Cox Media Group investigative teams and KFF Health News win 2024 Goldsmith Award
The Channel 2 Action News Investigates team was honored as winners of the Goldsmith Award for Excellence in Journalism for its coverage exposing how overpayments from the Social Security Administration had cost millions of Americans their monthly benefits. The Channel 2 Action News Investigates team and KFF Health News have won the Goldsmith Award for Excellence in Journalism for their coverage of overpayments from the Social Security Administration (SSA), which cost millions of Americans their monthly benefits. The award was given to the investigative teams across Cox Media Group (CMG) and their investigation partners on KFF health News. The Harvard Kennedy School honored Channel 2's reporting with an inaugural Goldsmith Awards special citation. The media company praised the team's efforts to uncover complex government policies, which have resulted in tangible changes within the SSA. The investigation revealed that the SSC had been overpaying billions of dollars annually to vulnerable Americans, then demanding they pay it back years later, even though it was the government's mistake. Social Security is now making changes to its policies on overpayingments and has announced significant changes to regulations to limit clawback.
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Published : a month ago by WSBTV.com News Staff in Health
ATLANTA — The Channel 2 Action News Investigates team was honored as winners of the Goldsmith Award for Excellence in Journalism for its coverage exposing how overpayments from the Social Security Administration had cost millions of Americans their monthly benefits.
The prestigious award was given to the investigative teams across Channel 2 Action News’ parent company Cox Media Group (CMG) and their investigation partners on the stories, KFF Health News.
The annual awards ceremony was held in Boston, Mass. on Wednesday evening, where the Harvard Kennedy School honored Channel 2 Action News’ reporting with an inaugural Goldsmith Awards special citation.
“We’re honored to receive this prestigious award because it reflects CMG’s commitment to local news and investigative journalism,” Marian Pittman, CMG’s President of Content, said in a statement. “The team’s relentless efforts to uncover the truth behind complex government policies and their implementation has resulted in tangible changes within the SSA and will directly benefit millions of people impacted by overpayments.”
The citation recognizes journalism that examines how government in the United States functions, including how and why it can fail, as well as how those same problems can be solved.
CMG’s investigation showed how the SSA had been overpaying billions of dollars every year to vulnerable Americans, then demanding they pay it back years later, even though it was the government’s mistake.
• Social Security is making changes to its policies on overpayments
• Hundreds of thousands of families are facing unexpected bills from government
• Head of Social Security makes apology over misleading testimony following Channel 2 investigation
The media company said teams from CMG’s local television markets and its Washington News Bureau each made significant contributions to the reporting effort, collectively airing more than 100 news stories on the topic in 2023. They also said partnering with KFF Health News helped to elevate the investigation’s impact and reached millions of viewers on TV and online.
The investigation by CMG’s reporters and producers, and in partnership with KFF Health News, found that more than two million people were hit with overpayment every year, and that afterward, the SSA often lowers or stops monthly checks to recover the debts.
“This series exposed the significant impact of these mistakes on millions of people, including those who had little to no ability to pay back the government, leaving some people to lose their homes, cars, and savings,” Drew Altman, President and Chief Executive Officer of KFF, said. “This is why KFF reports on systemic issues like this through its news service—to expose how people are affected by policy and challenges.”
Reporting by Channel 2 Action News Investigates and its partners led to a congressional hearing and tougher oversight, and the SSA recently announced significant changes to its regulations to limit clawback, while restoring benefits for several of the people impacted by the process who were featured in the CMG stories online and on air.
Social Security Commissioner Martin O’Malley testified to the U.S. Senate on March 20 that he was taking several stopes to address the issues covered by CMG and Channel 2 Action News’ reporting, and said the SSA will stop intercepting 100% of a beneficiary’s monthly check if they fail to respond to demands for repayment. Instead, the agency will hold back just 10% to make up the debt.
Comprehensive coverage of the SSA story from CMG, and other important local and investigative reports that have protected thousands of consumers can be found online here.