The News-Banner had a couple of good days over the weekend, winning multiple honors at the Hoosier State Press Association’s advertising and editorial contests.
The N-B’s advertising staff had 10 first-place awards, two seconds, and six thirds. The newspaper’s editorial staff had four firsts, two seconds, and three thirds.
The results of the competition were announced at awards programs held at the Indianapolis Marriott North. The advertising event was held Friday night and the editorial awards program was held Saturday afternoon.
“Our staff has big goals and we openly talk about striving for excellence,” said Doug Brown, publisher of the News-Banner. “To be recognized like this by your peers is incredibly gratifying. I am really proud of this special group of people.”
The advertising staff’s 10 first-place awards were the top among all divisions in the competition. There were three divisions — non-dailies, small dailies, and large dailies, and the News-Banner was in the small dailies category.
Placing first for the News-Banner were:
- Rosie Fairchild and David McConnehey, senior care, Adams Woodcrest.
- Fairchild and McConnehey, churches and non-profits, Whicker Park.
- Staff, education, Southern Wells Elementary School.
- Amy Serafini and McConnehey, fashion, Daniel’s Jewelers.
- Fairchild and McConnehey, lifestyle and recreation, Bi-County Services Inc.
- Staff, special topic page, American Made.
- Self-promotion, McConnehey, Extra! Extra!
- Staff, special section tab or broadsheet, Who We Are.
- Mark Miller, best publication cover, Who We Are.
- Staff, new revenue idea, Victorious.
Second places went to the staff in special section tab or broadsheet for Victorious and to Serafini and McConnehey in best digital product for Tom’s Outdoor Power. Third places went to Fairchild and McConnehey in medical for Adams Memorial Hospital, Jim Chilton and McConnehey in vehicle dealerships for Mike Anderson Chevrolet, Serafini and McConnehey in classified advertising for Christian Care Retirement Community, Chilton and McConnehey in entertainment and restaurants for McDonald’s, Jean Bordner and McConnehey for SafTLite, and McConnehey in best digital product for Victorious.
“It’s fabulous to put in the work, and then be recognized by a group of your peers as exceeding the standard,” said News-Banner Advertising Sales Manager Jean Bordner. “We have a very dedicated employee in David McConnehey. As a graphic artist and web designer, he makes us look good every day. It’s great so see him recognized for his work. Thanks also extend to the entire sales team, Rosie Fairchild, Jim Chilton and Amy Serafini for demanding the best for their customers when it comes to layout and content of their ads.
“I’m especially proud of the awards from the Victorious magazine,” Bordner continued. “I saw a similiar broadsheet publication a couple of years ago and knew we could make this in to something big here in Wells County with making it in to a slick paper magazine with local content, local stories and local advertisers. So proud of this magazine, and now especially proud that it was voted No. 1 best New Revenue Idea in the state.”
Capturing first-place honors in the editorial competition were:
- Mark Miller, best business/economic news coverage, “Which way do we grow?” — an in-depth look at growth in Bluffton.
- Glen Werling, best general news photo, “Eclipse in Wells,” for his coverage of the solar eclipse.
- Werling, best feature photo, “Out for a ride,” coverage of the Cops Cycling for Survivors Bicycle Ride through Bluffton.
- Jessica Bricker, best multimedia story, “Everybody knows you better watch it,” a video The News-Banner used to preview her series last year on the dangers of the U.S. 224 and 100W intersection in Uniondale.
“We don’t do it for the awards, but it’s good to see the quality of our work recognized,” said News-Banner Editor Dave Schultz. “With two first-place honors, it’s safe to say that Glen Werling’s ability as a photojournalist compares favorably to that of anyone else in Indiana. Jessica Bricker is an exceptionally talented and versatile journalist as well, and Mark Miller continues to write with a keen eye about what our community needs. We are grateful for our entire staff, and we congratulate those three.”
Placing second in the editorial competition were Werling in best spot news photo, “Devastating house fire,” and Bricker and Werling in best multimedia story for “(Southern Wells) school fire anniversary.” Placing third were Werling in best general news photo, “Parade night flip,” and again in best feature photo, “Carefree days of summer.” The staff won a third-place award in best special section for “Victorious.”
The News-Banner is in Division 3, for small dailies, in the editorial competition. The editorial contest each year assigns points for first-, second-, and third-place awards. The News-Banner placed third in General Excellence among small dailies.
A photo of Ossian Elementary School students checking out the solar eclipse last August captured first place in the General News Photo category of the 2018 Hoosier State Press Association editorial contest. The Extra! Extra! ad designed by David McConnehey earned a first place in the Self-Promotion category of the 2018 Hoosier State Press Association advertising contest. The Victorious special section won multiple awards including best revenue idea, special section and digital product awards.