SCI print contest winners are named
The 2013 First Triannual Schurz Communications print contest winners have been announced.
Jake Womer from the Hagerstown Herald-Mail and David Snodgress from the Bloomington Herald-Times are the contest coordinators.
Womer said the contest judges were most complimentary of the contest entries.
The winners are:
Watchdog — daily DIVISION
Judge: John L. Beck, executive editor, The News-Gazette , Champaign, IL
First Place: Jon Blau, Bloomington Herald-Times, “A System That Failed”
Judge’s comments: “A chilling, riveting story told in a clear, readable fashion despite its complexity. A disabled person became a victim of the foster-care system that was supposed to protect her, failed by public and private agencies. How many others are in potential jeopardy? Also supplemental materials, more information on the website.”
Second Place: Kim Kilbride, South Bend Tribune, “Are Black Students Singled Out?”
Judge’s comments: “Thorough examination of the issues surrounding the over-representation of black students in special education classes in the South Bend school district. Looks at not only the problem, but also possible solutions. Gives the views of readers from Facebook comments, a nice touch that shows reader engagement. One criticism: There’s no indication in the stories of how many students we’re talking about.”
Honorable Mention: Jeff Natalie-Lees, Aberdeen American News, “Cemetery policy changes draw ire”
Watchdog — weekly DIVISION
Judge: John L. Beck, executive editor, The News-Gazette, Champaign, IL
First Place: Ben Kleppinger, Interior Journal, “Emergency Detour”
Judge’s comments: “Sheds light on what is literally a life and death issue for local readers as 911 calls are not being routed efficiently causing delays in response by emergency personnel. The issue for two county governments is finding enough money to fix the system.”
Second Place: Ben Kleppinger, Interior Journal, “Lincoln schools spend less than average”
Judge’s comments: “Good analysis of data to examine school district administrative costs in relation to other districts.”
Localization
Judge: John L. Beck, executive editor, The News-Gazette, Champaign, IL
First Place: Virginia Black, South Bend Tribune, “Whom to Protect?”
Judge’s comments: “Good piece of enterprise to localize a bill passed in the state legislature that would protect agricultural or industrial operations from unfair attacks on valid business practices. But the story illustrates a local situation that highlights fears of opponents that the bill may muzzle those who would expose possible wrongdoing. Clearly written, lots of sources.”
Second Place: Kaustuv Basu, The Hagerstown MD Herald-Mail, “Remembering a lonesome death and a historic trial”
Judge’s comments: “Revisits a murder trial in Hagerstown that was moved from Baltimore after a white man killed a black woman with a cane. The story made national headlines. Author talks to some of the principals in the trial or their descendants and fashions a readable, interesting story as a local museum prepared to mark the 50th anniversary of the trial. Refers to an online video as well.”
Honorable Mention: Bruce Siwy, Daily American, “The Changing of the Guard”
Best Personality Profile — daily DIVISION
Judge: Dionne N. Lenigan, copy editor, The Oakland Press
First Place: Chelcey Adami, Imperial Valley Press
Judge’s comments: “The access that the reporter had with the Lucio-Castaneda family breathed life into a story that could have been filled with difficult jargon. Reporter showed excellent news judgment and knew when to pull back and let the parents speak in their own words. Reporter did not shy away from going into detail about what the family was feeling; how hard it was going to be to deal with the loss of a child; and how holding it together for their young daughter was physically draining. Lead really helped set the scene.”
Second Place: Dustin Dopirak, The Bloomington, IN Herald-Times
Judge’s comments: “Reporter went deeper than your average story about a pretty well-known athlete. The transitions from quotes to story are excellent, not a single dull moment in a piece that has a lot of heart. The candidness of the sources really adds an extra something. We really learn what the subject is made of. He’s not just a player with good stats, he comes across as likeable and authentic.”
Honorable Mention: Alyssa Choiniere, Somerset, PA Daily American
Profiles — weekly DIVISION
Judge: Joe Pas, copy editor, The Oakland Press
First Place: Kecia Bal, Our Town — Somerset, PA Daily American
Judge’s comments: “The reporter’s Valentine’s Day couples profile was well packaged and well worth the read. If the ultimate goal of a profile is to make the reader glad he or she was introduced to its subjects, then this piece proved a success.
Sense-making — daily DIVISION
Judge: Glenn Gilbert, executive editor, The Oakland Press
First Place: Margaret Fosmoe and Erin Blasko, South Bend Tribune
Judge’s comments: “One of the great mystery stories nationally — how college football player Manti Te’o was duped into an online relationship. The reporters handle this compelling material with meticulous research and a compassionate approach. The main story leaves no unanswered questions and is accompanied by a full, informative chronology. The sidebar on Manti’s father’s comments rounds out the package.”
Second Place: Arnold Platou, The Hagerstown, MD Herald-Mail, “A tale of two houses”
Judge’s comments: “You can have all the facts and figures in the world, but nothing tells a story like human faces. The reporters exhaustively go through case studies to explain that while the foreclosure crisis devastated many, it was the door of opportunity for others.”
Honorable Mention: Kevin Allen, South Bend Tribune
Sense-making — weekly DIVISION
Judge: Andrew Kidd, opinion page editor, The Oakland Press
First Place: Ben Kleppinger, The Interior Journal, Stanford, KY
Judge’s comments: “Detailed reporting gives the average uninformed reader – one who might not be from the area or who could be otherwise apathetic – a snapshot of what effects a new sewer system could have on a community that is apparently in dire need of one. An example given was of an elementary school where dishwashing is impossible because of a potential overload on its package plant (an on-site sewage processing unit) and where students have to consequently use Styrofoam plates for their daily breakfasts and lunches, creating a fiscal and environmental burden. That example is what made this story hit home as to the gravity of the situation.”
Second Place: Ben Kleppinger, The Interior Journal, Stanford, KY
Judge’s comments: “Excellent reporting on an ever-so-touchy subject (additional fees on services) that lets the reader know why additional fees for emergency dispatch services are being imposed (to replace fees on dwindling landline users), what they’re replacing and why it’s important to the average reader.”
Honorable Mention: Kecia Bal, Our Town, Somerset, PA Daily American
BREAKING NEWS STORY
Judge: Tim Ethridge, editor, Evansville (Ind.) Courier & Press
Judge’s note: Difficult to judge as some stories may have stretched the category of breaking news. However, all were on deadline and choices were on best reporting.
First Place: Jon Blau, Bloomington, IN Herald-Times, “Knight draws crowd for book signing”
Judge’s comments: “Bob Knight generally stays as far away from Indiana University as possible since being fired in 2000, so it’s news when he comes back, even if it is to sign books at a Wal-Mart. Blau captured the allegiance of Knight fans while weaving in ways the coach had touched lives when things were good in Btown.”
Second Place: Staff, Imperial Valley Press, arsons in Brawley
Judge’s comments: “A problem that vexed and frightened a community unfolded with plenty of oversight by the local newspapers, including round-the-clock updates with photo galleries, coverage of visits by the ATF, all the way up to the arrests of four teens. Great important-to-the-community journalism.”
Honorable Mention: Jim Meenan, South Bend Tribune, “Families give Marine reservists joyful welcome”
Abby Tonsing, Bloomington, IN Herald-Times, “IU police chief Keith Cash dies after sudden illness”
Dave McMillion, The Herald-Mail of Hagerstown, MD. “One dead in I-70 accident”
DISTINGUISHED SPORTS REPORTING/WRITING
Judge: Tim Ethridge, editor, Evansville (Ind.) Courier & Press.
First Place: Dustin Dopirak, Bloomington, IN Herald-Times, “Derek being Derek”
Judge’s comments: “It’s easy to write about the big stars on a team, but over the course of the season comes the time to introduce readers to the lesser lights. With Derek Elson, Dopirak got the job done by using multiple voices to explain his approach to the game and to life. ‘Goofy … in a good way,’ said his head coach.”
Second Place: Bob Parasiliti, The Herald-Mail of Hagerstown, MD. “No greater victory”.
Judge’s comments: “For a high school athlete, an injury that keeps them from playing seems like the end of the world. Aaron Miller missed out on all of football season and most of basketball not with a bad ankle, but with potentially fatal leukemia. Bob Parasiliti tells his story with grace and in detail, and with the help of some first-class photography. It was well-worth the space provided to tell the story of a young man being “Aaronstrong.”
Honorable Mentions: Michael Dukes, Imperial Valley Press, El Centro, CA. “Special needs.”
Al Lesar, South Bend Tribune, lacrosse amputee
Tom Noie, South Bend Tribune, “Father knows best.”
Mike Miller, Bloomington, IN Herald-Times: Tyra Buss can’t stop.”
BEST COMMENTARY
Judge: Mark Ridolfi, editorial page editor, Quad-City Times, Davenport, IA.
First Place: Chris Benninghoff, South Bend Tribune
Judge’s comments: “The concept, execution and particularly, writing, elevate this fine effort.
Chris’ thoughtful editorial followed a wonderfully vibrant community conversation she hosted on Tribune pages. Readers and key community sources offered passionate observations and experiences that informed and engaged readers.
It didn’t bully them.
This is such a hot topic on opinion print and web pages, inviting polarizing and condemning viewpoints at a time when collaborative discussion is needed. Chris’ concept elevated the topic with provocative observations from key sources: A cop shot on duty; mental health professionals, an entire family!
Design isn’t part of this contest, but the ample breakouts highlighted the fine writing and pulled readers in.
By the time the Tribune weighed in, readers had plenty of context. The editorial clearly was pegged to Sandy Hook. But Chris smartly recounted the past month of local gun violence stories, to prove that this discussion isn’t just about international tragedies. It’s about daily crime in South Bend.
Those daily tragedies can only be resolved with the kind of vibrant community discussion that Chris created on Tribune pages.
‘We have found much more common sense and responsibility among our readers,’ Chris wrote.
That claim might be dismissed a local cheerleading, if not for the flood of informed reader commentary that preceded it.
First-rate civic engagement and commentary from the South Bend Tribune.”
Second Place: Richard Brown, Imperial Valley Press, El Centro, CA.
Judge’s comments: “Brown’s take on Paul Harvey’s ‘God Created a Farmer’ monologue offered a timely, edgy reflection on American agriculture. Brown didn’t skewer Harvey, an easy target. Instead, he built on Harvey’s tone and texture to expand his argument on behalf of America’s unsung ag heroes: ‘… a man and woman who will surely suffer the same cracked and cragged hands, the same debilitating back pain, the same sleep deprivation as the farmer, yet with one of the monetary payoff that comes with it.’ Compassionate. Evocative. Definitive. Something for readers to chew on.”
Most Compelling Design of Page 1
Judge: Steve Shirk, managing editor, The Kansas City Star
First Place: Stewart Moon and Penny Reid, The Bloomington, IN Herald-Times.
Judge’s comments: “Two very differently designed covers. That’s not a bad thing. Both hit the right tone for their content. ‘A system that failed’ is a compelling package. One nit: ‘The stage is set’ design contains many helpful parts. But way too many things are layered on the photograph.
First Place: Mondell Keck and Joe Johnson, Aberdeen, SD American News.
Judge’s comments: “Nice coverage of the snowstorm. The breakout information across the top of the page and the snow totals box offered you audience one-stop reading on the big event. The other front page looked like it came from a totally different template. It was at least one device too many. The refer bar across the middle of the page was disruptive.”
Digital Success Story
Judge: Tim Kelley, digital media manager, Wisconsin State Journal
First Place: The Bloomington, IN Herald Times, Sarah Morin, Todd Davidson and Shaylan Owen
Judge’s comments: “Btown Now is a vibrant mobile app that engages its users with frequent updates and content targeted to people on the go. It also connects mobile users to the sources of its credible information by featuring tweets and comments by HT staff. Category content focused on entertainment, restaurants and sports among others shows that HT editors understand what is most useful and compelling to their mobile audience. All in all, the app is a model for how a traditional news organization can apply limited resources to deliver real-time updates on mobile platforms to consumers who find great value in frequently refreshed local content.”
Second Place: Aberdeen, SD American News, Carrie Cole and Will Elkins
Judge’s comments: “The American News’ investment in multimedia reporting tools shows how traditional news organizations can transform to multiplatform journalism with effective training, a modest investment and a clear mission. The iPad mini represents an inexpensive yet underutilized tool that offers mobile journalists a full suite of video, audio, text and social media software. The increase in video volume alone — from 35 to 110 videos for the same period year over year — shows how providing effective tools can increase productivity, grow audience engagement and create revenue opportunities.”
Photography winners
Winners in the 2013 first triannual Schurz Communications photography contest have been named.
Judging the contest was Mike Vosburg from the Fargo, ND Forum
Winners were:
News and Feature
First – Yvette May, Hagerstown Herald-Mail: Barn Fire
Second – Robert Franklin, South Bend Tribune: Blossomtime
HM – Ric Dugan, Hagerstown herald-Mail: Fence Accident
HM – Mike Hartman, South Bend Tribune: Plane Crash
Sports
First – James Brosher, South Bend Tribune: Trampled
Second – Robert Franklin, South Bend Tribune: Pole Vault
Multimedia
First – Santiago Flores, South Bend Tribune: Plane Crash
Second – Celeste Alvarez, Imperial Valley Press: Messiah
HM – David Snodgress, Bloomington Herald-Times, Mardi Gras
The post First Triannual Contest for 2013 appeared first on Schurz Communications Inc..