The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette took home 15 first place awards Saturday in the Arkansas Press Women Professional Communications Contest.
The newspaper’s website, arkansasonline.com, earned top honors for corporate or for-profit website. The award listed former senior online editor Josh Snyder and current senior online editor Sarah Campbell-Miller.
Politics editor Steve Goff led the team that put together the “ADG Voter Guide 2022,” which won first place for a “single page, section, or supplement edited by entrant.” Co-entrants were Michael Wickline, Carrie Hill, Neal Earley, Bill Bowden, Cynthia Howell, Joseph Flaherty, Teresa Moss, Remingon Miller, Will Langhorne and Ashley Savage.
The “Litfest” series by reporter Joseph Flaherty won for in-depth reporting.
Janet Carson, the newspaper’s freelance garden columnist, won two first place titles. Her monthly Breaking Ground column took top honors for informational columns, and Plan It Janet won best blog.
Staff photographer Stephen Swofford took first place in the news photo category for “Dive.” Photographer Thomas Metthe’s “6A girls celebration” was named best sports photo.
Deputy online editor Nick Popowitch won best podcast for “Capitol & Scott.” His co-entrant was former reporter Lara Farrar.
Former reporter Lisa Hammersly took top honors in the print-based news story category for “Campaign disparity.”
Former reporter Teresa Moss won in the news, social issues category for “Evictions.”
Reporter Will Langhorne won first place in the government category for “Public defenders.”
Reporter Bill Bowden won the obituary award with “Brent Renaud obit.”
The newspaper page design award was given to Stan Denman, and graphic artist Carrie Hill won first place in graphics for her “Book fest” illustration.
Editorial page editor David Barham won best editorial/opinion for “Fahrenheit 451 redux.” Freelance columnist Gwen Faulkenberry won best writing, personal opinion for “A faith that must move on.”
The awards were for work from 2022. There were 222 entries in a variety of categories open to professional media members and public relations communicators, and, in a separate contest, students from across Arkansas.
The judges included media professionals working in Oklahoma and Georgia and retired Arkansas communicators, and college and university educators.