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March 31, 2006
The judges have spoken
What readers think of us matters the most, but in a profession known for hard work, weird hours and low pay, peer recognition makes a difference. Journalism awards matter, too.
It probably seems shamelessly self-serving to some readers when we report the results of newspaper contests in the Monitor. If you’re one of those readers, you might want to stop reading this blog entry right now. My purpose is to elaborate on a few recent awards won by Monitor news staffers.
Last November, for the second year in a row, a Monitor staffer was chosen as the Community Reporter of the Year by the New England Society of Newspaper Editors. This is the top local reporting award in the region, and only one is given each year. The winner is chosen on the basis of a portfolio of work.
The winner for 2005 was Eric Moskowitz; he succeeded 2004 winner Annmarie Timmins. We have yet to decide which reporter we will enter when the 2006 contest deadline arrives this summer, but we’ll definitely be going for the three-peat.
Possibly you saw the report in today’s paper that a story by Monitor Sports Editor Sandy Smith was judged the best sports feature in the nation in 2005 for a newspaper under 40,000 circulation. This was Smith’s poignant account of how a dying fan, Bill Goldsmith, inspired the Concord High girls’ softball team to win the 2005 state championship.
Two weeks ago, several Monitor staffers went to Boston for the annual luncheon of the New England Newspaper Association. The organization’s most coveted individual prizes are known as Public Occurances Awards, named after the first multi-sheet newspaper in America (published in 1690, when both "public" and "occurrences" were apparently spelled differently).
In both reporting and photography, the judges, a panel of Nieman Fellows from Harvard University, award up to a dozen prizes for the best journalism in New England during the previous year. Newspapers of all sizes compete with one another, from metros to weeklies.
This year, the Monitor won a Public Occurances Award in each category. Reporter Joelle Farrell won a reporting award for chronicling the death of Beverly Leo, Concord's former longtime SPCA director. Lori Duff, who worked with Farrell on that project, also represented the photo staff at the luncheon and picked up the Public Occurances Award for our Monday photo feature, “Teen life.”
“Teen life” also won an award of excellence for our photo staff in a national content known as Pictures of the Year International.
There was even better news out of this contest, which is sponsored by the University of Missouri. Dan Habib, our photo editor, was judged best in the nation at photo editing for newspapers under 100,000 circulation. The Monitor’s use of photographs finished second best nationally.
The National Society of News Design also gave its prizes this month, and the Monitor won four awards of excellence. Those named as honorees were Habib, Duff and Preston Gannaway from the photo staff, artist Charlotte Thibault and page designer Vanessa Valdes.
I’m proud of these award winners. It is especially gratifying to see the Monitor recognized in all phases of journalism: reporting, photography, editing and design. The Monitor is small – just over 20,000 circulation daily, 21,000 on Sunday – but we think big. And we never rest on our laurels. Just as readers judge us on a daily basis, contest judges next year won’t care - or even know - what we won this year.
Posted by Mike Pride at March 31, 2006 04:02 PM
Comments
When I read your first paragraph, I thought I was beginning a conversation with a Concord teacher.
The Monitor (no italics available) has been an award-winning paper for a long, long time. I believe Ken Williams has been around long enough that he received an Opus Dei award for his photograph of the Last Supper. And I've been around long enough to have carried a paper route when the paper sold for 2 cents. That may have been the origin of the expression, "Putting in your 2-cents worth."
I've been especially impressed with the photography over the years. I also recall Monitor staff like Tom Gerber and Ruel Colby. Were you aware that the guy who started the Friendly Restaurants was once a Monitor paperboy? I can't verify that from personal knowledge, but I can verify that my daughter, Jennifer, broke a gender barrier at the Monitor by becoming the first girl to have a paper route.
The Monitor staff has held my attention, and, occasional editorial positions and the whole editorial idea notwithstanding, it is the first part of my day everyday. I read it twice, once for spelling and punctuation and once for content. On occasion, I've felt that some staff might appreciate a visit to the Jack Lynch web site, but that thought doesn't detract from their accomplishments.
You shouldn't hesitate to make the prize-winning information available. It's important. It adds to a reader's grasp of the credibility of what's being read.
John Stohrer
Posted by: John Stohrer at April 1, 2006 09:02 PM
I agree with Mr. Stohrer's last statement. Toot your collective horns loud and clear.
I've been a journalist for almost 30 years, and I've got a wall full of awards next to me as I write this.
Journalism is often thankless work, both inside and outside the newsroom. Advising everyone of your awards boosts morale -- and credibility.
You guys may be small, but I'll tell you this: The Monitor is the only paper in the state that I read online almost every day here in South Florida. And I've had it mailed to me twice for a total of about a year.
Keep up the great work.
Terry Sheridan
Posted by: Terry Sheridan at April 2, 2006 09:27 AM
Limelight the outstanding achievements of those individuals who worked hard at weird hours for low pay is a wonderful thing to do.
Posted by: fullert at April 3, 2006 10:05 AM