Carl Rauscher
JUDGES' AWARD
Cox Washington Bureau

Most editors change copy. Carl Rauscher changed a culture.

As Cox Newspapers political editor in 2000, he directed an ambitious yearlong election coverage plan resulting in greater cooperation among the papers.

In the past, there was little coordination and wasteful duplication. Rauscher brought synergy and momentum, constructing a network of reliable, cooperative editors and writers. He demonstrated how, with careful planning, a good reporter for a single paper could provide quality coverage for all. Rauscher also created with ajc.com a Cox Newspapers political website showcasing the work of reporters, columnists, cartoonists and photographers from throughout the chain.

"I think it was everybody's enlightened self-interest to cooperate," Rauscher said.

"We were able to expand the reach of what we were doing, and I think everybody knew that. What I stressed was that if we all cooperated, we could cover the entire political spectrum. Thanks to the hard work and coordination of all our papers, we were able to produce a report far richer than any of the papers could."

During the GOP convention in Philadelphia and the Democratic convention in Los Angeles, usage in the four metro papers averaged between 16 and 24 Cox-produced stories a day. During the Los Angeles convention, the metros ran the Cox mainbar as their lead story every day -- a 1,000 percent batting average.

"It is a classic example of how we can stretch our resources, provide solid coverage for our papers and give new opportunities to our good people," said Cox Senior Editor Ron Martin.

Rauscher is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Bethany College and earned an M.A. and Ph.D. in intellectual history from Emory University.

He has been a writer and editor at CNN; senior editor of Southpoint magazine; managing and executive editor of the Daily Report, an American Lawyer Media daily in Atlanta covering law, business and government; national political editor for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution; and now news editor at the Cox Washington Bureau.