March 26, 2026

Oregon Public Broadcasting has been honored with the national Goldsmith Prize for Explanatory Reporting for its in-depth and accessible stories about obstacles to renewable energy growth in the Northwest.

OPB reporters Monica Samayoa and Tony Schick received the award for a series of stories that explained how — even as Oregon and Washington officials proclaimed their states ready to eliminate fossil fuels — both states had fallen far short of their goals. The region’s electrical grid was and still is incapable of connecting all the wind and solar farms that are needed.

The series was produced in partnership with ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network. Ellis Simani of ProPublica assisted with data analysis. Steve Suo of ProPublica and OPB’s Courtney Sherwood edited the series.

Few elected officials, policymakers or energy advocates were aware of the region’s dismal renewable energy record, much less the reasons behind it, before the OPB series began in May 2025. By year’s end, Oregon and Washington leaders were pursuing many of the solutions outlined in the stories.

The Goldsmith Prize is awarded by the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.

“This recognition of Monica and Tony’s work underscores the impact their journalism has had in the communities we serve across the region,” said Jason Potts, OPB senior vice president and chief content officer. “They took a complicated story, reported it deeply and carefully, and delivered it with clarity, context, and real accountability. OPB shares this award alongside our members, whose ongoing support for public-interest journalism makes this work possible.”

The OPB series was the selection committee’s unanimous choice as the winner among 85 entries from the U.S. news media. The winning team receives $15,000, to be awarded to the journalists. They will receive their awards at an April 9 ceremony at the Shorenstein Center in Boston.

Stories from “Power Struggle: What Stalled the Northwest’s Push for Green Energy”:

• “How the Pacific Northwest’s dream of green energy fell apart”
• “Higher prices, rolling blackouts: The Northwest is bracing for the effects of a lagging green energy push”
• “How one Oregon activist is using a decades-old liberal policy to stall green energy projects”
• “Oregon faced a huge obstacle in adding green energy. Here’s what changed this year”

“This award is a testament to OPB’s commitment to accountability journalism and highlights the important role of collaboration in a journalism ecosystem that is under threat from all sides,” said Gillian Flaccus, OPB news director. “ProPublica’s partnership helped bring this important series to life, and OPB is thrilled to share this award with our valued news partners.”

The Goldsmith Prize for Explanatory Reporting seeks to honor and inspire excellent reporting that illuminates the “how” of governance in the United States – how public policy is implemented, how government systems and processes work, and what citizens can better understand about what government does.

News Source : https://www.opb.org/pressroom/goldsmith-prize-win-monica-samayoa-tony-schick/