Jane K. Fox, a first-year multimedia reporter at The Journal, won first place and third place for multimedia stories she produced for SanJuanJournal.com, in the state press association’s annual contest.
It’s the first time The Journal has entered, and won, in the online categories of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association’s Better Newspapers Contest. The contest judged work produced from 2009-10. Some 2,491 entries from 77 newspapers were submitted and judged by the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association.
The awards were presented on Oct. 1 in Wenatchee at the 123rd annual WNPA Convention.
Fox won first place in the Best Audio Slide Show category for her story, “Of taps and toilets: Friday Harbor Elementary School students learn all about water.” The judges wrote, “Excellent use of stills to tell the story along with the audio. Kept me engaged throughout the slide show as it was newsworthy from many angles.”
Fox won third place in the Best Video Story for “Preservation Trust staff, volunteers remove invasive species choking small island’s native trees.” The judges wrote, “Told a good story with good information … was interesting enough to hold my interest throughout.”
Reporter Scott Rasmussen won second place for Best Sports News Story for his coverage of the 2009 Island Cup game. The judges said of the story, “The Cup stays here; F.H. wins in overtime 21-14”: “Nice story with detailed information regarding the game (liked the little details like the weather report). Descriptions, all the way down to the condition of the field, made me feel like I was there. Liked the ‘Notebook’ roundup at the end of the story.”
The Book of the San Juan Islands, published annually by The Journal and The Islands’ Sounder, won third place for Best Special Section.
The Journal did not win in the General Excellence competition between newspapers of 2,501-5,000 circulation; the winners were the Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber, first place; Stanwood/Camano News, second; and the Camas-Washougal Post-Record, third. (Sister newspaper The Islands’ Sounder won second place for general excellence among newspapers with up to 2,500 circulation.)
But The Journal scored 40 out of 50 points in the judges’ critique of advertising, news and community events coverage, opinions, photos and graphics, and design.
“Excellent, thorough coverage. Lots of stuff here,” one judge wrote. “Good editorial presence. Love all the letters … Compelling front page.”
The Journal of the San Juan Islands was founded on Sept. 13, 1906. It publishes Wednesdays and has a paid circulation of about 3,500. SanJuanJournal.com was founded Oct. 2, 1998 and had 17,260 unique visitors in September. The Journal staff also produces The Book of the San Juan Islands, an almanac and relocation guide; Springtide, a visitors’ guide; and special sections related to business, education, sports and the San Juan County Fair.
