Planet Detroit's Excellence in Journalism Awards 2026
Planet Detroit's journalism team recently garnered top honors at the Society of Professional Journalists Detroit Chapter’s 2026 Excellence in Journalism awards. Founder and executive editor Nina Ignaczak, along with photographer Nick Hagen and freelancer Shelby Jouppi, secured a first-place accolade for their work in Environment Reporting with the series "Compost or Combust." This series, released in May 2025 as part of a Deep Dive initiative, examines Michigan's food waste impact on climate change due to methane emissions from landfills and offers local mitigation strategies. Their collaboration with the MIT Climate Solutions Journalism Fellowship and NextCity was integral to the series’ success.
The series delivers critical insights into Michigan's food waste management strategies, highlighting landfill regulations and methane reduction efforts. It details the state's composting initiatives and provides a practical guide for combating food waste. In Digital: Health Reporting, Ignaczak and her team earned a second-place award for their extensive coverage of public health challenges facing Detroit residents. Their reporting in 2025 covered topics such as changes in federal hepatitis B vaccine policies, food security challenges due to SNAP benefit interruptions, and the consequences of discontinued drinking water fluoridation in Wyandotte. The series further addressed Detroit's asthma challenges, the expansion of the Malta Clinic for uninsured residents, and potential risks from Medicaid cutbacks on health insurance and asthma care.
Additionally, Ignaczak and Stephanie Steinberg of the Detroit Writing Room received recognition for promoting youth journalism through workshops and student sponsorships, in memory of Anaya ‘Kaz’ Lugo-Thomas. Brian Allnutt earned individual acclaim as the Michigan Press Association Foundation’s 2025 Richard Milliman Journalist of the Year, highlighting his contributions to public interest issues, including government oversight and criminal justice in Detroit. Planet Detroit remains committed to community journalism by spearheading programs like the Summer Journalism Camp for high school students, fostering the next generation of reporting talent.