Reporters, editors and other media professionals gather for conference and awards program remotely and in person
(Annapolis, MD) – Members and supporters of the Maryland | Delaware | DC Press Association came together this week to highlight news with integrity and excellence in journalism by recognizing the winners of the Contest, which celebrates print and online work completed in 2022.
The contest, governed by the Association’s Editorial and Advertising Committees, admitted over 1,400 entries among 85 categories. There are seven divisions in the contest, which group member publications into daily and non-daily print and online-only categories, then further group them by circulation. One Best in Show award is given in each category across all divisions. These entries were judged by news media professionals at the Louisiana Press Association.
There are several top awards given across all divisions to the publication. These include the James S. Keat Freedom of Information Award for demonstrating use of public information act requests in its reporting and Best Moves, which highlights the most important thing MDDC member organizations did in 2022. The contest also honors top personnel in design and sales and honors new journalists. Members of the MDDC Press Foundation board of directors judged many top awards and the video audience voted on the Best Moves. The capstone award, one per division, is News Organization of the Year.
The Baltimore Sun won the James S. Keat Freedom of Information Award for a breadth of reporting using public records and data. The award is named for Jim Keat, a retired editor and foreign correspondent for the Baltimore Sun, who was a long-time advocate for public information access. Keat is also a member of the MDDC Newspaper Hall of Fame. The award was judged by MDDC Press Foundation Board members. Read more.
The Catholic Review won for its Best Moves submission, for their redesign and rebranding. The Catholic Review described the project, done in partnership with the Archdiocese of Baltimore, by clarifying “Catholic Review Media’s rebranding and redesign did not simply put some new fonts and logos on the pages. The redesign was the result of study, consultation and months of preparation before the launch of the new look in September 2022.” The winner was determined by audience vote.
The Association recognized a new journalist with the Rookie of the Year award. This award honors a new journalist with less than 18 months’ experience in the field. Three nominations were received from three member publications. Ethan Ehrenhaft was honored for his sharp, clean writing across a variety of disciplines, from breaking news to election coverage to community features and obituaries. The award was judged by MDDC Press Foundation Board members. Read more.
Gabriella Ferraro O’Brien won Designer of the Year, which honors a body of work over the contest cycle. O’Brien’s portfolio of work showed new ideas and a fresh outlook for the publication, spearheading the significant redesign and rebranding of Catholic Review, using feedback from readership surveys, introducing bigger pictures, more white space and creative typography. Read more.
The News Organization of the Year awards represent the best publication in each division. These awards are chosen based on the points accumulated for first and second prizes in each category. In the daily divisions, The Baltimore Sun won the award in Division A (print dailies over 75,000); The Frederick News-Post was named News Organization of the Year for Division B (print dailies from 20,000 to 75,000); and The Daily Times won in Division C (print dailies under 20,000). For non-daily publications, The Catholic Review won the award in Division D (print non-dailies over 20,000); Coastal Point was named News Organization of the Year for Division E (print non-dailies from 10,000 to 20,000); Seaford Star won in Division F (print non-dailies under 10,000); and Capital News Service won in Division O (online-only).
For a full listing of winners and their award-winning work:
The Maryland | Delaware | DC Press Association is a vibrant, influential association representing over 100 member news media organizations in our region. We believe a strong news media is central to a strong and open society. We help our members succeed through advocacy efforts, revenue generation, professional development and industry recognition. Learn more at www.mddcpress.com.
