Journalists at Flemish newspapers De Tijd and Knack received awards at the De Loep investigative journalism awards ceremony in Amsterdam on Friday night. They were chosen by the Dutch and Flemish investigative journalism society, the VVOJ.
This year, they created a specific category called “Opsporende Onderzoeksjournalistiek”, which can be translated into “detection” journalism (investigation into a difficult field). This refers to operations that highlight violations. A team of seven journalists won this category. This includes Belgians Lars Bové and Kristof Clerix. It was their work on the Paradise Papers that won them the award. Their report was published in De Tijd and Knack in Belgium and Het Fianancieele Dagblad and Trouw in the Netherlands.
A trio of journalists from De Tijd won the “signalerende onderzoeksjournalistiek” category: Lars Bové (again), Stijn Debrouwere and Tobe Steel. This was for their work on “Airbnb unlocked”. This category is also new and was created to recognise journalism on “a pertinent change in society, a new form of economy or a cultural change”.
In total, VVOJ received 122 nominations, 34 for Flemish journalists (and two with double nationality).
The Brussels Times
