Winners of the 2006 ASNE Awards
Posted 2/21/2006 12:57:00 PM
RESTON, Va. -- The AmericanSociety of Newspaper Editors has selected the winners of its annual awards fordistinguished writing and photography.
Winners of the 2006 ASNEAwards are:
Jesse Laventhol Prize for Deadline News Reporting by a Team -- Los Angeles Times (Megan Garvey,Erika Hayasaki, Mitchell Landsberg, Jill Leovy, David Pierson and RichardWinton)
Jesse Laventhol Prizefor Deadline News Reporting by an Individual -- John Simerman, ContraCosta Times, Walnut Creek, Calif.
Freedom Forum/ASNE Award for Outstanding Writing on Diversity -- Phuong Ly, The WashingtonPost
Commentary/Column Writing -- Nicholas D. Kristof, The New York Times
Editorial Writing-- Mike Trimble, Denton (Texas) Record-Chronicle
Nondeadline Writing-- Jim Sheeler, Rocky Mountain News, Denver
Local Watchdog Reporting-- The Plain Dealer, Cleveland (Bob Paynter and Sandra Livingston)
Community Service Photojournalism--Todd Heisler, Rocky Mountain News, Denver
The Jesse Laventhol prizeseach carry a $10,000 cash award; all of the others will receive $2,500 prizes.The awards will be presented on Thursday, April 27, during ASNE’s conventionin Seattle. The winning entries and interviews with the winners and finalistswill be published in “Best Newspaper Writing 2006,” by The Poynter Institute,St. Petersburg, Fla.
The ASNE judges also recognizedthe work of other newspaper journalists as finalists:
Deadline News Reportingby a Team
- The Sun Herald, Biloxi, Miss. (Anita Lee, Don Hammack, Michael Keller, Joshua Norman and Margaret Baker)
- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Crocker Stephenson, Rick Romell and Dave Umhoefer)
Deadline News Reportingby an Individual
- Anne Saker, The Oregonian, Portland
- Natalie Pompilio, The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Freedom Forum/ASNEAward for Outstanding Writing on Diversity
- Don Aucoin, The Boston Globe
- Steve Young, Argus Leader, Sioux Falls, S.D.
Commentary/Column Writing
- Chris Rose, The Times-Picayune, New Orleans
- Helen Ubiñas, Hartford (Conn.) Courant
Editorial Writing
- Rick Attig, The Oregonian, Portland
- Susan Trausch, The Boston Globe
- Terri Troncale, The Times-Picayune, New Orleans
Nondeadline Writing
- Lane DeGregory, St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times
- Mark Leibovich, The Washington Post
Local Watchdog Reporting
- Los Angeles Times (Robin Fields, Evelyn Larrubia and Jack Leonard)
- The Oregonian, Portland (Maxine Bernstein and Brent Walth)
Community Service Photojournalism
- Bruce Ely, The Oregonian, Portland
- Mike Siegel, The Seattle Times
- Brian Vander Brug, Los Angeles Times
This year’s contest attractedalmost 600 entries from news organizations throughout the United States andCanada.
The Jesse Laventhol Prizesare named in honor of a longtime Philadelphia newspaperman. They are endowedby his son, David A. Laventhol, a former editor and executive for Times Mirror.Laventhol has been a member of ASNE for many years and serves as a memberof the ASNE Awards Board. He said he wanted to encourage excellence in akey aspect of newspaper reporting -- “to recognize the best deadline workand to encourage more of it.”
The Freedom Forum, whichhas partnered with ASNE on many diversity efforts, funds the award for outstandingwriting on diversity.
The ASNE Foundation -- whichis supported by gifts from ASNE members, newspaper companies and foundations-- funds the other awards. The Poynter Institute administers the competition.Aly Colón of The Poynter Institute will be the editor of “Best NewspaperWriting 2006.”
The awards were given forwork completed in 2005. All daily newspapers and wire services in the UnitedStates are eligible to enter. Also eligible are other newspapers in the Americasthat are headed by an active member of ASNE. All entries must be submitted inEnglish.
Peter K. Bhatia, executiveeditor, The Oregonian, Portland, chaired the Awards Board this year. Also judgingwere: Amanda Bennett, editor, The Philadelphia Inquirer; Susan Bischoff, associateeditor, Houston Chronicle; Neil Brown, executive editor, St. Petersburg (Fla.)Times; Jeffrey C. Bruce, editor, Dayton (Ohio) Daily News; James N. Crutchfield,president and publisher, Akron (Ohio) Beacon Journal; Gregory Favre, distinguishedfellow, The Poynter Institute; Charlotte H. Hall, editor, Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel;Edward W. Jones, editor, The Free Lance-Star, Fredericksburg, Va.; W. MartinKaiser, editor, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; Bill Keller, executive editor, TheNew York Times; Diane H. McFarlin, publisher, Sarasota (Fla.) Herald-Tribune;Christopher Peck, editor, The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Tenn.; Sharon Rosenhause,managing editor, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Fort Lauderdale; Mark Silverman,editor, Gannett News Service, McLean, Va.; Charlie Waters, executive editor,The Fresno (Calif.) Bee; Janet Weaver, executive editor, The Tampa (Fla.) Tribune;James P. Willse, editor, The Star-Ledger, Newark, N.J.; Patrick A. Yack, editor,The Florida Times-Union, Jacksonville.
Carolyn Lee, New York, chairedthe photojournalism award judging. Three photo experts also joined in the judging:Francisco Bernasconi, director of photography/news, Getty Images, New York;Tim Rasmussen, director of photography, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, FortLauderdale, and Kenneth F. Irby, Visual Journalism Group Leader & DiversityProgram Director, The Poynter Institute.
Judges abstain from discussionwhen there is either a personal or professional conflict of interest.
With about 750 members,ASNE is the principal organization of American newspaper editors. It is activein a number of areas, including open government, freedom of the press, journalismcredibility and ethics, newsroom management, diversity and readership.