The Camp Verde Journal received statewide recognition Saturday, Oct. 16, at the Arizona Newspapers Association’s Better Newspaper Contest.
The Journal placed in five of eight categories judged by journalists from Nevada.
Three first-place plaques and two certificates for second and third made the trip back up the hill to be displayed on the wall of the Journal office.
Judges awarded the Journal first place in Department News & Copy Editing Excellence, Editorial Page Excellence and Best Use of Photography.
The Journal received second-place honors for our revamped website, journalaz.com, and third place for General Excellence.
Individually, Journal photographer Michele Bradley won two awards for photos she took when shooting for the Sedona Red Rock News. Bradley took home both first and third place in the Best Feature Photo contest.
The News’ new photographer, Tom Hood, placed second in the same category allowing our photographers to sweep the category.
Assistant Managing Editor Christopher Fox Graham also earned a plaque for his headline “Santa put 4 on naughty list for drug smuggling over the holidays.”
The Journal’s sister paper, the News, also took home a few awards of its own.
The News was awarded Best Website in the state for a community the size of Sedona, along with earning second place for Department News & Copy Editing Excellence and Page Design Excellence, and third place for Best Use of Photography and General Excellence.
These awards are what journalists strive for as a measure of how well we’re doing our jobs. Placing in the top three of a statewide competition riddled with small, community newspapers is itself an accomplishment. To be able to take home first-place plaques is even better.
The general newspaper awards attest to the skill of our entire staff and are my favorite because they recognize the team as a whole for all the hard work each of us puts into the newspaper every week.
