Desert Journal wins public service award
Nabs five honors in 2001 contest
The
Desert Journal won the Public Service Award from the New Mexico Press
Association’s 2001 Better Newspaper Contest for Class II Weeklies (under
3,000 circulation).
The
weekly newspaper in Truth or Consequences also received four more honors
– the E.H. Shaffer Awards - during the NMPA’s annual fall convention
banquet held Saturday night at the Albuquerque Marriott Hotel.
“We
left the old century as winners, we enter the new century as winners,”
said DJ Editor & Co-Publisher Bill Johnson, who won three individual
honors Saturday night.
“I
got my start with the Desert Journal and what a start it was. I would have
never imagined winning 11 individual awards (in four years),” said
former DJ photojournalist David Pierre, who shares glory with Johnson in
taking first place in the photo series category and solely winning first
place in news writing for the 2001 contest.
Pierre,
who left the Desert Journal in March to take on the editor’s position at
the Silver City Sun-News, started this week with The Herald, also a weekly
newspaper in T or C.
“It’s
pleasing to know that journalists have strong camaraderie,” Pierre said
during a visit to the DJ’s office Monday morning on his way to work at
the competitor’s.
The judges - this year from the Texas Press Association - commented about
the DJ staff’s effort in winning the public service award: “The amount
of coverage given the Cortez Gas Company explosion that rocked Truth or
Consequences was excellent. Over a four month period, the Desert Journal
covered the news story, followed-up in each edition, and did a great job
covering the scandal that ensued following the disaster.”
Only
one public service award is presented to the winner of each of the four
newspaper classes (no second place is awarded).
Both
of Pierre’s awards – including the photo series award he shares with
Johnson – stemmed from coverage of the Jan. 7 Cortez Gas Co. explosions
and fires.
The
two Pierre stories entered in the news-writing category of the contest
were the only two headliners on the DJ’s front page for Jan. 12, titled
“Cortez blast settles in miracle” and “Portrait of a heroic
community.”
The
judge’s comment on Pierre’s news-writing entry stated, “OK, when I
saw the story, my first reaction was that it would be easy to have a good
story to go with such a spectacular event. So I read both stories very
carefully. Congratulations! You did a great job! Comprehensive and
informational without being sensational. Well-written, good quotes, all
bases covered. Head and shoulders above all other entries and not because
of the event, but because of how you covered the event. I’m glad your
town didn’t get blowed (sic) up!”
The
judge scored Pierre’s entry a perfect 100 – a difficult feat to
achieve indeed.
Concerning
the top honors shared by Johnson and Pierre in the photo series category,
the judge commented, “Well, again we note this was a horrible event, but
you covered it (Cortez Gas Co. explosions) perfectly. The narrative and
attention getting quality of the photos were excellent. The quality was
variable, which is why you didn’t get a perfect score (95). But some of
the photos are great, some of the best nighttime flash photos I have ever
seen. Tell Domino’s to keep their parking brakes on! Hope you never have
to go through this again.”
“I
remember how we had dozens and dozens of photos to get ready before press
time and how Pierre and I worked as a team to really spiff up the
centerfold of the initial Cortez blast issue with the spectacular photos
we took both during and immediately after the blasts and fires,” Johnson
said. “Working together as a team has its advantages.”
Johnson
also won second place in editorials for his two pieces, “Did we learn
anything in the aftermath of devastating Cortez LP tank explosions (May
18)” and “Dump median beautification for improving bathhouse district
(April 20).”
The
judges commented on Johnson’s opinion work, “There was tough
competition in this category, but Bill Johnson pulled ahead of a pack into
second based on his ‘Did we learn anything…’ layout. I have never
seen a paper use photos to illustrate editorials, but hey, it works for
me. Both editorials were well written, pointed, yet witty in the best
tradition of Tom Paine… Overall, very good example of critical and
thoughtful writing, good community service.”
“Did
I actually create a new genre of photojournalism, called the photo op or
photo editorial?” Johnson asks. “Well, heck, just call me Photo Ed,”
he chuckles.
Lastly,
Johnson won first place for in-depth reporting. His two stories in the
entry are titled, “Fire ravages Cuchillo Bar & Store (Sept. 1,
2000)” and “Local man misidentified as suspect in meth lab bust (June
15).”
The
judge commented on Johnson’s work, “Good job – you were able to
provide a good sense of the bar and store – good sense of irony in
mistaken identity story – You thoroughly explained what could have been
a confusing story. Good job of finding ‘retired’ meth chef! Thorough
work.”
“These
five brand new NMPA Better Newspaper Contest awards bring the total Desert
Journal honors to 25 NMPA awards, with our entries judged by our peers in
the press associations of five different states – Montana, Nevada,
Oklahoma, Utah and Texas – in just five short years of the Desert
Journal’s membership in the NMPA,” said Johnson.
In
five years, the Desert Journal has managed to win 15 first place awards
and 10 second place awards in two-thirds of all the categories (14 of 21)
offered in the annual NMPA contests including: three awards each for the
in-depth reporting, editorials and sports column categories; two awards
each for the public service, sports writing, investigative reporting,
photo series, and creative design and typography categories; and one award
each for the news writing, columns, general news photo, feature photo,
sports photo, supplements and special editions categories.
“There
were no parades for the Desert Journal and we don’t expect one. We just
expect and want to do our job, and if done right, the Desert Journal will
be able to boast in the 22nd century 100 years from now,
‘We’re still winners’,” Johnson said.
The
E.H. Shaffer Awards are presented to newspapers for their journalistic and
advertising achievements. This award, for excellence in newspapers, is
named in honor of the editor of The Albuquerque Tribune from 1928 to 1944.
The
awards ceremony Saturday night was emceed by Jack Swickard of the Triton
Group Inc. in Roswell, NM.
The
NMPA is a 109-year-old nonprofit organization, which represents the 50
daily, twice-weekly and weekly New Mexico newspapers.
It
is the mission of the NMPA to promote quality journalism in New Mexico.
For more information, call Catherine Ullett at 505-275-1377.
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