One night a year, East Tennessee's media people take a break from being criticized by the general public and give each other compliments. It's an event known as the Golden Press Card Awards, conducted by the East Tennessee Society for Professional Journalists. TV, radio, and print reporters compete for prizes in news writing, broadcasting, special series, etc.
As designated black sheep of the Knoxville media family, Metro Pulse hadn't entered in many years, but this time we decided to give it a go again.
The Friday evening event began with a cocktail hour in The Foundry on World's Fair Park as the region's media elite hobnobbed. At our table, we (Jack Neely, Rose Kennedy, Hillari Dowdle, and myself) got to sit with the ace broadcasters of WUOT: Ann Lloyd, Chrissy Keuper, and Matt Shafer Powell -- who all won big awards. And at the very last minute, WATE's dashing reporter Don Dare swooped in, sat at our table, then scooped up his Award of Excellence for Investigative Reporting. He must have a tight schedule -- very exciting!
The ceremony was much as I remembered it from the '90s: an evening of satisfying wins, plus a few crushing defeats. ("They ignored our genius story for ... that?!") We scooped up 10 awards altogether, with six of them being first-place finishers. Charles Maldonado probably got the most lengthy kudos from the judges (a team of Cincinnati SPJ members), and I'm most proud that our package of stories on the TVUUC shootings was honored.
For the full list of the award-winners, go here. For all of Metro Pulse's winners, look after the jump.
Metro Pulse's Golden Press Card awards -- for 2008 stories competing in the non-daily category:
INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING
* Award of Excellence - Charles Maldonado, "The Box We Bought"
Judge's comment: Using interviews with key decision-makers and delving
deep into financial documents, Maldonado did what too few reporters
do: He checked up on past promises to see if they've been fulfilled.
The result was a well-written, detailed and balanced story that set
forth the facts and perspective-and let readers draw their own
conclusions.
SERIES/PACKAGE/PROJECT WRITING
* Award of Excellence goes to the Metro Pulse team of Rose Kennedy, Jack
Neely, Stephanie Piper, Matthew Everett, Rikki Hall and members of the
TVUUC for coverage of the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist
Church shootings
Judge's comment: Compelling story told from all aspects in this
insightful package.
* Third - Rose Kennedy, Matthew Everett, and Coury Turczyn, for "Dolly World"
FEATURE WRITING
* Award of Excellence winner - Hillari Dowdle, "Our Big Headache"
Judge's comment: Descriptive and insightful.
* Third Place - Rose Kennedy for "Stand By Me"
SPORTS REPORTING
* Award of Excellence - Jack Neely, "Is He the Father of
East Tennessee Football?"
Judge's comment: Neely knows sports writing. He also knows how to
capture his readers' attention, keep them entertained with his lively
writing style and inform his readers. Outstanding!
PERSONAL COLUMNS
* Award of Excellence - Jack Neely, "Secret History"
Judge's comment: Writer is able to weave a narrative that links past
to present. Kudos.
REVIEWS/CRITICISM
All three awards to Metro Pulse:
* Coury Turczyn wins the Award of Excellence for his movie reviews
Judge's comment: Nice, entertaining writing style.
* Award of Merit goes to Kieron Barry for "Backstage"
* Third Place goes to The Gourmet Nose
As designated black sheep of the Knoxville media family, Metro Pulse hadn't entered in many years, but this time we decided to give it a go again.
The Friday evening event began with a cocktail hour in The Foundry on World's Fair Park as the region's media elite hobnobbed. At our table, we (Jack Neely, Rose Kennedy, Hillari Dowdle, and myself) got to sit with the ace broadcasters of WUOT: Ann Lloyd, Chrissy Keuper, and Matt Shafer Powell -- who all won big awards. And at the very last minute, WATE's dashing reporter Don Dare swooped in, sat at our table, then scooped up his Award of Excellence for Investigative Reporting. He must have a tight schedule -- very exciting!
The ceremony was much as I remembered it from the '90s: an evening of satisfying wins, plus a few crushing defeats. ("They ignored our genius story for ... that?!") We scooped up 10 awards altogether, with six of them being first-place finishers. Charles Maldonado probably got the most lengthy kudos from the judges (a team of Cincinnati SPJ members), and I'm most proud that our package of stories on the TVUUC shootings was honored.
For the full list of the award-winners, go here. For all of Metro Pulse's winners, look after the jump.
Metro Pulse's Golden Press Card awards -- for 2008 stories competing in the non-daily category:
INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING
* Award of Excellence - Charles Maldonado, "The Box We Bought"
Judge's comment: Using interviews with key decision-makers and delving
deep into financial documents, Maldonado did what too few reporters
do: He checked up on past promises to see if they've been fulfilled.
The result was a well-written, detailed and balanced story that set
forth the facts and perspective-and let readers draw their own
conclusions.
SERIES/PACKAGE/PROJECT WRITING
* Award of Excellence goes to the Metro Pulse team of Rose Kennedy, Jack
Neely, Stephanie Piper, Matthew Everett, Rikki Hall and members of the
TVUUC for coverage of the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist
Church shootings
Judge's comment: Compelling story told from all aspects in this
insightful package.
* Third - Rose Kennedy, Matthew Everett, and Coury Turczyn, for "Dolly World"
FEATURE WRITING
* Award of Excellence winner - Hillari Dowdle, "Our Big Headache"
Judge's comment: Descriptive and insightful.
* Third Place - Rose Kennedy for "Stand By Me"
SPORTS REPORTING
* Award of Excellence - Jack Neely, "Is He the Father of
East Tennessee Football?"
Judge's comment: Neely knows sports writing. He also knows how to
capture his readers' attention, keep them entertained with his lively
writing style and inform his readers. Outstanding!
PERSONAL COLUMNS
* Award of Excellence - Jack Neely, "Secret History"
Judge's comment: Writer is able to weave a narrative that links past
to present. Kudos.
REVIEWS/CRITICISM
All three awards to Metro Pulse:
* Coury Turczyn wins the Award of Excellence for his movie reviews
Judge's comment: Nice, entertaining writing style.
* Award of Merit goes to Kieron Barry for "Backstage"
* Third Place goes to The Gourmet Nose
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