Courier wins first place General Excellence in statewide contest
Arizona Newspapers Association honors individuals in editorial, advertising

The Daily Courier won first place General Excellence as well as a host of category and individual awards Thursday night, Oct. 6, in the Arizona Newspapers Association’s 2022 Better Newspapers Contest and Excellence in Advertising Awards.

In General Excellence, newspaper circulation of 10,001 to 25,000, The Daily Courier took top honors. The award is based on eligible awards won in the Better Newspapers Contest (BNC) added together with eligible winning entries from the Excellence in Advertising Contest.

“These awards are a reflection of the quality people working here at The Daily Courier,” said Blake DeWitt, publisher of Prescott Newspapers, Inc./Prescott News Network. “Our team cares greatly about our customers and the communities we serve, and they excel across the board from where our products start, to the printing, and the people who deliver them to our readers.”

EDITORIAL

This year, 35 newspapers entered the BNC for a total of 813 entries, ANA stated. The BNC consists of 11 editorial categories that measure the overall quality of the newspapers and 19 categories that honor individuals who contribute to journalism excellence.

On the editorial side, the Courier won:

  • First place – Reporting & News Writing Excellence;
  • First place – Departmental News & Copy Editing Excellence;
  • First place – Editorial Page Excellence;
  • First place – Special Section or Magazine: Fall Home Improvement 2021, Hometown Prescott, and Spring Sports Guide;
  • First place – Newspaper website, dCourier.com;
  • First place – Best Newspaper Innovation: Across the Street/Smart Shopper; and,
  • Second place – Page Design Excellence.

For individual awards, Courier newsroom won:

  • First place – Best Column, Feature or Commentary, “Friday Catchall: Time machine reveals jump in gas prices,” Tim Wiederaenders, editor;
  • First place – Best Feature Story, “Prescott resident Bob McMillan basks in the afterglow of his 2021 Senior World Series of Poker title,” Doug Cook, reporter;
  • First place – Best Multimedia Storytelling, “Yavapai’s Chino Valley campus first in nation to teach 3D concrete printing,” Jesse Bertel, reporter/videographer;
  • Second place – Best Sustained Coverage or Series, Yavapai County Juvenile Justice Center series, Nanci Hutson, reporter; and,
  • Third place – Enterprise Reporting, “Working and homeless: A new reality as local rent, housing prices climb,” Nanci Hutson, reporter.

ADVERTISING

On the advertising side, 24 newspapers entered in the Excellence in Advertising contest for a total of 239 entries. The Excellence in Advertising Contest consists of 10 advertising categories, eight of which earn points for General Excellence.

Courier won the following for advertising:

  • First place – Best ad under 1/2 page: Cindy Manzione, designer; Nora Colwell, account executive – “Art on 6th Street”;
  • First place – Most effective use of white space: Emily Birkle, designer; Judy Vann, account executive – “I’ve Been Looking For You”;
  • First place – Best advertising headline: Peter Morlock, designer; Will Campbell, account executive – “But if I get a hearing aid, I’ll actually have to hear her!!”;
  • First place – Best Special Section: Spring Home & Garden 2022; and,
  • Second place – Best ad 1/2 page or larger: Emily Birkle, designer; Judy Vann, account executive – “Benefits of Proper Hydration.”

The Nevada Press Association judged the newspaper, newsroom and advertising categories this year for the ANA.


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