Go to Division A awards
(daily circ. >125k)
Go to Division B awards
(daily circ. 60k–125k)
Go to Division C awards
(daily circ. <60k)
Go to Spanish-language awards
FSNE 2008 Journalism Awards
June 6, 2008
Dear Florida journalists:
FSNE is honored to salute this year’s contest winners, represented on the following pages.
The entries demonstrate another great year for journalism and innovation in the state. The judges were unanimous in their praise for the strong quality and creativity of your work.
We are particularly pleased with the number of entries in the Spanish-language and online categories. Spanish-language entries doubled and online entries tripled, reflecting the trends in our business as we attract new readers.
Despite the economic winds battering our profession, we take pride in the work presented here. Congratulations to all our winners.
|
Contest co-chairs:
Robyn Tomlin, Ocala J. “Bart” Bartosek, West Palm Beach |
FSNE President:
Jeanne Grinstead St. Petersburg |
Below is the list of award winners in the
2008 Florida Society of Newspaper Editors’
Journalism Competition.
The awards were presented Friday, June 6 at the
annual FSNE/FPA convention in Orlando.
Division A
Newspapers with daily circulation of 125,000 or more:
Gold Medal for Public Service
Jason Grotto and Scott Hiaasen
Miami Herald
“Poverty Peddlers”
This amazing series was comprehensive, clear, had a direct impact on people in the community and it was extremely readable. It was well-sourced and included no anonymous sources. It went where “angels fear to tread” and took on a tough topic that many journalism organizations shy away from. It spoke for those whose voices are often not heard and showed how the agency that was supposed to help them had actually worsened their plight. First-class public service journalism.
1. Daily Deadline
Staff
Orlando Sentinel
Tornado Coverage
Readers got everything with the Sentinel’s coverage of the F3 tornadoes that slashed across Florida in the early morning hours of Feb. 2. There were maps, profiles of those killed, stunning descriptions of the destruction. But there was also information about the law to make trailer parks safer, the television coverage, what insurance companies were doing and even a look at the 1998 tornadoes. Awesome coverage for readers.
Second Place
Staff
Miami Herald
Officer Somohano Manhunt
Third Place
Staff
The Palm Beach Post
“Pahokee Deputies Killed”
2. Features & Arts Writing
Lane DeGregory
St. Petersburg Times
Body of work
The storytelling is remarkable in itself. But the reporter uses more than her writing gift in telling amazing tales. She gets access from her subjects, and she gives access to her readers that lifts her storytelling beyond good to great writing. Among the many entries in a newspaper state that has earned a rich reputation for good newspaper writing, Lane DeGregory’s style, voice and stories stand out.
Second Place
Dianna Smith
The Palm Beach Post
“Walking with Angels”
Third Place
Emma Trelles
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Collection
3. Investigative Reporting
Jason Grotto and Scott Hiaasen
Miami Herald
“Poverty Peddlers”
This entry defines the investigative category: a mind-numbing set of documents combined with dogged reporting and clear writing. Grotto and Hiaasen showed the urgent need for a strong press by stepping in where local and federal agencies failed. The series meticulously outlined how millions in taxpayer money intended to benefit the poor was siphoned off. The result? The poor counties got poorer. The work of Grotto and Hiaasen should put empowerment zones across the country under scrutiny.
Second Place
Sally Kestin, Peter Franceschina and John Maines
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
“Fast Fortune, Big Spending”
Third Place
Tom Dubocq
The Palm Beach Post
“Culture of Corruption”
4. Explanatory Reporting
Robert Farley & Kris Hundley
St. Petersburg Times
“Drugs to Market”
Tackling a subject of national importance, the Times raised questions about the way the Food and Drug Administration licenses drugs. The pieces chronicled financial conflicts involving doctors and firms that cast doubt on the impartiality of the clinical trials that are the key feature of drug licensing.
Second Place
Monica Hatcher and Matthew Haggman
Miami Herald
“Mortgage Trap”
Third Place
Staff
Florida Times-Union
“Homicide 360”
5. Freedom of Information
Beth Kormanik, Joe Adams
The Florida Times-Union
“Do you know where your City Council is meeting?”
Using public records to build a database, the newspaper discovered 47 times when city council members got together without proper public notice. The coverage led to the council establishing public notice and minute-keeping guidelines that comply with state open meetings requirements. This is terrific watchdog work.
Second Place
Megan O’Matz and John Maines
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
“License to Carry”
Third Place
Ellen Gedalius
Tampa Tribune
“Fire Hydrants”
6. Beat Reporting
Gordon Jackson and Paul Pinkham
The Florida Times-Union
Sheriff’s use of drug money to pay for private labor
A suburban bureau reporter’s expertise and energy came through on these stories. The enterprise and persistence is clear as the reporting goes beyond the traditional beat coverage and into creative methods of tracking the story down. This material proves there are great stories on every beat, no matter how those coverage areas are defined.
Second Place
Thomas Lake
St. Petersburg Times
Pasco County cop beat
Third Place
Mary Kelli Palka
The Florida Times-Union
“Mayor’s aide wrongly won jobs”
7. Sports
Antonya English
St. Petersburg Times
Collection
Antonya English’s entry demonstrated her excellent writing and reporting ability across a range of sports stories. In an incredibly competitive field, she found new insights for her readers and appropriately found a style to fit each unique story.
Second Place
Gene Frenette
Florida Times Union
Collection
Third Place
Hal Habib
The Palm Beach Post
Collection
8. Business
Sydney P. Freedberg
St. Petersburg Times
This was a category brimming with outstanding and original work, strong clear writing and stories that looked out for readers' best interests. Sydney's work rose to the top of these excellent submissions because of her range and nontraditional stories. She went for the stories that reporters seldom seek because they are hard and off the beaten path.
Second Place
Mary Shedden
Tampa Tribune
Third Place
Staff
Orlando Sentinel
Lou Perlman
9. Headline Writing
Kristen Walbolt
St. Petersburg Times
Collection
The points are clear, concise and gripping. These headlines make the stories pop, and promise the reader a payoff. They are clever, if not downright funny, but fitting for the articles they top. You had us at, “She was toothless; her argument wasn’t.”
Second Place
Steven Ford
Orlando Sentinel
Third Place
Steven McGrath
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
10. Editorials
Joe Adams
The Florida Times-Union
Collection
Good editorials begin with solid reporting, and Joe Adams’ research into Jacksonville’s City Council go way beyond solid. His editorials didn’t reflect the news; they created it. He blistered council members and laid out a compelling case for a grand jury investigation. The writing was plainspoken and clear. Terrific stuff.
Second Place
Mike Griffin
Orlando Sentinel
Third Place
Dan Moffett
The Palm Beach Post
11. Columns
Bill Maxwell
St. Petersburg Times
Collection
Maxwell turns a personal experience into a powerful and compelling journalistic exercise, writing about his difficult two years as a professor at a historically black college in Alabama. Using anecdotes that are unforgettable, he paints a picture of a generation of students unwilling to take advantage of opportunities he once cherished.
Second Place
Darryl Owens
Orlando Sentinel
Third Place
Sue Carlton
St. Petersburg Times
12. Sports Columns
John Romano
St. Petersburg Times
Collection
John Romano’s entry demonstrated a clear and consistent ability to use his writing skill to bring a human element to a breadth of topics. In his columns, he holds powerful people accountable and gives voice to the voiceless, and goes beyond the death and drugs that dominated the sporting conversation in 2007.
Second Place
Martin Fennelly
Tampa Tribune
Third Place
Joe Henderson
The Tampa Tribune
13. Page One Design
Staff
St. Petersburg Times
Clean pages across the board with a solid use of typographical elements. Pages overall were easy to navigate. The volume of each page was appropriate for the content.
Second Place
Staff
Orlando Sentinel
Third Place
Staff
Florida Times-Union
14. News Page Design
Staff
Orlando Sentinel
“American Dream”
This was a difficult page to pull off typographically. This page succeeded because the hierarchy of information is clear, and the contrast between the different elements is evident and makes sense. Additionally, the powerful black-and-white images add a compelling and emotional component to the mix of visuals.
Second Place
Monty Zickuhr, Kyzandrha Z. Pratt, Denise M. Reagan
Florida Times-Union
“Inflation”
Third Place
Colleen Flannery, Denise M. Reagan
Florida Times-Union
“Building the Perfect Sandwich Chain”
15. Feature Page Design
Nikki Life
St. Petersburg Times
“Zoo Story”
A beautiful mix of photo, typography and color. The disjointed type on the headline is an effective contrast to the clean lines elsewhere on the page.
Second Place
Angela Brennan
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
“Back to School Goodie Bags”
Third Place
Suzette Moyer
St. Petersburg Times
“Finding Fatal Beauty”
16. Sports Page Design
Jon Boho
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
“Global Shift”
There were a number of traditional ways to illustrate this story, but none of them would have been as powerful and telling as this dynamic illustration.
Second Place
Jennifer Hiatt
St. Petersburg Times
ACC Extra
Third Place
Jon Boho
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
“The Day Is Here”
17. Editorial Cartoon
Chan Lowe
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Iraq gov’t factions playing on U.S. coffins
This cartoon tells a complete story without words. It is artistically balanced and appropriate in tone and substance. Well done.
Second Place
Chan Lowe
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
“How the South could have avoided Civil War”
Third Place
Dana Summers
Orlando Sentinel
“Major League Baseball”
18. News Graphics/Illustrations
Don Morris, John Corbitt
St. Petersburg Times
“Doubt”
The newspaper distilled a complex murder case into a simple and understandable graphic presentation.
Second Place
Renee Kwok
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
“How Solar Power Works”
Third Place
Anna Berken, Denise M. Reagan
Florida Times-Union
“Orchestra”
19. Spot News Photography
Red Huber
Orlando Sentinel
Tornado Survivors
The tender moment between a tornado survivor and her cat and the surrounding destruction is a powerful combination of cause and effect in a photograph.
Second Place
Mike Stocker
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Police Shooting
Third Place
Bob Mack
Florida Times-Union
“Lure of the Game”
20. Feature Photography
Gary Coronado
The Palm Beach Post
“House Call in Hell”
This is a powerful image. It uses positive/negative space extremely well to draw us in and focus on the meaning of the image. Well done.
Second Place
Sara Fajardo
Orlando Sentinel
“Ocoee Café”
Third Place
Red Huber
Orlando Sentinel
“Mr. Harv”
21. Sports Photography
Uma Sanghvi
The Palm Beach Post
“Swimming in the Rain”
The photographer successfully transformed an average moment into a surreal sports photograph, using light, rain and being at the right place at the right time.
Second Place
Robert Duyos
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
“Shaquille O'Neal: Too Little, Too Late”
Third Place
Thomas Cordy
The Palm Beach Post
“Play Ball”
22. Photo Story
Justin Cook
St. Petersburg Times
“Growing Together”
Wonderful, story-telling images that take us through the gamut of emotions.
Second Place
Uma Sanghvi
The Palm Beach Post
“Walking with Angels”
Third Place
Staff
The Palm Beach Post
“Hometown Heroes Lost”
23. Special Sections
Staff
Orlando Sentinel
Football Preview
The Sentinel’s 2007 football preview begins with the argument that Football Is King and makes its case throughout the comprehensive section that stretches from a national overview to the local collegiate teams. It leaves readers with useful information to keep all season, and each sub-section is peppered with uniquely relevant online elements that connected print and online and provided evergreen content for the Web.
Second Place
Staff
St. Petersburg Times
“Bucs 2007 on the Hot Seat”
Third Place
John Romano
St. Petersburg Times
“Story for Jake”
24. Innovation That Drives Print Audience
Staff
Orlando Sentinel
Orlando Sentinel Help Team
The team’s topical, informative stories helped fuel significant growth in readership and circulation in the last half of the year with consumer-based reporting that makes readers feel like they are in-the-know about topics ranging from gas prices to the food they eat. We agree that this team’s effort is ashining example of innovation that drives print audience.
Second Place
Staff
Florida Times-Union
“Pirate Quest”
Third Place
Philip Brooker, Ana Lense-Larraui, Paul Cheung
Miami Herald
Super Bowl Puzzle pages
25. Innovation That Drives Digital Audience
Staff
St. Petersburg Times
PolitiFact.com
There is so much there. With all the links in one place, it allows people to do their own research on candidates in a robust political season.
Second Place
Staff
The Palm Beach Post
Quizzes
Third Place
Staff
Orlando Sentinel
“UCF Homecoming”
26. Online Breaking News
Staff
Orlando Sentinel
Tornado Coverage
Handled a big story well. Nice use of mapping. Reader involvement in the story was very good.
Second Place
Aaron Sharockman, Abhi Raghunathan, Chris Tisch, Dan DeWitt, Cristina Silva, Jacob Fries
St. Petersburg Times
“Scandal and a Suicide”
Third Place
27. Blog/Online Commentary
Steve Spears
St. Petersburg Times
“Stuck in the '80s”
Very sticky site. Finding a new audience and a new topic to blog about, plus a new way to look at the '80s. Pod casts, photos, online store, there are various forms used to keep interest, not to mention the subject matter alone.
Second Place
Gail Gedan Spencer, Laura Kelly
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
The Skinny, a Diet and Fitness Blog
Third Place
Tami Tolley
The Palm Beach Post
“The Sports Goddess”
28. Online Slideshow
Bruce Lipsky, Jason Pratt
The Florida Times-Union
“Little BMX Racer”
Top of the line storytelling that made judges laugh and appreciate technical expertise.
Second Place
Staff
The Palm Beach Post
“St. Baldrick's Day”
Third Place
Zach Boyden-Holmes, Jack Rowland
St. Petersburg Times
“This is a bad dream”
29. Video
John Cotey, Joey Knight, Jon O'Neill, Jack Rowland, Brendan Watson, Maurice Rivenbark, Lee Glynn, Ken Helle, Joseph Garnett Jr.
St. Petersburg Times
“Friday Night Rewind”
A great format and presentation that pokes light fun at the TV model. Gets the community involved. Even goes into You Tube to draw its audience
Second Place
Lannis Waters
The Palm Beach Post
“Bad Water”
Third Place
Jon M. Fletcher
The Florida Times-Union
“O Little Town of Bethlehem”
30. Multimedia
Jon M. Fletcher
The Florida Times-Union
“Not Dead Yet”
Unusual first - person account. Very special telling of a personal journey. Polished.
Second Place
Lisa Arthur, Nuri Vallbona, Stephanie Rosenblatt and Poh Si Teng
Miami Herald
“Eastern Airlines: Remembering Flight 401”
Third Place
Desiree Perry, Meg Laughlin, Don Morris
St. Petersburg Times
“Doubt”
Division B
Newspapers with circulation between 60,000 and 125,000 daily.
Gold Medal for Public Service
Chris Davis, Matthew Doig, Tiffany Lankes
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
“Broken Trust”
The newspaper performed a service for all of Florida with its investigation of abusive teachers who were allowed to continue in the state’s classrooms. The newspaper examined more than 14,000 misconduct cases spanning five years. It posted the database online, allowing parents statewide to check out the men and women teaching their children – something Florida should have done for them.
1. Daily Deadline
Staff
Pensacola News Journal
“Another recovery begins”
The staff’s work on this storm coverage was comprehensive, from all areas of the newsroom. Great stories, graphics, photos and editorial planning combined to make this the most complete deadline offering among the entries. This package captured the storm, its damage and the aftermath and delivered it all for the readers in a way that only a newspaper staff working cooperatively can produce.
Second Place
Staff
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
“Boy Escapes Bonds; hunt on for gunman.”
Third Place
Staff
Florida Today
Blast Kills 2
2. Features & Arts Writing
Derek Catron
Daytona Beach News-Journal
“Your State Attorney: Man of God, Man of Law”
State Attorney John Tanner was a prominent news figure in 2007, but this story took readers deeper in to his biography, exploring the biography and motivations of this prominent public official.
Second Place
Lyda Longa
Daytona Beach News-Journal
“Did Ronnie get a death sentence?”
Third Place
John Torres
Florida Today
“Living With Crime in Booker T.”
3. Investigative Reporting
Chris Davis, Matthew Doig, Tiffany Lankes
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
“Broken Trust”
The newspaper reviewed 2800 cases involving abusive teachers, spanning eight years, uncovering a pattern of teachers with complaints in one district turning up in schools elsewhere. The stories painted a frightening picture based on statistics the newspaper developed and memorable anecdotes the reporters found.
Second Place
Michael Braga
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
“Real Estate Fraud”
Third Place
Michael Stewart
Pensacola News Journal
George Touart
4. Explanatory Reporting
Todd Halvorson and John Kelly
Florida Today
“After the Shuttle”
In a strong category with an incredible diversity of entries that demonstrate a dedication to serving readers, this entry stood out. “After the Shuttle” frames an impending public discussion through extensive reporting, clear writing and smart illustrations.
Second Place
Staff
Daytona Beach News-Journal
“Housing Slump”
Third Place
Francesca Donlan
The News-Press
A State of Denial
5. Freedom of Information
Staff
The News-Press
“FEMA”
Persistent and successful FOIA action combined with innovative citizen involvement.
Second Place
Sarah Okeson
Florida Today
“Transflorida”
Third Place
Todd Halvorson
Florida Today
Orbiters feel pains of aging
6. Beat Reporting
Victor Hull
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Aging issues
His command of his beat is stunning and he brings his subjects to life.
Second Place
Anna Scott
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Education
Third Place
Carol Lee
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
City of Sarasota
7. Sports
Scott Hotard
Naples Daily News
“Player’s Vision”
Smooth, easy writing style. Just the right amount of attitude. Good reporters get good quotes.
Second Place
Chris Anderson
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Collection
Third Place
Mic Huber
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Collection
8. Business
David Gulliver
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Collection
Innovative reporting and creamy smooth writing on the under-examined business of medicine.
Second Place
Matt Reed
Florida Today
Collection
Third Place
Michael Braga
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Collection
9. Headline Writing
Chris Kudenholdt
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Collection
Concise. Enticing. Enhances story.
Second Place
Jeff Rubin
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Collection
Third Place
Phil Nickinson
Pensacola News-Journal
Collection
10. Editorials
Staff
The News-Press
County Commission analysis
Smart and different, forcing officials to confront themselves, each other and their “relationships” is clever.
Second Place
Pierre Tristam
Daytona Beach News-Journal
Collection
Third Place
Laura Sperling
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Funds and new hope for New Town
11. Columns
Brent Batten
Naples Daily News
Collection
Authoritative marshaling of evidence with a pay-attention writing style.
Second Place
Melanie Payne
The News-Press
“Tell Mel”
Third Place
Eric Ernst
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Collection
12. Sports Columns
Ray McNulty
Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers
Collection
Judges’ Comments: Takes strong stands and writes with authority.
Second Place
Peter Kerasotis
Florida Today
Collection
Third Place
Doug Fernandes
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Collection
13. Page One Design
Stephen Antley, Laurie Lawrence
The Ledger
They do a great job of ‘selling’ the big news every day. We especially like the last two pages after the redesign.
Second Place
Kelly Ann Markowitz, Scott Turick, Jennifer Cason
Daytona Beach News Journal
Third Place
Jason Kendall and Scott Luxor
Scripps Treasure Coast News
14. News Page Design
Laurie Lawrence
The Ledger
“Christmas By the Numbers”
An effective and visually pleasinig mix of numbers and images to illustrate this non-narrative topic.
Second Place
Laurie Lawrence
The Ledger
“Cyber Comics”
Third Place
Staff
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
“Remains of the Quay”
15. Feature Page Design
Lindi Daywalt-Feazel
Fort Myers News-Press
“These Clogs Were Made for Plantin’”
Clogs never looked so good! The multiple clog images and the headline mesh together quite well. The designer has brought elegant touches to the page, and even though the page is full and busy, it’s not overdone.
Second Place
Lindi Daywalt-Feazel
Fort Myers News-Press
“Home & Garden Mad Science”
Third Place
Amanda Cortwright, Michael Haun
Daytona Beach News Journal
“Fresh Ideas in Bloom”
16. Sports Page Design
Mike Bjorklund
Scripps Treasure Coast News
“Outgoing Tide?”
We especially appreciate the designer not having much to work with and making a great use of a file photo and an aggressive use of typography at the top to illustrate the most important part of the story.
Second Place
M. H. Syin
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
“On Fire to Achieve Greatness”
Third Place
James Machan
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
“Manta Rays Roll”
17. Editorial Cartoon
Jeff Parker
Florida Today
“FOI”
Powerfully done with wit and insight.
Second Place
Jeff Parker
Florida Today
“NASA”
Third Place
Andy Marlette
Pensacola News Journal
“Bernie Sliger”
18. News Graphics/Illustrations
Ron Stallcup
Pensacola News Journal
“Tornado”
Excellent graphics, produced on deadline that show readers what happened.
Second Place
Michael Donlan
The News-Press
“FEMA”
Third Place
Dennis Lowe
Florida Today
“Home of their own”
19. Spot News Photography
Chip Litherland
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
“Brush Fire”
A beautiful moment that is quiet, almost poetic, in the face of approaching doom.
Second Place
Craig Rubadoux
Florida Today
“Drug Bust”
Third Place
Nigel Cook
Daytona Beach News Journal
“Family of Drowning Victim Grieves”
20. Feature Photography
Greg Kahn
Naples Daily News
“March on Main”
Striking image. This photographer used light, color and contrast to highlight its content and transform what might have been a boring image into one that sticks in your memory.
Second Place
Lexey Swall
Naples Daily News
“Little Miss Disappointment”
Third Place
Dan Wagner
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
“Sharks and Pumpkins”
21. Sports Photography
Jennifer Cecil
Pensacola News Journal
“Close Finish”
The photographer effectively captured the story of the race in the contrasting faces of the winners and losers.
Second Place
Jim Tiller
Daytona Beach News Journal
“Skimboard Wipeout”
Third Place
Greg Kahn
Naples Daily News
“Fist Fight”
22. Photo Story
Chip Litherland
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
“Twelve Tribes”
This photographer took a very quiet subject and made a creatively beautiful set of images that tell the story of this family and their farm.
Second Place
David Albers
Naples Daily News
South Florida Wildfires
Third Place
Dan Wagner
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
“Mr. College Basketball”
23. Special Sections
M.H. Syin
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
“The Art of Sports”
Artistic approach to what could have been a cliche section.
Second Place
Staff
Florida Today
“Champions”
Third Place
Sports staff
Daytona Beach News-Journal
“Taking stock”
24. Innovation That Drives Print Audience
Staff
Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers
“We’re looking out for you”
Well executed, close-to-readers-lives stories that contributed to impressive daily circulation growth.
Second Place
Third Place
25. Innovation That Drives Digital Audience
Staff
Florida Today
“Brevard Idol”
Fun, interactive feature that offers a sense of place and community.
Second Place
Staff
Naples Daily News
“Interactive Weather”
Third Place
26. Online Breaking News
Staff
Florida Today
“Shuttle launch”
Comprehensive, lots of online-only features, such as reader reports in pictures and video. Different ways for readers to access the shuttle launch. Interactive film bios, the list goes on.
Second Place
Third Place
27. Blog/Online Commentary
Staff
Florida Today
“Watchlist blog”
Proves the value of the paper trail, and makes it accessible to the average reader.
Second Place
Space Team Staff
Florida Today
“Flame trench blog”
Third Place
Amber Dees
Daytona Beach News-Journal
“TV junkie”
28. Online Slideshow
Sara Holcombe
Daytona Beach News-Journal
“Veterans Day”
An unusual take on an annual subject. It’s a story of generations going to war and it has appeal to all audiences.
Second Place
Craig Bailey and John Torres
Florida Today
“Migrant Christmas”
Third Place
Chip Litherland
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
“Summer of red”
29. Video
Manuel Martinez
Naples Daily News
“Memories of a boxcar”
Good pacing, good use of archival footage and strong interviews.
Second Place
Michelle Cassel
Naples Daily News
“Looking back at Donna”
Third Place
Seth Robbins and Justin Yurkanin
Daytona Beach News-Journal
“Pumped”
30. Multimedia
Dennis Lowe
Florida Today
“After the shuttle”
Beautiful graphics and attention to detail.
Second Place
Michelle Cassell, Judy Lutz, Lexey Swall-Bobay, Todd Soligo and Manuel Martinez
Naples Daily News
“Medals of memory”
Third Place
Michelle Cassell, Todd Soligo and Chris Cost
Naples Daily News
“Invasion of our lifetime”
Division C
Newspapers with circulation of less than 60,000 daily:
Gold Medal for Public Service
Anthony Violanti & Erica Brough
Star-Banner
“Eleana”
Excellent descriptive writing of a young ward of the state’s life on the cusp of adulthood – and a clear-eyed look at how well the state prepared for her.
1. Daily Deadline
Staff
Bradenton Herald
Boy kidnapped
Excellent reporting and writing bring this compelling tale to life.
Second Place
Staff
The Villages Daily Sun
Tornado coverage
Third Place
Staff
Bradenton Herald
9-year-old slain in gang crossfire
2. Features & Arts Writing
Anthony Violanti
Star-Banner
“Eleana”
Excellent descriptive writing of a young girl’s life on the cusp of adulthood – and a clear-eyed look at how well the state prepared for her.
Second Place
Paulette Perhach
St. Augustine Record
Collection
Third Place
Vin Mannix
Bradenton Herald
Collection
3. Investigative Reporting
Fred Hiers
Star-Banner
“Big Rigs, Big Risks”
This series exposes how these trucks are tearing up the nation’s roads and endangering motorists. Well done!
Second Place
Michael D. Bates
Hernando Today
“A case for reform”
Third Place
David Angier
The News Herald
Boot Camp death
4. Explanatory Reporting
Jennifer Portman
Tallahassee Democrat
“Nims School”
She knocked this out of the park. Thorough reporting and strong writing put the readers alongside her at the school. We look forward to more in the series!
Second Place
Brian Neill, Stacey Eidson, Duane Marsteller
Bradenton Herald
Manatee’s Money Squeeze
Third Place
Cristy Loftis, Dave Pieklik
Citrus County Chronicle
Trial coverage of John Couey
5. Freedom of Information
Jeff Burlew and Julian Pecquet
Tallahassee Democrat
Severance
Good use of records to drive home the questionable use of tax dollars.
Second Place
Jennifer Portman
Tallahassee Democrat
FAMU
Third Place
6. Beat Reporting
Sylvia Lim
Bradenton Herald
Education
A meticulous examination of K-12 accountability practices.
Second Place
Mabel Perez
Star-Banner
Courts
Third Place
Fred Hiers
Star-Banner
Horse industry
7. Sports
Chris Bernhardt Jr.
Hernando Today
“Four-for-Four”
Crisp, clear writing that grabs readers’ attention.
Second Place
John Coscia
Citrus County Chronicle
Collection
Third Place
Justin Barney
St. Augustine Record
Collection
8. Business
Brian Neill, Melissa Followell, Sara Kennedy
Bradenton Herald
Coast Bank Fails
Sharp detailed reports kept investors and readers in general informed.
Second Place
David R. Corder
The Villages Daily Sun
Freight Shift
Third Place
Harriet Daniels
Star-Banner
Collection
9. Headline Writing
Brian Thornton
Star-Banner
Collection
Clever and not predictable and they tell the story.
Second Place
Bradford Josef Bautista
Citrus County Chronicle
Collection
Third Place
Tom Przybylowicz
The Villages Daily Sun
Collection
10. Editorials
Margo C. Pope
St. Augustine Record
Collection
Clear, well-supported arguments on important local issues.
Second Place
Scott Kent
The News Herald
Collection
Third Place
Charlie Brennan
Citrus County Chronicle
Collection
11. Columns
John Hackworth
Charlotte Sun
Collection
He tells a good story with emotion, wit and style.
Second Place
Dave Schlenker
Star-Banner
“Little Man, Big Mouth”
Third Place
Mike Cazalas
The News Herald
Collection
12. Sports Columns
Pat Dooley
The Gainesville Sun
Collection
Loves his Gators. Knows his sports. Speaks to his readers.
Second Place
John Coscia
Citrus County Chronicle
Collection
Third Place
Justin Barney
St. Augustine Record
Collection
13. Page One Design
Staff
The Gainesville Sun
Dynamic and controlled use of typography helped reflect the content of each day's front page. Clean pages across the board.
Second Place
Matt Fry, Bill Wimbiscus, Heather Weinsheimer, Mike Orton
The Villages Daily Sun
Third Place
Staff
Star-Banner
14. News Page Design
Jolie Myers
The Gainesville Sun
Health
A beautiful mix of a contrasting images. The rest of the design gets out of the way to play up this dominant storytelling device.
Second Place
Laura Isaacs
Citrus County Chronicle
Brewing Business
Third Place
Laura Isaacs
Citrus County Chronicle
Meet Crystal the Manatee
15. Feature Page Design
Jean Fleetwood
The Gainesville Sun
Behind the Scenes on the Ichetucknee
The organic treatment of the map works well with the pullout info and the illustration and gives the overall page an interactive feel.
Second Place
Hillary Crawford, Anthony Casto
The Villages Daily Sun
Taking on Paris One Dish at a Time
Third Place
Eric Chapman
Bradenton Herald
Duct Tape
16. Sports Page Design
Staff
Star-Banner
The Usual Prospects
This is a tough concept to pull off well (and that happened here), but what really impressed us was the organization and grid below that held the whole centerpiece package together.
Second Place
Staff
The Gainesville Sun
Gator Domi-nation
Third Place
Clare Haefner/Justin Barney
St. Augustine Record
17. Editorial Cartoon
Jake Fuller
Gainesville Sun
Taser
He makes you grin. Strong content. Good artistic quality.
Second Place
Jake Fuller
Gainesville Sun
Legislature
Third Place
John Russo
The News Herald
Kaboom
18. News Graphics/Illustrations
Mike Orton, Bill Mitchell
The Villages Daily Sun
Firefighters’ ‘Bunker Gear’
This illustration is both visually appealing and it tells a complete story about firefighters’ gear.
Second Place
Mike Orton, Bill Mitchell
The Villages Daily Sun
“Modern Fire Apparatus”
Third Place
Richard Burgos
Star-Banner
“Fishing”
19. Spot News Photography
Matthew Beck
Citrus County Chronicle
Soldier's Funeral
The facial expressions and the body language that tell the story of loss made this image stand out among the strong entries in this category.
Second Place
Tracy Wilcox
The Gainesville Sun
In the Light of Day
Third Place
Mark DiOrio
The Villages Daily Sun
Unwavering Faith
20. Feature Photography
Doug Finger
The Gainesville Sun
Cop Hula
The judges were drawn to the winning photo's humor — something often difficult to get in a single image.
Second Place
Lee Ferinden
Star-Banner
Sideline Dance
Third Place
Brandon Kruse
The Gainesville Sun
Joey AGH
21. Sports Photography
Brian LaPeter
Citrus County Chronicle
Soccer Celebration
This image is a great example of capturing peak-action celebration of a key moment in the game.
Second Place
Brian Blanco
Bradenton Herald
Clutch Catch
Third Place
Daron Dean
St. Augustine Record
Pole Vault
22. Photo Story
Erica Brough
Star-Banner
Eleana Gray, Ward of the State
This story gives viewers an intimate look into this young woman's journey into adulthood through the use of effective interaction/emotion and visual variety.
Second Place
Katie Derksen, George Horsford, Bill Mitchell, Mark DiOrio
The Villages Daily Sun
Tornado Rips Through Area
Third Place
Kathy Waters, Ben Smidt
Highlands Today
Trooper Funeral
23. Special Sections
Staff
Charlotte Sun
“Disturbing the Peace”
Strong content and inviting presentation on a key issue to Sun readers.
Second Place
Staff
The Villages Daily Sun
To Protect and Serve: EMS
Third Place
Staff
Star-Banner
100 Years of Marion County Football.
24. Innovation That Drives Print Audience
Staff
The Villages Daily Sun
Paradise in pictures
Significant and extensive reader involvement that produced measurable circulation gains.
Second Place
Paulette Perhach
St. Augustine Record
Drift Magazine
Third Place
25. Innovation That Drives Digital Audience
Doug Engle and Dave Rhea
Star-Banner
“The Best of SBTV”
Compelling, witty, even silly, but full of life and personality -- a lively reflection of the community.
Second Place
Staff
The Gainesville Sun
“Post-game highlight video of UF football games”
Third Place
26. Online Breaking News
Doug Engle
Star-Banner
“High school bomb scare”
Really resonates. A very well-done narrative with an incredible ending. Great breaking news storytelling.
Second Place
Kyle Mitchell
The Gainesville Sun
“UF student arrested at Kerry forum”
Third Place
Alan Monroe and Bryan Latham
Citrus County Chronicle
“Sinkhole on Highway 19”
27. Blog/Online Commentary
Bob Gabordi
Tallahassee Democrat
“Infant mortality”
The editor’s voice aims to bring change to the community. Tackles a difficult subject.
Second Place
Tiffany Tompkins-Condie
Bradenton Herald
“Manatee’s military moms”
Third Place
Chris Curry
Star-Banner
“John Couey trial”
28. Online Slideshow
Bruce Ackerman
Star-Banner
“Jessica Marie Lunsford: Death of innocence”
A moving story that touched the entire community.
Second Place
Tiffany Tompkins-Condie
Bradenton Herald
“PAL boxing”
Third Place
Jannet Walsh
Star-Banner
“Sgt. Crow remembered”
29. Video
Doug Engle
Star-Banner
“Life in the infield”
This piece just seems like a lot of fun, from a napping couple to a makeshift pickup truck pool. The story captures the feel of a long tailgate party.
Second Place
Staff
The Gainesville Sun
“Lazy days of summer”
Third Place
Tricia Coyne
The Gainesville Sun
“Tim Tebow season highlights”
30. Multimedia
Staff
The Gainesville Sun
“River of doubt”
A ton of coverage about the Suwannee River’s uncertain future: map, video, audio, photos.
Second Place
Staff
The Gainesville Sun
“Story of hope: Tyler Staab”
Third Place
Alan Youngblood
Star-Banner
“Citrus greening”
Spanish-Language Awards
SL1. News Writing
Fernando Zapata
Gaceta Tropical – Ft. Myers
“Buscando el sueño canadiense”
A series of stories with real impact in the community as well as other media outlets – a hot button issue.
Second Place
Enrique Flor
El Sentinel – Fort Lauderdale
“Despido de trabajadores de NOVA”
Third Place
Staff
El Nuevo Día Orlando
“Pastor Negrón engaña a trabajadores”
Honorable Mention
Gonzalo Páez
Centro Mi Diario - Tampa
“A la espera de su muerte”
SL2. Sports Writing
Aurelio Moreno
El Nuevo Día Orlando
“Tanayris, una púgil especial”
A nice local story that had impact about a unusual topic.
Second Place
Enrique Flor
El Sentinel – Fort Lauderdale
“De la balsa a la bici”
Third Place
SL3. Features Writing
María Travierso
El Sentinel - Fort Lauderdale
“Abora III probó vieja teoría náutica”
Originality, great topic, piques one’s curiosity.
Second Place
Yesenia Mojarro
Visión Latina - Lakeland
“Una noche con George Hack”
Third Place
Carla Osorio
El Nuevo Día Orlando
“Cómo pudo saltar Laura Rodríguez de la ambulancia?”
SL4. Design
La Palma, West Palm Beach
Great use of color and pictures, the design of the index is useful and the overall page is very reader-friendly.
Second Place
Voz Latina, Ocala
Third Place
Eco Latino, Jacksonville
SL5. General Excellence
El Sentinel Fort Lauderdale
A very complete paper with great coverage of national and local issues, great presentation, content very diverse.
Second Place
Centro Mi Diario, Tampa
Third Place
La Palma, West Palm Beach
Honorable Mention
El Nuevo Día Orlando
SL6. Outstanding Hispanic Success Story
Ana M Valdés
La Palma – West Palm Beach
“Jack, The Bike Man”
Very colorful story, she found a great success story that has impact in the community.
Second Place
Sinaí Chirinos
El Nuevo Día Orlando
“Valiente paso hacia la superación”
Third Place
Alsy Acevedo
El Sentinel - Orlando
“Alcanzar las metas paso a paso”
SL7. Outstanding Entertainment Section
Staff
El Sentinel Fort Lauderdale
Revista
Topics and content are well balanced, with special attention to Florida-related issues.
Second Place
Staff
La Palma – West Palm Beach
Acento!
Third Place
Staff
El Sentinel – Orlando
Vida!