The Washington Post and CBS “60 Minutes” have won a Peabody Award for “The Whistleblower,” a joint investigation into how the drug industry triumphed over the DEA in its effort to combat the nation’s opioid crisis, the deadliest drug epidemic in U.S. history. The Post’s reporting team included Scott Higham and Lenny Bernstein with contributions from Steven Rich, Alice Crites and Alice Li. From 60 Minutes, the team included Bill Whitaker, Ira Rosen and Sam Hornblower.
From the Peabody site:
Sophisticated business reporting from “60 Minutes” and The Washington Post resulted in a far-reaching investigation into how the Drug Enforcement Administration was hobbled in its attempts to hold Big Pharma accountable in the opioid epidemic. The explosive story features damning testimony from whistleblower Joe Rannazzisi, a former DEA investigator, uncovering a truly bipartisan problem that continues to receive massive amounts of funding even while the scourge of addiction continues to grow.
The Peabody Awards honor some of the most influential, illuminating and powerful stories in media. Each year, more than 1,000 entries are evaluated by some 30 committees.
Founded in 1941 and administered by the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, the Peabody is the oldest award in electronic media and recognizes achievements and public service in television, radio and online.
Winners of the 77th annual Peabody Awards will be honored at a ceremony on Saturday, May 19 in New York City. See the full list.