2020 Bunting Award

The Washington Coalition for Open Government is recognizing the work of broadcast journalist Chris Ingalls and his colleagues at KING 5 News with the annual Kenneth F. Bunting Award.

Ingalls and KING 5 used state public records laws and other reporting tools to shed light on the extent and duration of mold infections in operating rooms at Seattle Children’s Hospital. At least seven of the hospital’s young patients have died from mold infections since 2001.

A few of their reports:

• What is Aspergillus? Mold behind Seattle Children’s closures explained  (Nov. 11, 2019)

• Seattle Children’s told health officials in 2018 about prior mold infections (Nov. 19, 2019)

• Judge reconsiders decision to withhold Seattle Children’s records related to Aspergillus mold (Dec. 19, 2019)

• Public health department slow to respond to Seattle Children’s mold (Feb. 12, 2020)

• Seattle Children’s sues to block release of state health records related to mold (Feb. 19, 2020)

The Bunting Award is presented to organizations or individuals for journalistic work that utilizes, advances, or educates about the state’s Open Public Meetings Act/Public Records Act. It honors the memory of the late Ken Bunting, an executive editor and associate publisher with The Seattle Post-Intelligencer who helped found the Washington Coalition for Open Government in 2002.

The award was presented at the annual Madison Andersen Bunting Awards event on Sept. 18, 2020.