The News Virginian captured first place in international writing and was a finalist in the public service award in the annual Associated Press Managing Editors journalism excellence contest.
"Borders Within," an ongoing series of stories on Waynesboro’s growing Hispanic population, placed first in the International Perspective category for newspapers under 40,000 circulation, the APME announced Wednesday. Reporters Chase Purdy and Tony Gonzalez launched the series in late 2009.
"This series is an example of two journalists digging deep into the community to give readers a fuller, better understanding of a key and growing segment of our population," said Lee Wolverton, editor and general manager of The News Virginian. "It’s the product of old-fashioned source-building and hard work on the part of Tony and Chase, and it shows us the human side of the Hispanic community, an aspect frequently ignored in the immigration debate."
Judges in the public service category awarded an honorable mention to the newspaper for coverage of the Commonwealth Center for Children and Adolescents in Staunton, which narrowly avoided closure two years in a row in tough budgeting times. Gonzalez’ investigation revealed that a committee report explaining the drawbacks to closure had been altered at the state government level to diminish those concerns.
The News Virginian was the smallest of the newspapers honored in the competition. Earlier this year, The News Virginian became the smallest daily in the 62-year history of the Virginia Press Association’s public service award to win it.
The Bristol Herald-Courier won the small-circulation public service category for an eight-day series and subsequent follow-ups on how Virginia’s system of natural gas royalties is mismanaged. Former Herald-Courier Managing Editor J. Todd Foster, who oversaw the Pulitzer Prize-winning series, previously was managing editor of The News Virginian. Both The News Virginian and the Herald-Courier are owned by Media General, based in Richmond.
In the over 150,000-circulation category, an investigation into the dangers of the increasing use of radiation in diagnosing and treating disease earned The New York Times the APME public service award.
In the 40,000- to 150,000-circulation category, the Asbury Park Press of Neptune, N.J., won for a comprehensive look at the oppressive property tax system in New Jersey. It reported that nearly half of the $47 billion raised to fund government in New Jersey comes from property taxes, a burden unmatched by any other state.
APME, an association of editors at AP’s 1,500 member newspapers in the U.S. and newspapers served by the Canadian Press in Canada, recognizes journalism excellence with annual awards in six categories. The awards will be presented at the group’s annual conference Oct. 20-22 at the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Fla. Judges did not participate in discussions or vote on their own newspapers’ entries.
Judges for the Public Service awards were APME President Otis Sanford, editor/Opinion and Editorials, The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Tenn.; past APME presidents Bobbie Jo Buel, editor, Arizona Daily Star, Tucson; Suki Dardarian, managing editor, The Seattle Times; and David Hawpe, formerly vice president and editorial director, The Courier-Journal, Louisville, Ky.; and Kristin Gazlay, AP vice president and managing editor for financial news and global training.
Other winners in the International Perspective category were:
n The Star-Ledger, Newark, N.J., in the over 150,000-circulation group for columnist Bob Braun’s coverage of the earthquake in Haiti, which gave a personal tone to the heartbreaking stories he found
n The Washington Times in the 40,000- to 50,000-circulation group for Heather Murdock’s coverage of Yemen, which, through a variety of stories, gave a sense of the challenges and dangers facing the Mideastern country..
Judges in the International Perspective category were Peggy Bellows, managing editor, Media General’s Metro Consolidated Editing Center; Michael Days, editor, The Philadelphia Daily News; and John Daniszewski, AP’s senior managing editor for international news and photos.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement