Laurels for the Globe

Yesterday, Globe editor Marty Baron sent out a congratulatory note describing a couple gratifying award wins for the paper--including an ASNE prize for the Globe's big multimedia series on Ted Kennedy and a Schaap sportswriting award for Bob Hohler's coverage of the the dysfunctional sports system in Boston's public schools.

Given the seemingly nonstop tumult the Globe experienced last year, these achievements mean more at Morrissey Boulevard than they might have three or four years ago. After all, it can't be easy to turn out good journalism when you're also bracing for your paper to be shut down. Congrats to all involved.

Here's Baron's message:

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To all:

The last few days and recent weeks have brought wonderful recognition for
our journalism:

-- Today, the American Society of News Editors announced that it has
awarded our staff its Jesse Laventhol Prize for Online Storytelling for an
especially innovative multimedia package on the life of Ted Kennedy.
"Through the use of compelling videos, a detailed timeline, an amazing
array of photographs and the often-poetic voices of those who knew him
best, the Globe painted an engaging portrait of this storied Massachusetts
senator, celebrating his successes and chronicling his crises." This
contest, among the most prestigious, calls for "exemplary work on the web"
that makes full use of all that new technology offers us in video, audio,
and interactivity. Our staff pushed the boundaries of the possible. There
were many hands on this project, as you know, but I'd particularly like to
mention and thank the multimedia team of Ann Silvio, Tito Bottitta, Thea
Breite, Scott LaPierre, Bill Greene, Susan Vermazen, and David Pierce.
Senior editors Peter Canellos and Mark Morrow also were deeply involved in
this extraordinary project at the frontier of journalism.

Globe entries were finalists in four out of the nine categories in the ASNE
contest, a remarkable achievement. In addition to online storytelling, the
finalists were: Maria Sacchetti, in the category of outstanding writing on
diversity; Neil Swidey, in nondeadline writing; and the Globe staff in the
deadline news reporting category for its coverage of Kennedy's death and
the events that followed.

//asne.org/article_view/articleid/745/asne-announces-journalism-contest-award-winners-745.aspx

--  Also today, Bob Hohler was named the winner in the print category for
the Dick Schaap Excellence in Sports Journalism Award. This award,
co-sponsored by the Northeastern University School of Journalism and the
Sport in Society organization, recognized the power of his series "Failing
Our Athletes," which documented the deplorable state of high school sports
programs in Boston's public schools. Bob's series had an immediate and
profound impact, with the mayor, professional sports teams, and key civic
organizations coalescing to finally do right by the city's young athletes.
The awards announcement said, "Hohler's nine months of meticulous reporting
led to one of the richest and most powerful works of journalism submitted
to the Excellence in Sports Journalism Awards Committee in its 24-year
history."

//www.northeastern.edu/sportinsociety/news/2010/208.html


-- In late January, Sean Murphy was named one of six finalists for the 2010
Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting for a series of stories on
government employees who exploited the public pension system. "Gaming the
System: Public Pensions the Massachusetts Way" kicked up so much outrage
among taxpayers that the governor and Legislature were forced to
immediately reform the system. The winner of this award will be announced
March 23 at the Harvard Kennedy School.

//www.hks.harvard.edu/news-events/news/press-releases/pr-shorenstein-goldsmith-jan10

-- Finally, as was noted in a message to the staff earlier this week, our
talented photographers turned in a spectacular performance in the Boston
Press Photographers Association contest. The results appear below.

Many congratulations to all on your impressive achievements, and thank you
for your commitment to journalistic excellence.

Marty


BOSTON PRESS PHOTOGRAPHERS ASSOCIATION CONTEST

Photographer of the Year
Yoon Byun

Best in show
Yoon Byun

Portfolios
Yoon Byun, first place
Bill Greene, third place

Team/Kennedy
Bill Greene, John Tlumacki, David Ryan, Essdras Suarez and Dina Rudick

Spot News
George Rizer, first place
John Tlumacki, second place
Matt Lee, third

General News
Bill Greene, second place
David Ryan, honorable mention

Features
Yoon Byun, first place
Suzanne Kreiter, third place
Essdras Suarez, honorable mention

Sports Action
John Tlumacki, first place

Features Sports
John Tlumacki, first place
Barry Chin, second place
Bill Greene, third place
Jim Davis, honorable mention

Portrait/Personality
Suzanne Kreiter, honorable mention

Pictorial
John Tlumacki, second place
Suzanne Kreiter, third place
Suzanne Kreiter, honorable mention
Pat Greenhouse, honorable mention

Feature Picture Story
Yoon Byun, honorable mention

Sports Picture Story
Yoon Byun, first place

Animal
Dina Rudick, first place
Dina Rudick, second place
Yoon Byun, honorable mention

Politics
Yoon Byun, first place
Yoon Byun honorable mention

Category 13 Video
Bill Greene, first place
Dina Rudick, second place
Bill Greene, third place