Volume 34 – Number 1
An information publication of the South Dakota Newspaper Association, Brookings, SD BETTER NEWSPAPER CONTEST EDITION
June 2020
SDNA contest awards presented via Zoom Results from South Dakota Newspaper Association’s contest to spotlight some of the best work done by newspapers across the state last year were announced Thursday, May 14. The results were announced during an online virtual meeting with SDNA members because the association’s annual convention was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Awards were given for both advertising and news/editorial categories. The contest’s top awards were given for General Excellence, a measure of the newspaper overall – reporting, writing, photography, opinion, design, advertising. The SDNA General Excellence Awards are recognized as the measure of a newspaper’s overall quality and commitment to journalism. The 2019 General Excellence winners included: • Weekly newspapers under 900 circulation: Brandon Valley Journal • Weekly newspapers 901-1,300 circulation: Fall River County Herald Star, Edgemont • Weekly newspapers over 1,300
circulation: Freeman Courier • Daily newspapers under 7,000 circulation: Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan • Daily newspapers over 7,000 circulation: Argus Leader, Sioux Falls Also presented were the 2019 Sweepstakes Awards. The Sweepstakes Awards are given to the newspaper in each circulation category that accumulates the most points based on individual awards earned. First-place awards are worth 100 points, second place 70 points and third place 40 points. The points are tallied for awards won in both news/editorial and advertising portions of the Better Newspapers Contest. The 2019 Sweepstakes winners included: • Weekly newspapers under 900 circulation: Brandon Valley Journal • Weekly newspapers 901 to 1,300 circulation: Fall River County Herald Star • Weekly newspapers over 1,300 circulation: Freeman Courier • Daily newspapers under 7,000 circulation: Black Hills Pioneer,
Spearfish • Daily newspapers over 7,000 circulation: Argus Leader, Sioux Falls Awards for Outstanding Young Journalists (age 29 and under) also were
announced. Argus Leader reporter Brian Haenchen was awarded in the dailies category and Beth Fennel of the Dakota Dunes-North Sioux City Times was awarded in the weeklies category.
SDNA Executive Director David Bordewyk holds up a winning entry during the virtual awards presentation on May 14.
Productivity, personal skills define honorees for 2019 OYJ award The 2019 South Dakota Outstanding Young Journalists include a sports reporter who is called a “force of nature” by his editors and a reporter whose inquiry about a job at the local weekly newspaper was a Godsend, according to the publishers. Argus Leader reporter Brian Haenchen was named top young journalist among the state’s daily newspapers while Beth Sherard, a reporter at the Dakota Dunes/ North Sioux City Times, was honored among weeklies. They were chosen from among several nominations submitted by editors and publishers this year. Any journalist under the age of 30 working at a South Dakota newspaper is eligible for the award. The SDNA Outstanding Young Journalist Award was started in 2000. The honorees that first year were Steve Buchholz of the Rapid City Journal and Jeremy Waltner of the Freeman Courier. Argus Leader newsroom bosses Cory Myers and Stu Whitney had plenty of good things to say about Haenchen. “Brian has been a force of nature on our high school sports beat, combining writing/reporting and multimedia skills with the sort of fast-paced productivity that sets a high standard in our newsroom,” they wrote in their nomination letter. “Embracing our sports objective to transcend mere game coverage, Brian looked beyond the playing field to capture some of the state’s most poignant stories in 2019.”
story down to its pertinent facts. She can write about anything – from interstate accidents and executive profiles to library story hour. She shoots compelling photos and knows how to prepare them for publication. But most importantly, she has cultivated relationships with everyone from the police chief to the custodian of the courthouse. She has a rare talent for making people around her feel comfortable enough to trust her with their information. When she calls, they pick up the phone.”
Beth Sherard Dakota Dunes-North Sioux City Times
Brian Haenchen Argus Leader
Among them were stories about the community of Burke rallying its football team in the aftermath of a tornado that destroyed parts of the school and town, a behind-the-scenes look at the traumatic brain injury suffered by a Britton-Hecla football player, and in-depth reporting about the controversy surrounding a buzzer-beater in the state high school basketball tournament. “Part of Brian’s effectiveness is his ability to use video, photos and social media to help package stories in a way that engages readers, keeps them hooked and leads to increased digital subscriptions. In short, he is carrying out our new-era
business plan and making us better every day,” Myers and Whitney said. Susan and Bruce Odson said they felt like they hit the jackpot when Beth Sherard walked in the door. “Imagine our surprise back in 2014 when a woman stopped in at our office, said she was moving to town and was looking for a job. Hmmmm… young, personable, with degrees from the University of South Dakota in English and contemporary media and journalism. How long do you think it took us to hire her?” they wrote. The Odsons added: “Beth has fulfilled all the expectations we had for her. She knows how to distill a council or board
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