For one weekend a year the 177 members of the New York State Press Association (NYPA) get together in Saratoga Springs to hone their craft and compete in its Better Newspaper Contest.
NYPA is like a chamber of commerce for the newspaper industry. They provide editorial and sales services, as well as lobbying and continuing education.
They provide scholarships for journalism students, as well as a fund to pay summer interns in newspaper positions throughout the state.
The convention features two full days of seminars covering all aspects of the community newspaper. These include editorial, advertising, design, the internet and social media, and special event planning.
The awards, covering all these areas, are given during lunch and dinner, which take place in the huge dining hall at the Gideon Putnam Hotel, where many of the attendees stayed.
The featured speaker at the Saturday luncheon was Ted Jackson, staff photographer of the New Orleans Times Picayune, who held the audience of newsroom professionals spellbound with his gripping stories about their Katrina coverage.
The Star-Revue, founded in 2010, joined NYPA in 2012. We have won awards in each of the prior two years – this is the first time that our photographs have been recognized. We honor the hard work of our contributers Micah B. Rubin and Mark Shames.
See below for the judge’s remarks.
Best Picture Story
FIRST PLACE
The Red Hook Star-Revue, Brooklyn
Micah B. Rubin
“The photos here told great stories. Wonderful close-ups of both machines and people doing the very kind of work that is the fabric of America. A great piece and set of pictures for Labor Day. Capturing the grit of these workers combined with the crisp, close-up photos made this the clear-cut choice.”
Best Column
HONORABLE MENTION
The Red Hook Star-Revue, Brooklyn
Mark Shames
“I was impressed to learn that this columnist does not have a journalism background. His writing style and ability to discuss politics at a lay level without dummying down the subject matter is impressive.”
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