The Guardian has won yet another award for its revelations of widespread government surveillance, based on documents leaked by the NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.
The paper won the top prize at the IRE Awqrds, which recognise the best in investigative journalism since 1979.
In a series of investigative stories based on top-secret National Security Agency documents leaked by former intelligence analyst Edward Snowden, the Guardian US revealed a story that continues to reverberate in the United States and across the globe. The stories showed the vast scope of domestic and international surveillance programs, the close relationship between technology companies and intelligence agencies, and how technology is leading to widespread mass collection of Americans’ telephone and internet data. The Guardian US was the first to reveal a FISA court order showing how the communication records of millions of US citizens are being collected “indiscriminately and in bulk.” The journalists faced two legal regimes with vastly different precedents and laws governing press freedoms. The Guardian brought in U.S. media partners, including The New York Times and ProPublica, after an ultimatum by the UK government to turn over or destroy the documents or risk legal action. The Guardian’s reporting, and that by other news organizations, prompted vigorous debate in the U.S. and around the world as well as numerous legal challenges, Congressional hearings and legislation calling for reform of NSA programs.
Earlier this week the Guardian was named UK newspaper of the year at the Press Awards for its Snowden coverage.
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