied to me. Not Mother’s Lament.
I agree he has zero self awareness
Yes. I replied to you. Such a hateful, bigoted, arrogant asshole.
You don't even realize it about yourself, as you project it on everyone else.
Also, you're a pedophile. (Or, at least a pedo enabler.) And everyone here knows it.
You choose to have bigoted beliefs, but I’m the bigot for criticizing you for your bigoted beliefs.
You are so fucking out of touch.
This thing you social conservatives do where you label anyone who criticizes you a pedo will come back to haunt you.
This thing you social conservatives do where you label anyone who criticizes you a pedo will come back to haunt you.
We don't label you a pedo because you criticize decency and morality. We label you a pedo because you openly support/defend/enable pedophilia.
Mom, language.
Fuck you
Language.
Fuck your goddamn non-existent fucking god!
Fuck your Jesus!
Fuck you, you stupid, goddamn fucking hick!
You're not hurting me when you respond like that.
You're hurting yourself.
Language.
“You’re a fucking cartoon”
This coming from someone who claims all democrats are Gaia worshippers.
I don’t know that is something to be proud of.
I suppose it is if you want to be loved by Southern California journalists, and despised by everybody else.
Reason should close the DC office and move the whole operation back to SoCal.
I want to congratulate the Reason award winners. Well done!
The Reason Commentariat is lively, and you get a brutally honest work assessment (sprinkled with some personal assessments, at times) on a daily basis. I hope we are equally attentive when special recognition happens, like now.
Congratulations to all of you.
I've stated that Reason favors Liberals, this kind of confirms it.