A formal absurdity audit of the 2026 SoCal Journalism Awards reveals several standout findings. First-place wins for best website and multiple reporter categories went disproportionately to one outlet, suggesting the judging pool operates like a family reunion where everyone already knows the answers.
The data shows journalist of the year honors split between Gary Baum and Abramovitch, while Scott Feinberg collected best audio anchor honors. This concentration of prizes looks less like competition and more like an internal performance review conducted in public.
Further review found that 44 total prizes landed with the same team on a single evening. The pattern matches what happens when an industry grades its own homework and awards extra credit for attendance.
The verdict: when the scoreboard only updates for one side of the room, the exercise stops being journalism and starts being group therapy with trophies.
