INSIDE: COMPLETE LIST OF WINNERS AND JUDGES COMMENTS Presented on February 16. 2019 Congratulations to the most outstanding newspapers in our six-state region! TI1is year's special award winners General Excellence Reportersof theYear Republican-American, Waterbury, CT Doug Fraser, Cape Cod Times, Hyannis, MA The Berkshire Eagle, Pittsfield, MA Andrew Martin, TheStowe (V1JReporter Seven Days, Burlington, VT Mount Desert Islander, Bar Harbor, ME Photojournalists of the Year Providence (RI) Business News Fiddlehead Peter Pereira, The Standard-Times Magazine New Bedford, MA Rookies of the Year David Sokol, GateHouse Media New England Leah Willingham, Concord (NH)o M nitor Miranda Willson, Medford (MA) Transcript NEW ENGLAND NEWSPAPER & PRESS ASSOCIATION CONGRATULATIONS I/ • NEW ENGLAND % BETTER NEWSPAPER COMPETITION \ AWARD WINNERS This years competition drew more than 3,000 entries that were published during the contest year August 1, 2017 - July 31,201 8. The entries were evaluated by the New England Newspaper & Press Association's distinguished panel ofjudges. The resultso f the competitionlisted here recognizethe excellent revenue and audiencebuilding activities that aretaking place throughout New England - the finalists and winners are listed, along with the judges' comments. NENPA is proud to celebrate this truly extraordinary work! Entries were judged in five categories: ♦ Daily Newspapers with circulation up to 25,000 ♦ Weekly Newspapers with circulation up to 6,000 ♦ Daily Newspapers with circulation more than 25,000 ♦ Weekly Newspapers with circulation more than 6,000 ♦ Specialty and Niche Publications CONTENTS NEWS REPORTING Food Page or Section Best Webcast Arts and Entertainment Reporting Front Page Mobile Product Design Business/Economic Reporting Living Page or Section Best Overall Mobile Product Crime and Courts Reporting Special Section or Editorial Supplement News Video Education Reporting Sports Section Feature Video Environmental Reporting Special Sports Section Sports Video General News Story EntertainmentVideo Government Reporting EDITORIAL Spot News Video Health Reporting Editorial Writing Slideshow History Reporting Commentary Best Use of Social Media in Breaking News Human Interest Feature Story Editorial Cartoon Investigative Reporting PHOTOJOURNA LI SM Local Election Coverage COLUMNS Feature Photo Local Personality Profile Humor Columnist General News Photo Obituaries Political Columnist News Feature Photo Racial or Ethnic Issue Coverage Serious Columnist Personality Photo Reporting on Religious Issues SportsColumnist Photo Series Science/Technology Reporting Pictorial Photo Social Issues Feature Story DESIGN Photo Story Sports Feature Story Illustration Portrait Photo Sports Story lnfographics Sports Photo Spot News Story Overall Design and Presentation (print) Spot News Photo Transportation Reporting Overall Design and Presentation of a spe­ Photo Illustration Community/Audience Involvement cial section Headline Writing SPECIAL RECOGNITION Right-to-Know DIGITAL PUBLISHING Digital Strategy Excellence Multimedia Coverage Innovator Award PAGES AND SECTIONS Website Design Best Niche Publication Arts and Entertainment Section Website Interactivity and Engagement Rookie of the Year Business Page or Section Best Blog on a Newspaper Website Reporter of the Year Editorial/Commentary Page Best lnfographic on Website Photojournalist of the Year Event Special Section Best Overall Website General Excellence ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT REPORTING Second Place: Heather Hamacek, Specialty/Niche Publications Vineyard Gazette, Martha's Vineyard, MA Carol Brown Goldberg is a fascinating subject brought to life in a First Place: Joshua Lyford, well-written story that clearly explains a complicated artist and Worcester Magazine, Worcester, MA person. the writer presents her as a wonderfully articulate woman The reader gets a behind-the-scenes look, a peek into the rough- in touch with herself and her art which, we learn, all began with and-tumble of the life of touring musicians from Worcester where "doodles" the loading, unloading and setting up takes a greater toll than the frequent partying. It's a candid, well-writen piece by a reporter Third Place: John Flowers, taken into the confidences of the "crossover-thrash" act High Addison County Independent, Middlebury, VT Command. You learn the musicians would have it no other way - Good, descriptive writing brings this actor, director and teacher to they live, for now, they say, for The Experience. life. Using a lot of sources and the subject himself, the reporter tells a story that is both interesting and inspiring. Second Place: Alexander Castro, Newport Mercury, Newport, RI Daily Class 1 This is an intimate look at an artist and a museum where they hang some of the art in the windows to lure and titillate passersby. The First Place: Will Broaddus, strong lead gets you right into the story and insights about how The Salem News, Salem, MA artists in multi-media - from paint to video - work and, more This well-written feature captures this eccentric well and made me importantly perhaps, think about their work. want to see his works in person. Captured him, his art and his family well. Also, the graphics added to the overall presentation. Third Place: Jennifer Huberdeau, UpCountry Magazine, Pittsfield, MA Second Place: Linda Murphy, With attention to detail and a straight-forward approach, this writer The Herald News, Fall River, MA takes what could be a boring experience - a visit to a historic home With a lot of empathy, Linda presents a great picture of the subject, in Western MA - and turns it into an interesting adventure, primarily Janice. Heart, balanced with a smooth narrative, results in a great by concentrating on the little things that tell the big story of life: a feature. book of home remedies, a garden basket, a diary, wooden dumbbells. Third Place: Jennifer Huberdeau, The Berkshire Eagle, Pittsfield, MA Weekly Class 1 A great overview of the exhibit. Clearly understands the subject and First Place: Sue Harrison, can convey it to the reader. Well done! Provincetown Banner, Provincetown, MA Sal Del Deo lives physically and spiritually in this story, a story of a Daily Class 2 90-year-old artist who leads an interesting life that is well written by a writer who shows us just how interesting Deo's life was and is. First Place: Tracey O'Shaughnessy, The "power of silence" indeed. Republican-American, Waterbury, CT Tracey takes the reader through the process of authentication and Second Place: Phil Devitt, makes the detection steps interesting and part of a smooth The Dartmouth Chronicle, Dartmouth, MA narrative. Nicely done! This is a great look behind the scenes of a wildly successful high school band program, as told by the kids, the staff and the band Second Place: Dana Barbuto, family. This is not an extra-curricular club but a serious, strenuous The Patriot Ledger, Quincy, MA endeavor with fitting rewards, where the dedication of sweat, sore Interesting background and narrative about the collision of feet and time teach important life lessons. Hollywood and a small New England town. Well fleshed out and charming. Really takes the reader to that time and place. Third Place: Tommy Gardner, The Stowe Reporter, Stowe, VT Third Place: William Kole and Steven Senne, The personality piece shows us that Jeff Daniels is not only a skilled The Associated Press, Boston, MA performer but a real, complicated person, too. The narrative rings Sensitive story telling captures a very painful time in a family's life. true and tells the reader a lot of stuff - human experience things - The combination of facts, figures, explanations and the outlet they likely didn't know about Daniels. provided by art make for an excellent, necessary article. Weekly Class 2 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT SECTION First Place: Dan Bolles, Daily Class 1 Seven Days, Burlington, VT This is a fascinating, charming, whimsical story about someone who First Place: Sarah Pearson, may not even be real. It's a good read, a non-judgmental telling of Concord Monitor, Concord, NH a mystery that encompasses jazz, poetry, love and the human This arts and entertainment section is chockful of interesting local condition. stories spanning everything from children's theater to comedy shows to fine art. The stories are tight, the calendar section is complete and the presentation is absolutely gorgeous! Excellent work! 4 | NEW ENGLAND BETTER NEWSPAPER COMPETITION AWARD WINNERS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT SECTION (continued) AUDIENCE/COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Second Place: Nancy Olesin and Staff, Specialty/Niche Publications The MetroWest Daily News, Framingham, MA First Place: Annie Sherman, Strong coverage of local music, fine arts and theater with terrific Newport Life Magazine, Newport, RI local reviews of Bollywood films- something you don't often see in This was a hard category to judge. The Newport writing contest newspapers these days. All that combined with a thorough obviously has interest in the community – would love to see the calendar and beautiful design make this section a gift to MetroWest winners published on a weekly basis over the year in the readers. newspaper! Third Place: Jerry Boggs and Staff, First Place: Patti Bangert, The Standard-Times, New Bedford, MA Cape Cod Times, Hyannis, MA Very good coverage of the local arts and music scene. Well-written This was a hard category to judge. The Rising Stars designation for piece on "west Side Story" and "Unsung Hero's" make this an students from across the Cape is compelling