Daily Journalist of the Year

John Monk, The State

“Perhaps what’s most impressive about John Monk is not his blockbuster past year of journalism but that this past year is representative of, well, year after year of Monk’s work. He never lets off the gas pedal, working harder and digging deeper than reporters many years his junior. And that’s how he ends up with a 48th career year – nearly 40 of those years in South Carolina –that’s every bit as impressive as his 10th or 20th or any other. …There is no better time, no year more representative of John Monk’s unmatched skill and passion, than now to give this reporter the honor he deserves.”
– Nomination from The State’s editors

John Monk is a legend among S.C. journalists, with his eye-popping scoops and sources like no other. He goes toe-to-toe with public officials and lawyers and is known far and wide for reporting gripping narratives and for taking calls from sources who, in many cases, won’t speak to any other reporter.
He plays his cards close to his chest, respecting his sources and digging until the story is in the editor’s hands — and when he reveals his hand at last, he’s reported a story that South Carolina’s readers often won’t find anywhere else, at least, until other reporters scramble once more to catch up with him. Standout work from the past year include in-depth reports on the ever-unfolding Alex Murdaugh saga, coverage of South Carolinians arrested in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol and courtroom narratives on the trial and sentencing of Nathaniel Rowland who kidnapped and murdered a UofSC student in 2019.
As noted in his nomination, having his byline on a story about you is rarely a good thing. Yet, he is respected by those he covers, as well as his peers in this industry. We applaud Monk for his tenacity and dogged reporting.