2023
EXCELLENCE IN JOURNALISM CONTEST
WINNERS & FINALISTS
The Greater Cincinnati Professional Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists is pleased to announce the winners and finalists in the 2023 Excellence In Journalism Contest. We thank the members of SPJ Hawaii for their work in judging the entries.
ALL MEDIA
GERALD
WHITE MEMORIAL AWARD
WINNER: “Fallout”
ENTRANT: Duane Pohlman
MEDIA OUTLET: WKRC-TV
JUDGE’S
COMMENT: “There
was just the one entry in this prestigious category. But even if it were not
the only entry, this judge is confident it would have won hands-down anyway.
Talk about in-depth research that makes a difference, leading to threats from
uncooperative government officials and praise from members of Congress. Talk
about "feet on the street" -- this reporter, wearing full protective
gear, literally crawled up into a family's attic where radioactive dust was
suspected and collected samples to be analyzed. An independent lab confirmed
the samples contained high levels of enriched uranium. Investigative reporter
Duane Pohlman continued the investigation, combing through records and
interviewing experts. In the time-honored tradition of a true investigative
report, WKRC-TV overcame obstacles thrown up by secretive government agencies
to bring the story to light. The on-camera accounts by affected individuals
brings drama and immediacy to the story. Bravo!”
CAMILLA
WARRICK AWARD
WINNER:
“The Case for Cities”
ENTRANTS: David Holthaus & Natalie Grilli
MEDIA
OUTLET: Soapbox Media
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Findlay Market nonprofit turnaround; College Hill residents try to make
their neighborhood look good; Lower Price Hill takes an environmentally injured
area and engages residents in green resiliency to make a climate safe
community; then there is a nonprofit trying homesteading in Price Hill as a way
to come up with affordable housing; and attacking high rates of black infant
deaths, all against the backdrop of the views and criticisms of cities. A
well-crafted endeavor that was almost like a think-tank report with a lot of
heart.”
FINALIST: “Round
The Corner: Lindenwald”
ENTRANT: Tana
Weingartner
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Public Radio – 91.7 WVXU
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Interesting coverage of the underreported
area of Lindenwald in Hamilton. It was interesting to hear the hopes for the
former manufacturing area. I'm sure WVXU got a lot more listeners from these
reports.”
FINALIST: “Low-Income
Residents Left Out In The Cold”
ENTRANT: Haley
Parnell
MEDIA OUTLET: LINK nky
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Housing uncertainty in Northern Kentucky. No community likes
it, but some people are helping out. Good reporting on the problem.”
FIRST AMENDMENT AWARD
WINNER: “Pike County Court Access”
ENTRANT: The Cincinnati Enquirer Staff
MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer
JUDGE’S
COMMENT: “The Enquirer takes its responsibility to
protect the First Amendment seriously. This time it was a judge telling news
photographers what evidence the media can take photos of -- something that
raises questions of constitutionality. It was one of 12 information cases the
Enquirer has been pursuing to shine a light on government action. Thank you for
doing this.”
OUTSTANDING NEW JOURNALIST
WINNER: “Outstanding New Journalist Award: Haley Parnell”
ENTRANT: Haley Parnell
MEDIA OUTLET: LINK nky
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Wow, I have to remember her name -- Haley Parnell. I'm sure
that name will adorn a major story in a top publication one day. LINK nky was
lucky to find Haley Parnell. She is a dynamo covering all kinds of stories and
digging in no matter the complexity. She has a way of getting information that
personalizes the story. I'm sure people in Northern Kentucky are noticing.”
WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
NEWS STORY
WINNER: “A Greater Cincinnati Village Struggles To Pay Police”
ENTRANT: Scott Wartman
MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer
BREAKING NEWS/DEADLINE COVERAGE
WINNER: “Princeton School Shooting Hoax”
ENTRANTS: Cameron Knight, Quinlan
Bentley, Victoria Moorwood & Cheryl Vari
MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer
JUDGE’S
COMMENT: “It can be as
important to dispel fake information. The Enquirer did not rely on police radio
reports and just noted a police presence at Princeton High School. The Enquirer
dispatched a reporter who lived close to the school to the scene and soon
reported that there was no active shooting going on at the school. Once
confirmed, the story posted by the Enquirer was the first to report that there
was no gun violence at the school. Good, quick work. Succinct, well-written,
compelling.”
FEATURE STORY
WINNER: “Taken: The Harrowing Tale of
Two Americans Kidnapped Overseas”
ENTRANT: Keith BieryGolick
MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer
FINALIST: “Cincinnati’s
Golden Boys & Girls”
ENTRANT: Jaclyn
Youhana Garver
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati
Magazine
FINALIST: “Uncommon
Thread”
ENTRANT: Andy
Brownfield
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati
Business Courier
BEAT REPORTING
WINNER: “Portfolio of Keith Pandolfi”
ENTRANT: Keith Pandolfi
MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Keith Pandolfi covers what Cincinnati residents eat like the ‘back of his spoon.’ The obituary on the man regarded as the city's best chef was excellent. Keep feeding readers; they're loving it.”
FINALIST: “Randy Tucker, Real Estate Reporting”
ENTRANT: Randy
Tucker
MEDIA OUTLET: The
Cincinnati Enquirer
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Every paper needs a Randy Tucker, who can spot trends in
rents, house values, types of purchases, and even investor trends of wanting to
turn more people into renters. He even covers Dave Chapelle helping the
trans-community. Tucker knows his job.”
FINALIST: “Startup/Technology Reporting: Liz
Engel”
ENTRANT: Liz Engel
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Business Courier
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “If you need someone to explain start-up technology, get Liz Engel. She covers this area well and writes it so we can all understand.”
TEAM COVERAGE
WINNER: “The Day Roe v. Wade Fell In
Ohio”
ENTRANT: The Cincinnati Enquirer Staff
MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “The day the court decision came in: Roe
v. Wade falls. The Enquirer did a good job of showing the impact now and in the
future. And even its potential impact on privacy and gay marriage. Good job of
a team working with many moving parts.”
FINALIST: LINK nky 2022 Election Coverage For Northern Kentucky”
ENTRANTS: Mark Payne, Haley
Parnell, Kenton Hornbeck, Michael Monks, Kaitlin Gebby, Lacy Starling, Mark
Collier, Maggy McDonel, Meghan Goth, Nathan Granger, Alecia Ricker, Grace
Tierney, Jason Finnell & Garin Pirnia
MEDIA OUTLET: LINK nky
JUDGE’S
COMMENT: “Good election coverage in Northern Kentucky, including some notable
stories like the Pendleton County mayor's race decided by a coin flip. Talk
about each vote counting.”
SOCIAL/CRIMINAL JUSTICE REPORTING
WINNER: “Portfolio of Cameron Knight”
ENTRANT: Cameron Knight
MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Wide range of law enforcement activities. Arresting gays
linking up and having sex in a park; a mother charged with the death of
1-month-old by sleeping in same bed with the baby. A laudable effort of getting
the homeless off the streets. There also was a novel way of showing the effect
of the police shortage. Cameron Knight went through records and found that some
large areas had only one officer patrolling. Different ways of looking at
routine stories.”
HUMAN RIGHTS/MINORITY ISSUES REPORTING
WINNER: “Segregated Cincinnati”
ENTRANT: Dan Horn
MEDIA OUTLET: The
Cincinnati Enquirer
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “The Enquirer made great use of census
data to report on the segregation of Cincinnati. It isn't as simple as black
and white. For example, the more affordable housing on the West Side makes it
more diverse than the East Side. Good job on using census data to tell
Cincinnati residents more about their city.”
FINALIST: “What We Talk About When We Talk About Gentrification”
ENTRANT: Carrie
Blackmore Smith
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati
Magazine
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Carrie Blackmore Smith gives the reader a firsthand view of gentrification. After she became a homeowner and landlord, she learned that she was viewed as the outsider. She also learned that the influx of wealthier residents led to fewer units to rent to low-income residents. On one hand, officials view it as good, but longtime residents see it otherwise. A very different perspective on the subject.”
FINALIST: “Affordable
Housing In Northern Kentucky Is Everyone’s Problem: It Could Happen To Anyone”
ENTRANT: Meghan
Goth
MEDIA OUTLET: LINK
nky
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Good piece about the fight to get more affordable housing in
Northern Kentucky.”
GOVERNMENT/COMMUNITY ISSUES REPORTING
WINNER: “2,400 Homeowners Did What
Cincinnati Asked. It Will Cost Them Thousands”
ENTRANT: Patricia Gallagher Newberry
MEDIA OUTLET: The
Cincinnati Enquirer
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “What a screw job! Some 2,400 homeowners
dutifully follow city orders and hire contractors to remove lead pipes, but
they won't be reimbursed for their efforts as other homeowners will be. It
doesn't seem fair, but we are dealing with government. I hope there is follow
up on this subject. Good report.”
ELECTION ISSUES REPORTING
WINNER: “Redistricting Produced
Unconstitutional Maps. What’s Next?”
ENTRANT: Jessie Balmert
MEDIA OUTLET: The
Cincinnati Enquirer
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Clear reporting on the
redistricting map controversy. No one was penalized for not following the
rules. The Enquirer spells out the issue in what can be a very confusing matter
for many readers. Good job.”
ENTRANT: Jim DeBrosse
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Magazine
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Good piece on the redistricting fight in Ohio.”
INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING
WINNER: “Resign: How Jason Osborne’s
Tenure As Miami Provost Came To An End”
ENTRANTS: Sean Scott & Luke Macy
MEDIA OUTLET: The Miami Student
JUDGE’S
COMMENT: “First-rate planning
and persistence by the Miami Student. This work would put professionals to
shame. The provost resigned during an assessment of a survey about his three
years at Miami University. The survey was never released, but the Miami Student
used public records law to get it released. It showed how unpopular the provost
was. Top-flight work!”
FINALIST: “Pure
Romance: Supportive Sisterhood Or Risky MLM?”
ENTRANT: Alexander Coolidge
MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “The popular Pure Romance could be a multi-level marketing
scheme. The Enquirer reports on what the pitfalls might be. Good job.”
FINALIST: “NKU
Faculty Senate President On Vaidya’s Departure, Budget Woes: They’re
Connected.”
ENTRANT: Mark Payne
MEDIA OUTLET: LINK nky
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “When Ashish Vaidya stepped down from the presidency of
Northern Kentucky University, the official word was that it wasn't due to the
budget deficit. Not true, says the faculty senate. Good job of uncovering the
full picture.”
USE OF PUBLIC RECORDS REPORTING
WINNER: “Ohio’s Big-City Mayors Kept
Active Text Message Commentary”
ENTRANT: Jessie Balmert
MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer
JUDGE’S
COMMENT: “What a treasure
trove of political observations. It's not every day you can get the honest
comments from the mouths of politicians, but the Enquirer did by getting hold
of text messages among six Democratic mayors. The key is whether anyone paid
attention or was it seen as Democrats harping at Republicans?”
FINALIST: “Rating
The Burbs 2022”
ENTRANT: Bill
Ferguson, Jr.
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincy
Magazine
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Great job of taking public records and telling people where
the top burbs are in the Cincinnati area. The numbers are confined to short
text and graphics and don't weigh down the rich stories. A good explainer of
how you used the data.”
CONTINUING
COVERAGE OR SERIES
WINNER: “P.G. Sittenfeld Trial”
ENTRANTS: Sharon Coolidge & Kevin Grasha
MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “P.G. Sittenfeld, the man widely
regarded as the candidate destined to become Cincinnati's next mayor, is
prosecuted for bribery. Excellent coverage of the trial and what's next. The
guilty verdict would spell the end of his political career.”
FINALIST: “Pike
County Murder Trial”
ENTRANT: Patricia Gallagher Newberry
MEDIA OUTLET: The
Cincinnati Enquirer
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Good coverage of the trial in the 2016 murder of eight
people in Pike County. The motive was some personal difference between the
suspects and the family involving the son one of the suspects had with a member
of the victims' family. It was hard to get perspective on this case perhaps because
of the complexity of the case and the limit on the number of stories for the
entry for such a long trial. But the Enquirer covered it in detail.”
FINALIST: “The
Theatrics of the Kenton County Family Court Judge Race”
ENTRANT: Meghan Goth
MEDIA OUTLET: LINK
nky
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “The dustup over the suspended license of a family court
judge candidate dogged the election, but in the end the candidate came in third
far behind his two other opponents. Going in and out of court and social media
comments highlighted the race. Good folo on the issue.”
BUSINESS/CONSUMER NEWS REPORTING
WINNER: “Lighting The Way For
Inclusion”
ENTRANT: Gail Paul
MEDIA OUTLET: Realm
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “A comprehensive look at venture capital
for local minority businesses. While very detailed and well-documented, plenty
of voices make the article readable as well as informative. Good job tackling
this complex issue.”
FINALIST: “How
Real Estate Investors Are Changing Cincinnati”
ENTRANTS: Dan Horn & Randy Tucker
MEDIA OUTLET: The
Cincinnati Enquirer
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “How big investors are changing the face of a middle-class
neighborhood by scooping up houses for rentals. Combining homeowners' points of
view with solid data make this story a winner.”
FINALIST: “Plum
Choice: Kroger Agrees To Acquire Albertsons”
ENTRANT: Steve Watkins
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati
Business Courier
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Lots of solid details in this easy-to-read article about the
proposed merger of two grocery giants with the purchase of Albertsons by
Cincinnati-based Kroger.”
BUSINESS FEATURE/ANALYSIS/COLUMN
WINNER: “A Kroger Worker Killed
Himself. Now His Family Is Suing, Testing The ‘Suicide Rule’”
ENTRANT: Alexander Coolidge
MEDIA OUTLET: The
Cincinnati Enquirer
JUDGE’S
COMMENT: “This is not your
typical business story. This well-balanced article with an easy-reading
narrative style employs lots of voices and details to lay out the shocking tale
of a grocery worker's suicide, sensitively touching on allegations of bullying,
sexual harassment, stalking and unsafe work environment. Well done!”
FINALIST: “Institutional
Investors Scoop Up Thousands of Greater Cincinnati Homes”
ENTRANT: Chris Wetterich
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Business Courier
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Lots of data points and a nice map help define this
fact-rich article about institutional investors scooping up affordable housing
options for the community. Very readable and balanced despite the dense subject
matter.”
FINALIST: “How An
Urban Market Transformed Neighborhood”
ENTRANTS: David Holthaus & Natalie Grilli
MEDIA OUTLET: Soapbox
Media
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Feed them and they will come. This
description of how revitalization of an urban market brought shoppers downtown again
is lovely and packed with examples and voices.”
EDUCATION REPORTING
WINNER: “A Year In First Grade: How
School Has Changed After The Pandemic”
ENTRANTS: Madeline Mitchell &
Amanda Rossmann
MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer
JUDGE’S
COMMENT: “What a great idea
for a story: spending a lot of time with first-graders during the pandemic and
their return to in-class learning. This shows the reader rather than taking
various persons' secondhand accounts or complaints. Kudos to the Enquirer.”
FINALIST: “Show Them The Money”
ENTRANT: Michele Day
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Magazine
JUDGE’S
COMMENT: “The puppet
Kevin gives life to teaching kids about economics. You add inspiration from
rappers, and WCET is teaching the very basics of everyday money concepts to
young kids. Nice job, Cincinnati Magazine.”
FINALIST: “A Deep Dive Into HB9 and NKY’s Pilot
Charter School”
ENTRANT: Mark Payne
MEDIA OUTLET: LINK nky
JUDGE’S
COMMENT: “Fear and
trepidation over establishing pilot charter school projects in Northern
Kentucky. Even with passage of a funding bill, it doesn't sound like whither
they go on this. Good job laying out the questions.”
CHILD/YOUTH/TEEN ISSUES REPORTING
WINNER: “Cincinnati Area Kids Are
Struggling With Mental Health”
ENTRANTS: Madeline Mitchell & Terry DeMio
MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “A lot of signs are showing that kids are suffering from
mental health problems. Madeline Mitchell and Terry DeMio alert Cincinnati on
what to do. The sidebar is just what the doctor ordered: a list and explanation
of possible symptoms of mental problems in youngsters. Great job.”
FINALIST: “Parents
Desperate To Find Baby Formula May Face Six to Eight Weeks Before Shelves Are
Restocked”
ENTRANT: Haley
Parnell
MEDIA OUTLET: LINK
nky
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Good react on the shortage of infant formula and the
full-fledged scurrying to find it. Also showed the alternatives.”
HEALTH/MEDICAL REPORTING
WINNER: “Black Americans Were Targeted
By Cigarette Makers. Will They Benefit From Ban On Menthols?”
ENTRANT: Brooks Sutherland
MEDIA OUTLET: The
Cincinnati Enquirer
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Good piece on how cigarette makers targeted Black males in
the marketing of menthol cigarettes. Now health experts hope the FDA ban on
menthol cigarettes will help save Black lives. The Enquirer coupled this with
CDC data showing that minorities made up a majority of the adult smokers in
some neighborhoods. This is old-fashioned journalism: showing what a regulation
and data mean to the readers.”
ENVIRONMENTAL/SCIENCE REPORTING
WINNER: “Climate Change Is Just
Getting Warmed Up”
ENTRANT: John Stowell
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Magazine
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “This piece covers a lot of ground and
includes a lot of detail without overwhelming the reader. Well-written and
sourced.”
FINALIST: “Rumpke
Landfill Expansion In Southwest Ohio Leads To Controversy”
ENTRANT: Keith
BieryGolick
MEDIA OUTLET: The
Cincinnati Enquirer
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “A descriptive and comprehensive piece.”
FINALIST: “A
Neighborhood Model To Fight Climate Change”
ENTRANTS: David Holthaus & Natalie Grilli
MEDIA OUTLET: Soapbox
Media
WINNER: “Portfolio of Kevin Aldridge”
ENTRANT: Kevin Aldridge
MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer
JUDGE’S
COMMENT: “The Cincinnati
Enquirer doesn't shy away from major issues: the conviction of the man who
would be mayor, the attack on the FBI building and cash bail versus holding
suspects on the basis of public safety. Some good common sense anchors all of
the editorials.”
FINALIST: “Another View”
ENTRANT: Don Mooney
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincy Magazine
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Don Mooney has an interesting view on things: like the
teacher shortage, national politics playing in local elections and new transit
options.”
ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT
REPORTING
WINNER:
“The Pinball Wizards Among Us”
ENTRANT: Laurie Pike
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Magazine
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Great scene-setting and characters, has all the right stuff
for a city magazine feature, from you-are-there details to historical
perspective.”
FINALIST: “Cincinnati’s Gee Horton Found Himself An
Accidental Artist”
ENTRANT: Sharon Coolidge
MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Great details add up to a full portrait of
the artist.”
FINALIST: “Giving Their Regards To Broadway”
ENTRANT: Rick Pender
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Magazine
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Solid piece that captures a moment in
time for the CCM program and for America's musical theatre tradition.”
ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT CRITIQUE
WINNER: “Blink Lights Festival In Cincinnati Continues Through Weekend”
ENTRANT: Ginny McCabe
MEDIA OUTLET: Journal-News
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “This
is probably the one review that families in the Cincinnati area read to see
whether they want to drive through the wonderment of lights. Good way of
letting folks know what they can look forward to.”
WINNER: “Chris Henry Was A Bengals Legend. His Sons Are Talented Too”
ENTRANT: Scott Springer
MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “These
kinds of stories don't happen very often, but when they do, they speak a lot
about the humanity from the biggest stage in American sports. Coach Jones just
carries on his friend's and teammate's legacy to see that the friend's sons
become great football players. Don't look for 'Win one for the Gipper' quotes
here. This is done from the heart. It doesn't get much better than that.”
FINALIST: “The Time To Win Is Now”
ENTRANT: Steve Watkins
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Business Courier
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Good look at coming contract talks for
the biggest star in Cincinnati sports: Joe Burrow. No doubt the Bengals want to
keep him, but the question is how. Burrow could ask for $40 million to $50
million a year, the range that the top NFL quarterbacks get. In making a
multiyear deal, the owners would have to put $100 million in escrow. Then there
are a couple young rising stars who will need pay raises. No wonder this story
is printed in a business magazine.”
FINALIST: “Joey Votto Is The Greatest Reds Player of
All Time”
ENTRANT: Chad Dotson
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Magazine
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Extremely readable profile of Joey
Votto, the Reds' first baseman who has surpassed Reds' greats in various
Bench-marks. I like this guy.”
CINCINNATI BENGALS SUPER BOWL COVEAGE
WINNER: “Enquirer Bengals Coverage”
ENTRANT: The Cincinnati Enquirer Staff
MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Good day-after story, then the alumni say they're not losers anymore, the longtime Bengals now on the opposing team and the emotions that run through; Cincy gets an economic boost even though it loses Super Bowl; Bengals theme song starts on Tik Tok; SuperFan Marsha Watts hopes for less anxiety than what she had been used to. Really good collection of stories. Nothing like a winning football team to rejuvenate everyone and covera
MAGAZINE REPORTING
WINNER: “When War Hits Home”
ENTRANT: John Stowell
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Magazine
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Very powerful narrative, sharing the
story of war far away and linking it back to the sister city and very basic
human connections. The details toggling back and forth from the destruction and
strife of war, the modern connection, the baseball all build the story. And the
call to action showing how readers can help provide another level of powerful
local journalism. Well done!”
FINALIST: “Bringing Ben Dombar Back To Life”
ENTRANT: Linda Vaccariello
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Magazine
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “This deep dive into the renovation of a truly unique house
reads almost like a novel, smoothly inviting us into the hexagonal house and
the process of restoring it. The style brings the more prosaic details to life
while telling the story through the eyes of the owner/preservationist informed
by the vision of the late architect. The interview with the architect’s
daughter further enhances the piece. This makes me want to search for more info
and an exterior shot of the house.”
FINALIST: “Just Call Us Kin-cinnati”
ENTRANT: Laurie Pike
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Magazine
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Interesting story about the Travelers,
told through archives, interviews and an unnamed source, because the members
prefer to remain private. The original reporting and the very visible cemetery
displays help to fill in some of the blanks.
MAGAZINE COVER DESIGN
WINNER: “Cincinnati Magazine Covers”
ENTRANTS: Brittany Dexter & Cincinnati Magazine Staff
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Magazine
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Great covers all around. It showcases the skills of the staff
as a designer, as an artist and as a sculptor (if the pumpkin was made by the
same person).”
MAGAZINE SPECIALIZED PUBLICATIONS
WINNER: “Cincinnati Gives”
ENTRANTS: Aiesha Little, Emi Villavicencio & Cincinnati Magazine Staff
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Magazine
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Beautifully
designed and clearly written. Everything about this special publication is inviting
and informative. Made me wonder how a similar effort would look for our
community.”
FINALIST: “Cincy Magazine Custom Publications”
ENTRANTS: Corinne Minard & Cincy Staff
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincy Magazine
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Comprehensive mix of special pubs: Bengals, Adams County and
Middletown.”
FINALIST: “Cincinnati Schools Guide”
ENTRANTS: Amanda Boyd Walters & Staff
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Magazine
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Well-done special publication with some fun design choices
and reader-friendly pieces.”
NEWSPAPER PAGE ONE DEIGN
WINNER: “Cincinnati Business Courier Page One Designs”
ENTRANT: John Lauer
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Business Courier
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “All great Page One covers.”
NEWS PHOTOGRAPHER PORTFOLIO
WINNER: “Corrie Schaffeld 2022, Best Of ”
ENTRANT: Corrie Schaffeld
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Business Courier
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “A strong set of images that are all well-composed, and either
well-lit artificially or very strategically executed if available light.
Portraits are expressive and allow readers to connect to the subject, and from
low light photography to artificially-lit photography, demonstrate technical
proficiency. I suspect the photographer had to put in a lot of effort to be in
the right place at the right time to capture these moments. Great job!”
FINALIST: “Liz Dufour Body of Work”
ENTRANT: Liz Dufour
MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “A strong set of images that immediately allows readers to
experience the emotions present in the moments these images were captured.
Composition is solid and the effective use of depth of field helps draw
readers' attention to where it needs to be, while telling a story in the background.
A very solid effort!”
SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHER PORTFOLIO
WINNER: “Kareem Elgazzar Body of Work”
ENTRANT: Kareem Elgazzar
MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “A great set of sports photos! Kareem did a great job capturing
the decisive moments, as well as the emotional intensity of the athletes in
those moments.”
FINALIST: “Corrie Schaffeld Cincinnati Business Courier”
ENTRANT: Corrie Schaffeld
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Business Courier
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Well-composed and interesting.”
PHOTO SPREAD/PHOTO ESSAY
WINNER: “A Day In Our Lives (24 Hours In 24 Images)”
ENTRANTS: Brittany Dexter, Jen Kawanari, Emi Villavicencio & John Fox
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Magazine
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “A diverse, vibrant set of photos that showcases 24 hours of
life in Cincinnati. I love how the piece incorporates work from such a large
group of photographers, yet still feels like a cohesive set of images. Good job
not just on the many photographers' parts but also the art team that managed to
put this all together the way that they did.”
FINALIST: “Friday At The LPGA, From Dawn To Dusk”
ENTRANT: Albert Cesare
MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “This one is almost exactly the opposite of the winning
piece. Rather than daily life in an entire city, it focuses on 24 hours at an
LPGA tournament in Cincinnati. Rather than a different photographer for each
image, this was the work of just one person. Bravo on the excellent captioning,
and the frames were a great, detailed set of images documenting the tournament.
Great work bringing a diversity of perspectives from the same event!”
NEWSPAPER SPECIAL SECTION
WINNER: “Enquirer Super Bowl Special”
ENTRANT: The Cincinnati Enquirer Staff
MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Wow, such comprehensive coverage; even
fans who gave up on the Bengals. What detailed background and why the Bengals
are where they are. Cincinnati no longer is a loser. The message is backed up
with stellar coverage. I could see people laying this out in front of the TV.
It is a souvenir edition.”
WEBSITE DESIGN
WINNER: “cincinnati.com”
ENTRANT: The Cincinnati Enquirer Staff
MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “This website is well-designed, airy and
light. It is very well-sectioned off to ease the use by readers. Some of the
ads are confined to the far right side and don't get mixed in with news until
very low on the front page. The page uses a cookie control tool to control
advertiser use of readers' browsing activity.”
FINALIST: “Cincinnati Business Courier Website”
ENTRANT: Cincinnati Business Courier Staff
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Business Courier
FINALIST: “CincinnatiMagazine.com”
ENTRANTS: Sam Rosenstiel, Kane Mitten, Amanda Boyd
Walters, Logan Case & Cincinnati Magazine Staff
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Magazine
BROADCAST COMMUNICATION
NEWS STORY
WINNER: “’We Don’t Have Anywhere To Go.’
Residents Deal With Flooding In Hartwell Apartments”
ENTRANTS: Madeline Ottilie & Paul Weeden
MEDIA OUTLET: WCPO-TV
JUDGE’S
COMMENT: “This was a good
visual story and included investigative elements.”
FINALIST: “Goshen Residents Pick Up The Pieces After
EF2 Tornado”
ENTRANT: Madeline Ottilie
MEDIA OUTLET: WCPO-TV
JUDGE’S CONMMENT: “Very
well-done coverage of a tornado and the impact it has on people.”
FINALIST: “Ukrainian Bishop With Sons On Front Lines
Shares Realities of War”
ENTRANTS: Payton Marshall & Holland Rains
MEDIA OUTLET: WXIX-TV
JUDGE’S CONMMENT: “Very powerful story and a good way to connect a big world
story to a local community.”
FEATURE STORY
WINNER: “Meet The 6-Year-Old Girl Who Plays Tackle Football
In Fairfield”
ENTRANTS: Rae Hines & Madeline Ottilie
MEDIA OUTLET: WCPO-TV
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Excellent reporting and videography in a
story that shows why this little girl is bound to break many more glass ceilings.”
FINALIST: “I Just Like Nice Words”
ENTRANTS: Ken Brown & Payton Del Bradley
MEDIA OUTLET: WXIX-TV
JUDGE’S CONMMENT: “Covering education can often overlook
the social and emotional components of learning that are more important now
than ever. This story makes that the spotlight.”
ENTRANTS: Michael Benedic & Evan Millward
MEDIA OUTLET: WCPO-TV
JUDGE’S CONMMENT: “Intergenerational relationships are often rare or limited to one's
own family. It's refreshing to see a young man as committed to his elderly
passengers as he is to his wrestling career.”
BREAKING NEWS/DEADLINE COVERAGE
WINNER: “Bronze Wolf Statue Gifted To
Cincinnati From Rome During Mussolini’s Reign Has Been Stolen”
ENTRANT: Tana Weingartner
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Public Radio -- 91.7 WVXU
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Reporter’s voice track was clear and pleasant, and the script
was tight and succinct.”
SOCIAL/CRIMINAL
JUSTICE REPORTING
WINNER: “John
Powell: ‘He Saved Lives By His Death’”
ENTRANTS: Evan Millward & Scott Wegener
MEDIA OUTLET: WCPO-TV
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “WCPO tracks the daughter of a victim of
the Drake Hospital serial killer called the Angel of Death. Thirty-something
years after her father died, his daughter writes his story in a book. Her
father, John Powell, was the key death that tipped the coroner off to someone
killing patients there after smelling cyanide. Her father cried two days before
his death. She thinks he knew he was going to die. Good story of redemption by
WCPO's Evan Millward and Scott Wegener.”
HUMAN RIGHTS/MINORITY
ISSUES REPORTING
WINNER: “Sewage-Contaminated
Water Is Seeping Into An African American Cemetery. Who Is Responsible Remains
A Mystery”
ENTRANT: Becca Costello
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati
Public Radio – 91.7 WVXU
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “It's
a unique issue to that community, but we could all relate to the frustration on
trying to stop the contamination on this holy site. Well reported and solutions-
oriented reporting.”
FINALIST: “A Moment On Ice
Meant To Destroy”
ENTRANTS: Marshall Kramsky
& Raymond Pfeffer
MEDIA OUTLET: WCPO-TV
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “The story adds an important human touch and it showcased how
people can support each other.”
FINALIST: “Transgender and Gender Diverse People Can Struggle To Sound Like Themselves. An App Aims To Help”
ENTRANT: Ann Thompson
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati
Public Radio – 91.7 WVXU
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “The
story highlighted an issue that does not get a lot of coverage in traditional
media. I appreciated learning more about the issues trans people face.”
GOVERNMENT/COMMUNITY
ISSUES REPORTING
WINNER: “Cincinnati
Renters Have Eviction Protection Under A New Law. But The County Court Won’t
Enforce It”
ENTRANT: Becca Costello
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati
Public Radio – 91.7 WVXU
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Magistrates in a Hamilton County court refuse to honor an ordinance that a renter is allowed to stay in his unit as long as late fees and past due rent are paid. A woman found out when both she and her husband fell ill and he died, leaving her little money to pay the rent, and an apartment manager refused to accept a rental assistance voucher. The renter was ordered to leave the apartment. The so-called Pay to Stay ordinance is nullified. Good job on catching onto this problem.”
INVESTIGATIVE
REPORTING
WINNER: “Fallout From Russia”
ENTRANTS: Duane Pohlman, Eric Frisbee & Tim Geraghty
MEDIA OUTLET: WKRC-TV
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Great in-depth reporting on a community
impact topic. Great job holding officials accountable as well and the determination
to uncover these documents is awesome. The NATS, graphics and quick sound bites
in the beginning drew me in.”
FINALIST: “The Affordable
Housing Trust Fund Is About To Get Another $5M. But How Affordable Will That
Housing Be?”
ENTRANT: Becca Costello
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati
Public Radio – 91.7 WVXU
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Great topic and digging into how this will impact the
community. Awesome job on getting answers and disproving officials and amending
the rule. The in-depth reporting and explaining was well done. Great job!”
USE OF PUBLIC RECORDS REPORTING
WINNER: “120K+ In Taxpayer Dollars
Used To Fix Jail Windows Broken By Inmates”
ENTRANTS: Payton Marshall, Payton Bradley & Mike Buckingham
MEDIA OUTLET: WXIX-TV
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Good use of financial information to get the $120,000 price tag resulting from inmates burning holes in costly plexiglass windows at the Hamilton County jail. Many of them are using the batteries from computer tablets to heat up accelerants to make big holes. Wait taxpayers, there are more windows to fix. A simple financial figure turned into a good story.”
CONTINUING COVERAGE
OR SERIES
WINNER: “Round
The Corner: Lindenwald”
ENTRANT: Tana Weingartner
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Public Radio – 91.7 WVXU
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “What a wonderful idea for continuing
coverage. WVXU has focused on an area and tells its listeners what the area is
about. These entries focused on the Lindenwald area of Hamilton and showed it
to be changing in diversity and working to fill in empty buildings and
revitalize an area hit by closed mills and inability to compete with chain
stores. Maybe more of us should get off our butts and do these features that the
audience can look forward to.”
EDUCATION REPORTING
WINNER: “This Is Like Déjà Vu: Why CPS Decided To Go Remote For The Second School
Year In A Row”
ENTRANT: Cory Sharber
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Public Radio – 91.7 WVXU
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Comprehensive story about the challenges
that this district is facing due to COVID. The reporter added a lot of data and
information and covered both sides of the challenges.”
FINALIST: “Selfies With The CPS Superintendent A Big
Hit On The First Day”
ENTRANT: Ann Thompson
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Public Radio – 91.7 WVXU
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Good story
on the positives at the school and how the community can help.”
HEALTH/MEDICAL
REPORTING
WINNER: “Foreigner Band Member Helps Man Find Kidney”
ENTRANT: Ashley Smith
MEDIA OUTLET: WXIX-TV
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Well
written, good visuals. Nice flow to the story, like how reporter tied in the lyrics
to the song.”
FINALIST: “Another Family Alleges UC Hospital Misplaces
Remains”
ENTRANT: Simone Jameson
MEDIA OUTLET: WXIX-TV
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Interesting story, well
written.”
ENVIRONMENTAL/SCIENCE
REPORTING
WINNER: “Best of Fallout Investigation”
ENTRANTS: Duane Pohlman, Eric Frisbee and Tim Geraghty
MEDIA OUTLET: WKRC-TV
JUDGE’S COMMENT: ““Hard-hitting
questions, great use of nat pops, great use of video showing hands-on
journalism and getting answers.”
FINALIST: “The Green Economy Is Leaving Marginalized
Workers Behind. One Organization Is Trying To Change That”
ENTRANT: Ann Thompson
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Public Radio – 91.7 WVXU
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Excellent way of exploring the growing divide between available
jobs and trainers. Appreciate the author shedding light on marginalized
communities.”
FINALIST: “The Fruits of A Local Orchard Project Are
Going A Long Way”
ENTRANT: Ann Thompson
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Public Radio – 91.7 WVXU
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Interesting topic, fascinating to see how food scraps become compost.”
WEATHER/CLIMATE CHANGE COVERAGE
WINNER: “Tornado Causes Widespread Damage In Goshen”
ENTRANTS: Payton Marshall & Payton Bradley
MEDIA OUTLET: WXIX-TV
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Good
visuals and good effort to show the personal impact of the tornado on people.”
FINALIST: “Ohio 2022 Blizzard”
ENTRANTS: Payton Del Bradley, Payton Marshall &
Tricia Macke
MEDIA OUTLET: WXIX-TV
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Very good live coverage of this big
story, with multiple angles being covered.”
FINALIST: “Goshen Tornado Live Coverage”
ENTRANT: Cassy Arsenault
MEDIA OUTLET: WKRC-TV
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Great live reporting! Good stories at the end of the entry as
well to put it all together.”
SPORTS/SPORTS FEATURE REPORTING
WINNER: “The Biggest Scandal In Sports History”
ENTRANTS: Marshall Kramsky & Raymond Pfeffer
MEDIA OUTLET: WCPO-TV
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Really unique and creative angle for
what is a big event for the Reds, and the Black Sox scandal tied back to the
film Field of Dreams. I love the dig into the history of the involvement of
Cincinnati with captivating interviews that were covered with great editing to
bring the old footage and photos to life. The live shot was a perfect location
with the game happening in the back, and a view of the corn in the outfield.
Contrasting Shoeless Joe's purgatory to baseball heaven in Iowa was chef's kiss
to bring everything full circle. In total one of the best feature reports I've
ever seen. Well done!”
ENTRANTS: Chris Renkel & Kevin Barnett
MEDIA OUTLET: WKRC-TV
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “A great dive into a Cincinnati legend,
and how Steve's star-studded collegiate career fizzled out in the NBA. The
story was written, shot and edited incredibly well. I loved the use of
headlines from the paper with old footage, and the shot of Steve hugging
Huggins was a nice end to that sound bite. In all this is a wonderful story
that you should be extremely proud of. Excellent work.”
FINALIST: “Banner Year For Cincinnati Sports”
ENTRANT: Cassy Arsenault
MEDIA OUTLET: WKRC-TV
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Your creativity with these story ideas is awesome.
Well-written and edited with the communication, which is an important aspect of
a team that is often overlooked. Good use of natural sound hits.
CINCINNATI BENGALS
SUPER BOWL COVERAGE
WINNER: “The Cincinnati Bengals Are Going To The Super Bowl
In The Year of the Tiger. Coincidence?”
ENTRANT: Tana Weingartner
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Public Radio – 91.7 WVXU
JUDGE’S COMMENTS: “Fun way to connect the Super Bowl with
something other than sports! Good interview as well.”
FINALIST: “Nuns At Oldest Church In Cincinnati Pray For
Burrow, Bengals To Heal City’s Wounds”
ENTRANTS: Payton Marshall & Holland Rains
MEDIA OUTLET: WXIX-TV
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Interesting way to tell the story about
football, and how it can really unite people of all different people! The power
of prayer!”
CINCINNATI BENGALS
SUPER BOWL SPECIAL PROGRAM
WINNER: “Bengals Weekly Championship Special”
ENTRANTS: WKRC-TV Sports & Cincinnati Bengals
MEDIA OUTLET: WKRC-TV
JUDGE’S COMMENTS: “Awesome special and preview coverage for
the Big Game. Great use of the studio for different shots and interviews.
Graphics look awesome and the different segments kept me engaged the whole
time. Great job!”
DOCUMENTARY
WINNER: “Sister Blandina Segale: A Cincinnati Saint”
ENTRANTS: Patricia McGeever, Bryan Dykes, Richard Henry & Bob Herzog
MEDIA OUTLET: WKRC-TV
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “How could this entry not win? Words can't describe the deeds
of Sister Blandina, who cared for the sick, the frail, the poor and built
schools, hospitals and churches without money in New Mexico, Colorado and Ohio.
They called her a Mother Teresa. She even linked up with Billy the Kid and
stopped a lynching. Originally from Cincinnati, where she spent her later years
fighting for the unfortunate, she is Cincinnati's Saint.”
VIDEOGRAPHY
WINNER: “Rae’s 2022 Videography Entry”
ENTRANT: Rae Hines
MEDIA OUTLET: WCPO-TV
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Great
shots and edits especially on the free form play about discrimination and the
girls basketball team honoring their mentor who had died. The bridge shots took
a lot of planning and effort. The story popped because of them. The emotions
came through in the first two stories. Good job.”
FREELANCE
FREELANCE NEWS
REPORTING
WINNER: “Local Man, A Holocaust Survivor, Celebrates 100th Birthday
With Event At Cincinnati Museum Center”
ENTRANT: Ginny McCabe
MEDIA OUTLET: Journal-News
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “It can be challenging to interview a
99-year-old or a centenarian about events in their lives that happened long
ago. The writer does a good job in gathering information from family members
and other sources to help tell the story.”
FREELANCE FEATURE
REPORTING
WINNER: “Ticket To Hope’s Mission: Provide Life-Changing Experiences For Locals”
ENTRANT: Ginny McCabe
MEDIA OUTLET: Journal-News
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “A heartwarming story that follows the
manifestation of a selfless dream. I appreciated that the writer explained how
the dream originated. By sharing this story, others in the community stand to
benefit.”
FREELANCE SPORTS/SPORTS
FEATURE REPORTING
WINNER: “He’s The Guy That Leads”
ENTRANT: Jeff Gilbert
MEDIA OUTLET: Dayton Daily News
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Behind every successful sports team are
key figures behind the scenes that are often overlooked. The writer does a
great job profiling the student coach and illustrating the coach's devotion to
the sport through his actions.”
FREELANCE EDITORIAL
OR COMMENTARY
WINNER: “More Light, Action Needed On Sexual Assaults”
ENTRANT: Daniel Sewell
MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “The columnist is to be commended for
tackling a critical topic that is too often ignored. Solid writing and
reporting set this editorial apart, giving readers real insight into the
problem of campus sexual assault.”
FINALIST: “Four Decades After The Who Tragedy”
ENTRANT: David Holthaus
MEDIA OUTLET: Soapbox Media
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “This concert review deftly wove
together the details of a past tragedy, the evolution of stadium concerts and
personal anecdotes into a seamless narrative. Excellent writing.”
FREELANCE
HEALTH/MEDICAL REPORTING
WINNER: “Innovation Close To Home”
ENTRANT: Ginny McCabe
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincy Magazine
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “The writer offers readers an interesting
look into robotics and other innovations at Cincinnati's medical facilities.”
COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY
BEST STUDENT SPECIAL
PROJECT
WINNER: “Resign: How Jason Osborne’s Tenure As Miami’s Provost Came To An End”
ENTRANT: The Miami Student Staff
MEDIA OUTLET: The Miami Student
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “It took the Miami Student months to get a hold of the survey of the three-year term of Provost Jason Osborne. Great planning to use public records law to piece together the review of at Miami University -- never released because Osborne resigned. It was worth the wait. He proved unpopular. Great job, Miami Student.”
BEST OF SHOW
BEST OF SHOW - BEST OVERALLWRITTEN REPORTER
WINNER: “Portfolio of Cameron Knight”
ENTRANT: Cameron Knight
MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Stories of extremely wide variety and
good depth. Cameron Knight delivered on topics that Cincinnati residents should
care about: questions about shaming those arrested in gay sex sting at a city
park; clearing the homeless from a covered area by a highway but without a lot
of criticism from homeless supporters; police recruit shortage that sometimes leaves
three neighborhoods sharing one patrol officer; supporting the sister city in
Ukraine and talking to a teacher in Kharkiv taking shelter from the bombings
and missile attacks; and questions about a 6-year-old allowed to run a marathon
-- all important issues. Cincinnati is better for it because of the attention
that Cameron Knight brings to each story.”
FINALIST: “Portfolio
of Keith Pandolfi”
ENTRANT: Keith Pandolfi
MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Keith
Pandolfi is a wonderful writer with a focus on what people eat. Good obit on
the man considered Cincy's best chef. All enjoyable reads.”
FINALIST: “The
Portfolio of Liz Engel”
ENTRANT: Liz Engel
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Business Courier
JUDGE’S COMMNT: “An excellent writer making the mundane
sound great.”
BEST OF SHOW – BEST
OVERALL BROADCAST REPORTER
WINNER: “Duane
Pohlman, Chief Investigative Reporter”
ENTRANT: Duane Pohlman
MEDIA OUTLET: WKRC-TV
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “It appears Duane did a lot of research.
It was good to see how he followed up. Nice layering of information that kept
the pieces interesting.”
FINALIST: “Tana
Weingartner”
ENTRANT: Tana Weingartner
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Public Radio – 91.7 WVXU
JUDGE’S COMMNT: “There was a good variety of stories that showed Tana's
abilities as a reporter.”
FINALIST: “Cassy
Arsenault Reports”
ENTRANT: Cassy Arsenault
MEDIA OUTLET: WKRC-TV
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “There was a good variety of stories that showed how versatile
Cassy is as a reporter.”
BEST OF SHOW – BEST RADIO NEWS ANCHOR
WINNER: “Maryanne Zeleznik”
ENTRANT: 91.7 WVXU News
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Public Radio – 91.7 WVXU
BEST OF SHOW – BEST RADIO NEWSCAST OR NEWS PROGRAM
WINNER: “Cincinnati Edition”
ENTRANTS: Lucy May, Selena Reder & Nick Swartsell
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Public Radio – 91.7 WVXU
BEST OF SHOW – BEST COLUMNIST/COMMENTATOR
WINNER: “Judi Ketteler: Welcome To
Middlehood”
ENTRANT: Judi Ketteler
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Magazine
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Ketteler stands out for her ability to
link personal experiences to universal issues. Her writing is clever (but not
too) and articulate.”
FINALIST: “Jeff Seuss’ History Column”
ENTRANT: Jeff Seuss
MEDIA OULET: The Cincinnati Enquirer
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Suess sheds a bright light into little-known or mostly
forgotten corners of Cincinnati's history. In doing so, his columns help knit a
sense of identity and community among the city's residents.”
BEST OF SHOW -- BEST NEWSPAPER
WINNER: “The Cincinnati Enquirer”
ENTRANT: The Cincinnati Enquirer Staff
MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Don't blame the Enquirer for loving the Bengals. The team
adds color and excitement to the paper, which must cover more mundane articles
about health and City Hall doings and the shutdown of a nearby power plant. It
does its job with great layout, day in day out with good reporting. It is the
top newspaper.”
FINALIST: “Cincinnati Business Courier”
ENTRANT: Cincinnati Business Courier Staff
MEDIA OULET: Cincinnati Business Courier
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “This is not your father's business journal. It tells you
about the dogs you can eat at the Reds' ballpark or the kid revitalizing the
city. It still does the staples, such as development, investment and
restaurants, but the mix is good. You can even find a nonprofit in there.
Sacrilege in a business publication. but the article told you about the
nonprofit group teaching how to shoot great photos. Did I mention layout?
Outstanding job.”
BEST OF SHOW -- BEST MAGAZINE
WINNER: “Cincinnati Magazine”
ENTRANT:
Cincinnati Magazine Staff
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Magazine
JUDGE’S
COMMENT: “Cincinnati
Magazine’s many excellent writers, designers, illustrators and photographers
chronicle the city with humor, energy and deep affection. The magazine is
filled with interesting content, including clever features such as Dr. Know,
spotlights on quirky artists and sartorial styles, and news about restaurants
and bourbon makers. The heftier pieces that anchor the magazine are excellent
and wide-ranging, such as the fascinating history of Travelers in Cincinnati,
how fair redistricting maps keep getting sabotaged, what life is like under
siege in the sister city of Kharkiv and what drives entrepreneur Ricardo Grant
to keep trying new things. The coverage makes this outsider, who has never set
foot in Ohio, really want to visit the city. High praise!”
FINALIST: “Cincy Magazine”
ENTRANTS: Corinne Minard & Cincy Magazine Staff
MEDIA OULET: Cincy Magazine
JUDGE’S COMMENTS: “Cincy Magazine offers an enjoyable combination of strong business
stories—such as drone delivery and health care tech—with more general-interest
stories on the arts, nonprofits, travel tips and farm-to-table trends. It also
includes many perennial favorites such as best doctors, retirement resources
and a directory of schools. The magazine’s ‘Rating the Burbs’ feature involved
an impressive amount of research and synthesizing data, including school stats,
police data and real estate figures—all very helpful information for users.
Overall, the magazine offers upbeat coverage of business, health, culture,
education and food, with many unique rankings and lists to round it all out.
Well done.”
BEST OF SHOW -- BEST WEBSITE
WINNER: “LINK nky Website”
ENTRANT: LINK nky Staff
MEDIA OUTLET: LINK nky
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “This is a terrific website that offers a wealth of editorial content,
all clearly organized, with solid heads and photos. Subject categories are
grouped logically and display well on computers and phones, which makes it easy
know where you are or where you might want to go. Information on how to
subscribe to the print publication or daily newsletter, or to donate to their journalism,
is nicely prominent; ads and sponsored content are lightly sprinkled
throughout, but not intrusive. The structure and design are excellent. Love the
orangey section heads, which are distinctive and clearly delineate sections.
The coverage and writing are strong, with background and context to stories,
and I appreciate that the editorial team doesn’t shy away from longer in-depth
stories. Lots of nice details here, including well-considered heads at the top
of the homepage, a “trending now” slideshow at top, and author profiles with
contact information accompanying the stories. While there’s lots of information
here—and it can verge on feeling cluttered—the website manages to feel fresh
and energetic.”
ENTRANTS: Jennifer Merritt & Ronny Salerno
MEDIA OUTLET: Cincinnati Public Radio – 91.7 WVXU
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “An excellent website, with strong headlines, writing and
photography, and featuring a nice mixture of hard news, colorful features and
community updates. Some interesting pieces that stood out were “What happened
to Northern Kentucky’s streetcars?” and a fascinating series of
stories/podcasts on Camp Washington (exemplary journalism). Even introductory
text before podcast links is solid. The website includes lots of elements to
help readers find information and navigate the pages, including links to related
stories; clearly marked tags that designate local news, Ohio news or news from
NPR; keyword tags at the bottom of stories; and subject categories to explore
further. The website has been well developed in terms of presenting its
stories, organizing content so readers can find what they want, and guiding
users through the homepage (and beyond) to discover appealing reads/listens.”
BEST OF SHOW – BEST OVERALL FREELANCE REPORTER
WINNER: “David Holthaus”
ENTRANT: David Holthaus
MEDIA OUTLETS: Cincinnati Magazine & Soapbox Media
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “David Holthaus writes about local
neighborhoods with warmth and a depth of understanding. His entertaining ‘walk
down Monmouth Street’ captured the feel of a neighborhood with a spicy past
while his pieces on speed cushions and climate change dig into serious
challenges and celebrate the residents working to solve them. Wonderful work.”
FINALIST: “Several
Different Titles”
ENTRANT: Leyla Shokoohe
MEDIA OUTLET: The Cincinnati Enquirer & Realm Magazine
JUDGE’S COMMENT: “Judging by this entry, Shokoohe is a
well-rounded writer who can deliver smart profiles, engaging columns and
business pieces. Her personality shone through in her essay about Persian New
Year. Informative and delicious, it was a joy to read.”
