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2007 newspaper contest resultsNews reporting: Growth | Immigration | Environment | Spot | General | Explanatory | Project | Investigative | Business | SportsFeature writing: Short | Long Columns: General Interest | Special Topic Editorial: Writing | Cartooning Copy editing: Headline Writing Photography: News | Feature | Sports Art and design: Graphics | Illustrations | Page Design GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT REPORTING First Place: "Portfolio of
land-use coverage," by Laura Oppenheimer, The Oregonian This body of work, across a
year's time, really made me say, "Wow!" It's deep and
it's broad. The quality of the data, analysis and anecdotal
reporting is exemplary. There's a richness to these stories
and this entire body of work that is extraordinary. Laura Oppenheimer
is to be congratulated for presenting such a complex topic in such an
engaging, informative way. Second place:
"Truth Be Tolled" by Chuck Plunkett and Jeff Leib, The Denver Post This three-part series is a
local story with national impact. The exposure of the quid-pro-quo
nature of toll-road consultants and developers should get everyone's
attention. The Post paints a clear picture of overly rosy projections
that consistently fall short of expectations and follows that through
by talking to participants in every link of the chain. Really
good work. Third place:
"Farming on the Edge" by John Krist, Ventura County Star This deep-dive work by John
Krist and the Star vividly shows the challenges, opportunities and stakes
involved in the agriculture business in Ventura County. Some of
the angles were unexpected and some were familiar. But all were
reported out thoroughly and captured with crisp, brisk writing that
was rich in detail and context. Taking this on and sustaining it through
the year could not have been easy. But it was well worth the effort. Judged by Dave Wilson, managing editor/news for The Miami Herald. 37 entries. IMMIGRATION AND MINORITY AFFAIRS REPORTING First place: "The border within," by Laura Frank, Burt Hubbard, Barry Gutierrez, Rocky Mountain NewsThe five-part series was well-written, well-packaged and well-researched. The paper not only found the numbers necessary, but put a human face on its examination of the fairness of the system that deals with illegal immigrants. The paper's year-long investigation found that many criminal immigrants often go free because of the lack of detention beds. The paper found many examples of immigrants who committed crimes that should have gotten them deported, but didn't and they went on to commit worse crimes - ranging from sex assault to murder. Conversely, the paper found, half of those deported had no criminal record. Second place: "Return to Guatemala," by Esmeralda Bermudez, The Oregonian A very compelling story. Very effective and crisp writing. Beautiful storytelling piece that flows easily and succeeds in staying away from stereotypes and generalizations. Third place: "Illegal Labor Fix," Brady McCombs and Tom Stauffer, The Arizona Daily Star A very relevant and concrete topic. Good reporting and good presentation. Succeeds in localizing a national debate of illegal labor and immigration. Proper sourcing and better writing. Successful use of visuals. Judged by staff members of Al Dia, Dallas, Texas: Gilbert Bailon, publisher and editor; Alfredo Carbajal, managing editor; Ana Barrera, deputy editor state desk; Julian Resendiz, deputy locale editor; Carolina Martinez, Librarian; Vanesa (cq) Salinas, education reporter; Lorena Flores, entertainment reporter. 55 entries. ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES REPORTING First place: "Our Warmer World," by staff of The Oregonian In a year when many news organizations
produced outstanding series and special reports on climate change, The
Oregonian's reporting stands out, both for its comprehensiveness in
describing the range of impacts and for its focus on how Oregon is being
or could be affected. The paper's occasional series
throughout the year examined the glacial melt on Mount Hood, the state's
iconic peak, followed by a report on how warming sea temperatures worsen
coastal storms. It broadened the picture by reporting how Oregon suffers
from emissions across the Pacific in China, then gave readers information
they could use by describing how every Oregonian contributes to -
and can reduce his or her contribution to - the greenhouse gases changing
the planet's climate. The paper fleshed out the issue
even more with a feature on the climate record revealed in Oregon Caves
and ended the year with a sobering report on how warming temperatures
are transforming Oregon's vaunted wine industry and contributing to
destructive flooding and erosion. On a story so rich and so vast, it's
easy to get sidetracked and lose focus. In this case the writing was
clear, the information compelling throughout. Second place (tie): "Rivers Pushed to the Brink," by Shaun McKinnon, The Arizona Republic, and "Tempting Fate" by staff
of The Sacramento Bee These two papers performed
vital public services for their communities by reporting on that resource
that so defines the West: water - its scarcity, in Arizona's case,
and its destructive surges for the Sacramento area. The Republic's
seven-day series was a clarion call to action as it outlined how its
major rivers are threatened by human activities, as growing demands
for water to drink, farm and mine drain the natural systems that drew
people there in the first place. The Bee's ongoing series,
a continuation of reporting begun in 2005 on the heels of Katrina's
devastation of New Orleans, hammered home to readers the inadequacy
of the area's flood-control levees and the inability of the region's
leaders to provide the funding necessary to upgrade them. It also exposed
the shoddiness of plans to evacuate the elderly and disabled in the
event of a catastrophic flood. Third Place: "Fire," by Tom Knudson of The Sacramento Bee.
In an issue rife with contention,
Knudson steers between the rhetorical poles to report how the costs
of fighting wildfires keep soaring, undermining efforts to prevent or
minimize damage from future fires and to restore burned-over forests.
This reporting reminds that the region's forests continue to suffer
as policymakers and the public fail to come to grips with the problem. Judged by Tim Wheeler, growth
reporter for The Baltimore Sun and president of the Society of Environmental
Journalists. 50 entries.
First Place: The Seattle
Times for "Jewish Federation shootings" At 4 p.m. on July 28, 2006,
a Friday, a man breached the tight security at the Jewish Federation
of Greater Seattle, announced that he was a Muslim who hated Israel
and opened fire with a semiautomatic handgun, killing one woman and
wounding four others. The next day, readers of the Seattle Times had
a full description of the tragic events, complete with eyewitness accounts,
a detailed profile of the gunman and an explanation of how the incident
raised concerns about religious tensions already fraying nerves around
the globe. This was a tour de force of
deadline reporting, the work of a staff that rallied at a moment when
its work week had been just about to end. The writing was concise, clean
and fact-filled, and all of the components of the end product were so
polished, it would be easy to guess that The Times had had days to prepare
it. Second Place: The San Francisco
Chronicle for "The Kim Family Tragedy" With a slowly unfolding drama
like the plight of James Kim and his family, who were stranded on a
snowed-in mountain road in Oregon last winter, it's easy to overdo the
coverage once there is a resolution. But the San Francisco Chronicle,
led by the moving yet economical writing of Peter Fimrite, struck just
the right notes the day after the discovery of Kim's body ended all
hope of a completely happy ending. The Chronicle, like every other
news organization covering the family's plight, had plenty of time to
prepare for all of the possible outcomes of the story. But it was what
the paper did with the last-minute revelations that mattered. A simple
but telling satellite image depicted the heartbreaking, circuitous route
Kim took as he desperately sought to save his wife and children. Fimrite's
description of the same odyssey was compelling. And Jason Van Derbeken's
story about the helicopter pilot whose hunch saved the lives of Kim's
wife and children succeeded both in illuminating the heroics of the
pilot and explaining, from that local expert's vantage point, how the
family got into such a bind in the first place. This was first-rate
work. Third Place: The Sacramento
Bee for "Heat Wave" Three elderly, poor men dying
in a heat wave might be handled with a few paragraphs in many newspapers'
next-day weather stories. But when it happened in Sacramento last July,
a team of Sacramento Bee reporters took the time to find out who the
men were and how they and the friends they left behind suffered when
the mercury soared. This was not an all-hands-on-deck,
cram-the-paper-with-sidebars effort. It was a single weather story with
a heart that told readers what they needed to know about the weather
while also illuminating the lives of real people who suffered because
of it. There even was a fairly detailed accounting of local laws and
how the city regulates the kind of "residential hotels" where
the men died. To have fit all of that into one piece and to have woven
it together so skillfully was some feat, second only to giving the term
"weather story" a good name. Judged by Tom McGinty,
reporter for New York Newsday and former training editor for Investigative Reporters and Editors. 68 entries. First place, "Nursing
aide in rape case fired," by Vanessa Ho, Seattle Post-Intelligencer Very strong original reporting
on failures by both the state Health Department and several hospitals.
The reporter's relentless digging illuminates an astounding array of
errors in judgment or accountability, dropped balls, and systemic fault
lines. Second place: "Governor
in the jet-lease business," by Andrew McIntosh, The Sacramento Bee Fascinating look at Schwarzenegger's
jet purchase and lease-back investment. The reporter brings exceptionally
clear writing to a complicated topic, and his reporting directly confronts
Schwarzenegger's assertion during the campaign that he had no investments
that involved tax shelters. The specifics of the Schwarzenegger
deal appear to protect his company from financial risk on the investment,
raising at a minimum the possibility that he has benefited from almost
a decade of favorable treatment not envisioned by tax law. Third place: (tie) "The secretive world of Sonics owners" by Jim Brunner, The Seattle Times This may be a slightly unconventional
choice, since there are no victims, no wrongdoing, no bureaucracy run
amok. But the volume of original reporting is prodigious, in an arena
not easily cracked. And in any major city, unearthing the names of this
many movers and shakers, along with their fascinating networks, is bound
to produce a big talker. Third place: (tie): "Dealing
in Death," by Kara Platoni, East Bay Express. Richly detailed story that does a very smooth job of blending the national and regulatory landscape with personal stories that give real animation to fairly familiar territory. Clear, confident writing. Judged by Helen Donovan, executive editor of The Boston Globe. 84 entries. First place: "Frank's Fight,"
by Mark Emmons, San Jose Mercury News This was an extraordinarily
intimate view of one man's struggle to recover from brain injuries suffered
in Iraq. The remarkable access the reporter was given allowed readers
to see what we can barely imagine: the agonizing battle so many soldiers
must carry on once they come home. Vivid detail, the keen insight into
the painful, unseen side of war, and graceful writing make this a compelling
package. Second place (tie):
"The Long Shadow of 9/11," by A.D. Hopkins, Alan Maimon, Margaret Mille and Joan Whitely, Las Vegas Review-Journal. At first, outsiders might laugh
to think 'Vegas is a terrorism target. This package of stories shows
in concrete terms why the threat is very real and what officials are
doing about it. I was particularly struck with the breadth of the reporting
and the focus on the obvious shortcomings in anti-terrorism planning,
particularly the secrecy that is keeping even local law enforcement
people in the dark. The package also nicely captured the human dimensions
of 9/11's aftermath. Third place: "The Great Quake, 1906-2006," by Carl Nolte, San Francisco Chronicle Newspapers rarely tackle history
in any depth. This entry is a wonderful exception, as it so ably puts
the reader in the midst of a disaster that marked the dividing line
between old and new San Francisco. Whether a life-long resident, a newcomer
or a visitor, anyone who reads this will gain a new appreciation for
the unique character and spirit of San Francisco. And Nolte's warning
to the modern city was sobering. Terrific writing and an impressive
array of contemporaneous sources made this package hard to put down. Judged by Jim Carroll, Washington
Bureau Chief, Louisville Courier Journal. 59 entries. First place: "Tainted Trials,
Stolen Justice," Fredric N. Tulsky, San Jose Mercury News This series is extremely disturbing - and inspires anger in a government system that focuses on statistics
instead of what's right and wrong. The Mercury News team's incredible
job puts a fresh spin on "public service". It tackles arrogance,
laziness and pure malfeasance. The writing is compelling,
the reporting fascinating. It's almost unfathomable that these miscarriages
of justice could continue for such a long time. Congratulations for
righting wrongs, restoring faith in justice and having the courage to
do so. Excellent! Second Place: "Sexually Violent
Predators," Sam Stanton and Mareva Brown, The Sacramento Bee The Sacramento Bee's three-part
special report is top-notch watchdog journalism that should make readers
proud to have the Bee as their newspaper. The report offers a compelling
look at sexual predators and the toughest-in-the-nation laws that are
supposed to keep them away from the community - but don't. This
issue of public safety is alarming, and the Bee team's painstaking
efforts paid off. The sourcing is excellent: the voices of predators,
victims and officials provide a comprehensive look at the all the "players"
in the system. Well done on a outstanding
effort that explains, educates and is just plain very well done in every
respect. Third Place: "Diary of a
Sex Slave," Meredith May, San Francisco Chronicle The Chronicle used its platform
to inspire change, and it did so via human perspective, attention to
detail and outstanding effort. The package is compelling in every respect. This international effort is
told via dramatic narrative that takes readers on a harrowing journey,
yet the reporting never loses its perspective. The writing is outstanding,
the detail rich, the impact dramatic. Congratulations on changing what
needed to be changed. Judged by Stuart Shinske, executive
editor of the Poughkeepsie (N.Y.) Journal. 48 entries. First place: "License To Harm," Michael J. Berens, Julia Sommerfeld and Carol Ostrom, The Seattle Times An utterly compelling and somewhat
disturbing look at doctors and failures in the system that is supposed
to police them. Incredible in-depth work with real people and deep public
service/investigative reporting. Reporters delved into records to build
information bases that didn't even exist. Stunning work. Second place: "Your Courts, Their Secrets," Ken Armstrong, Justin Mayo and Steve Miletich, The Seattle Times This is the sort of investigative
series that should be done by every newspaper. The newspaper reveals
how judges sealed cases that should have been known to the public, creating
a plethora of hidden problems that could not be addressed. Great work
by the reporting staff in fighting to open cases that were questionably
sealed. Third place (tie) "The
DA Who Ignored Ethics," Christopher Collings, Merced (Calif.) Sun-Star A very good read throughout.
It's almost entertaining to see this District Attorney get what's
been coming to him via strong investigative reporting. How did the man
get away so much for so long? Third place (tie) "High School
Recruiting Scandal," Christine Willmsen and Michael Ko, The Seattle Times Another story that could be
done on some scale by every newspaper in every community. While it may
seem like a minor matter, the way local teams build their squads is
an emotional issue in many communities. These reporters showed some
courage and dug deep into the local sports culture, writing compelling
stories that examined the processes as only a local newspaper could. Judged by Rick Jensen, publisher, and Greg Bassett, executive editor, both of The Daily Times in Salisbury, Md. 43 entries.
First place: "Tough
Rooster, Tender Tale," Larry Bingham, The Oregonian Judges commented that the story took readers to the tiny town of Scio to meet one tough rooster and showed how a fine writer can bring poetry to a rooster's obit. It was a clever choice of subject, beautifully written, witty and light touch, not something you typically read. It brought the town to life. The details took you right there. It is a classic case of how to make a feature out of an item that could easily have been overlooked. Funny and insightful but not over written. Wonderful rhythm to the writing. The writer puts to excellent use his reporter's eye for details and quotes that work. Second place: "The Designer Jean Pool," Lisa Heyamoto,
The Sacramento Bee Judges said that a story on
designer jeans was one that as readers they might have glossed over
but the quality of the writing drew them in and made them want to read
every word. "I couldn't put it down," said one judge. Judges
commented on the artful turns of phrase and use of quotes. Judges also
praised the article for the quality of the reporting, noting that it
offered a lot of useful information. The reporter raised what could
have been just another fashion/consumer service article to another level
through her eye for vivid detail and her ability to weave it all together. Third place: "What
the (Bleep)?" by Sam McManis, The Sacramento Bee Judges agreed that it's not
easy to bring anything fresh to the table when reporting on the much
publicized Howard Stern. But McManis deftly uses humor and anecdote
to give readers a surprisingly insightful view of the longtime shock
jock after the debut of his satellite radio show. Judges also noted
that this probably was an assignment that involved a fast turnaround
and yet was well crafted and a good read. First place: "Wake
for an Indian Warrior," Jim Sheeler, Rocky Mountain News One of the staples of daily
journalism is the funeral story. It is both unavoidable and fraught
with the peril of monotony and the maudlin, precisely due to its often
predictably wrenching essence. Jim Sheeler masterfully avoided
the pitfalls with his two-part account of the nearly five days of honors,
and year of mourning, for Cpl. Brett Lundstrom, 22, the first Oglala
Sioux killed in the Iraq War. From the initial trek home to poverty-stricken
Kyle, S.D, to final burial at Fort Logan National Cemetery on the Pine
Ridge Reservation, he melds a family's tragedy and a community's sorrow
into an engrossing window onto a Native American subculture. It's a tale operating on
several levels, including that of a people who boast a high participation
rate in our armed forces despite a history of being treated poorly by
the same federal government. Sheeler exhibits a fine eye and ear for
the specifics and the rhythms of Lundstrom's return odyssey, be it the
tributes heard on car radios, the Navy veteran hitchhiking 100 miles
with a handmade quilt to be there and, finally, the brother, also serving
in Iraq, who shares a beer at the grave with his fallen sibling. His structure and pacing are
first-rate and contribute to the epic quality of an effort which ends
with the richly ironic disclosure that, "In the Lakota language,
there is no word for 'goodbye.'" Regardless, this is a classic
tale of farewell. Second Place: "What You Don't
Know About Deep Throat," Joan Ryan, San Francisco Chronicle Magazine Even the most obsessive chronicler
of Watergate and Richard Nixon would concede the novelty of the revelations
Ryan lays out in the distinctly private life of an American icon, Deep
Throat, namely former FBI official Mark Felt. Long after confirmation of
his role as the most legendary unidentified source in journalism, Ryan
unveils Mark Felt, father and patriarch of a family split apart by typical
1960s and 1970s cultural forces. In particular, there was the rocky
relationship with his daughter, Joan, who became immersed in the same
counterculture that despised an establishment personified by the FBI,
rancorously ending contact with her parents. It is ultimately a saga about
Felt's deep sense of loyalty both to the values of his government
and to his own family, and how they led him to talk covertly to Bob
Woodward and, decades later, to craft a reconciliation with the daughter. Ryan's profile is a testament
to strong writing, a solid structure and superior pacing, a tale of
pain and redemption. When the daughter needed to be saved, as she writes,
the father was there. When his health deteriorated, she came to save
him. The fact that Felt will be an important footnote in political history
is really ancillary to this piece. If he was a union carpenter or a
school bus driver, the dynamic Ryan lays out would be no less compelling.
This was just a smart idea for a story. Third Place: "The Next One:
Reimagining 1906," Matthew B. Stannard, San Francisco Chronicle Speculating on the impact today
of a repeat of the 1906 earthquake that destroyed San Francisco ran
the risk of a fairly dry, if hyperbolic, recitation of expert musings.
In the hands of Stannard, they became a truly engaging, almost cinematic,
immersion into the complexity of a potential disaster in a modern metropolis.
And at the heart is an admirable depth of reporting. Nearly every key facet of life
is touched as he makes the case for a catastrophic, if distinctly uneven,
set of consequences to the physical and social structures of a large
area. Rising water tables, breaking concrete, massive fires, falling
high rises, destroyed hospitals, the awful smell of natural gas, chaos
among first responders, the fears of children and the elderly are all
there, with rich details on the horrific early hours of a disaster and
the daunting subsequent challenge to rebuild a broken world. It's a primer on engineering
and technology but a thoughtful foray into human emotions and how we
might well react and, in the end, even impressively respond if the not-so-unthinkable
does play out. Judged by James C. Warren,
managing editor/features for the Chicago Tribune. 162 entries. BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL REPORTING First place: "The
Gospel of Prosperity," Eric Gorski, The Denver Post A great example of watchdog
journalism and follow the money story. Gorski's piece shines a light
on a morally suspect side of the Heritage Christian Center. Thorough
reporting and extremely well-sourced. Second place:
"In the Dark," Steve McMillan and David Olinger, The Denver Post McMillan and Olinger managed
to piece together a detailed and well-written tale without the cooperation
from the story's main subject - Excel Energy. Well done and fascinating.
A compelling read. Who can forget the quote from the elderly consumer
who felt the chill in her artificial joints. Third place: "What
do they know about you?" Elise Ackerman, San Jose Mercury
News With identity theft concerns growing daily, Ackerman provides an illuminating - and sometimes chilling - look into some surprising ways that the public's privacy could be compromised by its most trusted Internet portals. Fascinating read for all of us who can't understand the technology we use every day. Judged by Eileen Ambrose, Baltimore Sun personal-finance columnist, plus Sun business reporters Allison Connolly, Paul Adams, Andrea Walker, Hanah Cho and Tricia Bishop. 90 entries. First place:
"D-Back Admits Steroid Use," Craig Harris, Joseph A. Reaves and Nick Piecoro, The Arizona Republic During a time of great cynicism
and a lack of accountability, the Republic's breaking of the IRS raid
of Arizona pitcher Jason Grimsley was an excellent reminder of our mission
as journalists, even if it appears that the public does not seem at
first to care. The Grimsley story was proof
that steroid use was not merely confined to BALCO and the San Francisco
Bay area and was one of the first stories to reveal the diverse law
enforcement agencies that are involved in the steroid probe. In 2007, the new steroid allegations
surrounding baseball player Gary Matthews, Jr. stem from an FBI raid
of the Florida "wellness clinic" first revealed in the documents
detailing the Grimsley raid, documents first uncovered in 2006 by the
Republic in this story. It is this type of good reporting,
buttressed by federal documents, that continue to dissolve the hollow
denials of drug use by professional athletes and erode their ability
to mislead the public. Second place:
"Round Two," Bill Briggs, The Denver Post There were many stories in
this year's entries about the tragic price of playing sports - so many,
in fact that was difficult to differentiate one tragedy over another.
What was different about Bill Briggs' story of the two men bonded by
a sparring accident nearly two and a half decades ago was that these
men were not professional athletes at all, yet were drawn for different
reasons to the most vicious of all sports and paid an eternal price
for it. Even more evocative in the
story was how in the face of the real-life consequences - one
of the men is brain-damaged, the other sobered by the violence once
so attractive - the macho impulses that are such a part of the sporting
culture diminished, replaced by something more human, and much more
valuable than the adrenaline rush of hurting another person or avenging
perceived inadequacies. In the writing was a story
of a man softening, realizing that throwing a punch may not be so much
fun, after all. Third place:
"Athlete leaves a legacy of sadness," Matt James, The Fresno Bee As much as I was taken by the
Denver Post second-place entry for its humanity, the story of Brian
Martin by the Fresno Bee was equally moving for forcing a family to
confront the myths and reality of football, a sport they loved, through
the lens of the addiction and ultimate death of a loved one. The brilliance of the story
came less from what was said about Martin, but from the questions about
sport and its meanings his life symbolized. The poignancy of the story
was in how even in the aftermath of a tragic death the powerful tenets
of the football culture are hard, if not impossible to reject completely,
even if the family believes that it was football that killed their child.
Doing so might force them to revisit their own complicity, inflation
of a seductive but perilous culture. These are the types of stories
I like, where larger concepts that aren't implicitly discussed still
permeate the writing. Judged by Howard Bryant, sports
writer, The Washington Post. 75 entries. GENERAL INTEREST COLUMN
WRITING First place: Joel Connelly, Seattle Post-Intelligenger Second Place: John Dougherty, Phoenix New Times One reading of his column proves a view of long standing by Arizona's more mainstream editors: John Dougherty is a goddamn troublemaker. And the makers of trouble are usually the men and women filled with a finely tuned sense of righteous indignation. He brought his ire along with him on three columns, detailing the impending assault on an Arizona park, the astonishing neglect of a Native American tribe by two feuding agencies that are supposed to provide electricity, and a pernicious fiction tossed into the public domain by a convicted scam artist working in league with two immigrant-bashing groups. Thoroughly researched and persuasively written, Dougherty's columns are great answers to a question as old as Plato: "Who shall guard the guardians?" In Arizona, from all indications, it's John Dougherty of the Phoenix New Times. Third Place: Nikki Finke, LA Weekly Judged by Dennis Roddy, columnist, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 83 entries. First place: Lance Dickie, The Seattle Times Dickie's series of columns
are a great example of pieces where a writer educates readers while
also offering them sharp images of a land they likely have not visited;
in this case Korea. Dickie is adept at providing
the historical context readers need, without delving into textbook-style
recounts of a foreign land. The writing is sharp and nicely weaves opinion
into passages that also show Dickie clearly use his time in Korea well,
gauging the impressions of average people, as well as leaders. That the series of columns
is about a country not often addressed by columnists is an added bonus
to the work. Second place: Wine columns by Mike Dunne, The Sacramento Bee Clearly written, in a style
that is inviting yet deeply explanatory, Dunne understands his subject
area, yet also realizes that readers may not. His style is very straight
forward, a blessing in a day when some columnists think the more phrases
the better. He brings a newsy edge to
his writing, placing his comments into a perspective that lets readers
know why they should care about his opinions. Third place: Erin Neff, Las Vegas Review-Journal Neff doesn't dance around her
opinions. She begins the name-calling early in her columns, but it doesn't
come across as especially mean-spirited, a real talent when words like
political hacks and flunkies are used. The main reason is the pieces also give much context, providing background for the terms chosen. Neff also brings a knowledge of history into her pieces, giving the reader a broader understanding of the issue and therefore, her stance. She also reports well, a good thing to find in columns these days when so many writers simply pontificate. Judged by Mary Sanchez, columnist,
Kansas City Star. 89 entries. First place: Rob Mackay, Seattle Post-Intelligencer Rob's headlines have a crispness
that is inviting to readers, as well as being informative. His heds
have both clarity, as well as a creative style. His headline on the article
about Airbus' unusual stand-up seats is a good example of Rob's
skill. Nearly a half dozen other headlines writers in this contest took
a crack at the hed for this article, but none equaled Rob's well crafted
approach in a very difficult word count: "Will you stand for less
room on flights?" He resists the temptation that
confronts headline writers everywhere: Do I go for the cheap play on
words? Rob doesn't, but his headlines certainly are not dull. A reporter
at his newspaper surely is grateful to have Rob working on the headline
on his or her article. Second place: Chris West,
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Those headline writers who
seem incapable of crafting a headline without "stealing" a reporter's
lede should examine Chris' work to see how it can be done - and be done well. You won't find any lede stealing
there. Chris' headlines have a welcome freshness to them. Yet, the
headlines go right to the heart of the stories - such as a "This could
be the start of something big" (on a story about the "granddaddy"
of all tyrannosaurs), and his "Rainfall record taken by storm" (on
the wettest month in local history). Third place: Michael Kleckner,
The Oregonian Like all skillful headline
writers, Michael makes the best of the word count he is given by the
page designers. His headline on the jail cell
communication network reached out and grabbed busy readers with an inviting,
clever use of the "potty mouths (and ears)" phrasing. The more difficult word count
on the story about the election aftermath was well executed, too:
"Oregon's
so blue, GOP isn't sure what to do". His hed on the feature piece
about the stressful year-end holidays captured the hectic theme of the
story. And the difficult count on the profile of professional oddball
"Dingo Dizmal" was a well crafted, yet playful, "This clown flies
high freak flag high". Judged by Randy Evans, assistant managing editor, Des Moines Register. 76 entries. Unambiguous, forceful, audacious, reasonable, and most of all persuasive. This editorial has it all. It's no wonder the candidate the editorial describes as a bully lost the election. This is the kind of writing that inspires journalists to become editorial writers. Second place: "Raise hope instead of fence," Sam Negri, The Arizona Daily Star. The use of the second-person voice is very effective. It makes it clear to the reader that the ordinary person plays a major role in public policy. A good job. Third place: "Clean this disgusting mess - now," Robert Leger, The Arizona Republic. Short, forceful and empowering. The reader knows as soon as he or she reads it that by virtue of the editorial being in the paper that the problem is solved, if only because a phone number was included. Judged by Jarvis DeBerry, editorial writer, New Orleans Times-Picayune. 58 entries. |