Greg Morton of The Baltimore Banner wins the MDDC Rookie of the Year 2023 prize for new journalists for his “sophisticated, in-depth writing” teamed with exceptional data journalism skills.
This award honors a new journalist with less than 18 months’ experience in the field. The submission package included three to five clips of the reporter’s work and a letter of recommendation from their editor. Five nominations were received.
The award was judged by a distinguished trio: Greg Conderacci, of Good Ground Consulting (and a former journalist) Tom Linthicum, retired editor of The Baltimore Sun and The Daily Record, and Carol Ann Riordan, retired VP of programming and personnel for American Press Institute.
The judges were impressed with the nominees, noting that some of them have been working for just a short period of time, and producing exceptional work. Each of the nominees showed expertise that doesn’t often come from rookies. Journalists today need to be able to tell their stories in a meaningful way, and all of the nominees demonstrated strong skills that contribute to their publications’ success.
The judges remarked that Morton had the data analysis skills that made his work exemplary, and teamed that with strong writing that showed obvious influence in his newsroom. Ryan Little, Data Editor at the Banner, shared that “Greg possesses an exceptional talent for distilling complex datasets into compelling narratives and visualizations hat are not only accessible but engaging. His work analyzing crime and education data led to some of the most important reporting on these critical issues in 2023. His work analyzing Baltimore crime data was instrumental in launching The Banner’s first two large scale projects on auto thefts and homicide, both of which have garnered acclaim from readers and other journalists.”
Morton has a reputation for work ethic, drive and teamwork in the newsroom. Little goes on to say “He delivered in-depth analysis that uncovered pivotal findings in every project he took on. His desk is now one of the busiest places in The Banner newsroom. Countless reporters constantly pitch him. Getting Greg to work on a story with you has become a near guarantee that the story will have impact and be well-read.”
Morton is a 2021 graduate of Howard University, with a degree in Economic. He went on to receive a Master’s degree in Journalism from the University of Maryland, College Park in December 2023. He has held data journalism internships at ProPublica and The Washington Post.
