The Dispatch won the 2014 Daniel E. Phillips Freedom of Information Award and 12 other awards in the Mississippi Press Association’s Better Newspaper Contest, Editorial Division. The awards were presented at a luncheon at the Lowes Hotel in New Orleans on Saturday.
The FOI award was given to The Dispatch staff for its coverage of the mayor and city council’s violation of the state’s open meetings act. The city council has appealed a state ethics commission’s ruling against the city, which resulted from this paper’s reporting.
While the FOI award is presented to a single paper each year, The Dispatch primarily competed in the Daily Division B category, which includes papers with a circulation range of 9,000 to 15,000.
First place awards:
■ William Browning won best general interest column for Outtakes. The judge included the following comment: “A set of ridiculously good columns that cover the spectrum from heart-wrenching to hilarious. Awesome writing in each column. The columnist also proves you don’t have to write 1,000-word columns to make an impact.”
■ Stacy Clark won best magazine periodical for her work as editor of Catfish Alley. The judges commented, “A very clear winner. This entry provided the broadest marriage of good ideas, a sense of its place and appealing visuals.”
■ Matt Garner won best front page design.
■ Peter Imes won best graphic for a map of industries on The Island.
Second place awards:
■ William Browning won for in-depth/investigative coverage for a story profiling a young man who robbed a downtown Columbus bank.
■ Sarah Fowler for spot news story for Two deputies shot in New Hope.
■ Birney Imes for a spot news photograph in the aftermath of a series of tornadoes that tore through the area last spring.
■ Slim Smith’s Slimantics column won second place for both general interest column and commentary column.
Third place awards:
■ William Browning for lede-writing. A lede is an opening paragraph of a news story.
■ Matt Garner and Jan Swoope for lifestyles page or section.
■ Slim Smith for editorial writing.
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