And the SCPA award goes to …. pending

The list of  winners of the 2008 South Carolina Press Association awards (26,00 and under circulation).

These awards are listed as embargoed until March 14, but I’m posting them here for several reasons. One, because I think the idea of posting something online while still insisting on a two-month embargo is a tragic indicator of the ridiculous lack of understanding the newspaper industry has toward the internet; two, because this list isn’t even complete anyway, with some of the major categories missing, which angers me because it causes me to spend more time caring about a batch of ultimately inconsequential awards than necessary; and three, because I’m not part of the South Carolina press anymore, and I’m sure the world (read: mothers of SC journalists) are dying to know.

Friends, coworkers and one small shameless self-promotion from my former paper in Hilton Head in bold italics. There’s no doubt that journalism awards do grab journalists’ attention on an annual basis as it provides us the opportunity to measure up against each other in the only tangible public means of performance review outside of layoff avoidance. But they’re also nonsense prizes, judged by editors from other papers in another state who are typically too busy with the actual work of doing journalism to avoid procrastinating reviewing someone else’s work, and because the awards distract from the real purpose and drive behind the work reporters are doing, specifically the impact stories and information have on the immediate community. Particularly in the state the industry is currently in, it seems more like a distinct act of self indulgence than ever before. To wit, the slogan for the SCPA 2009 conference is “Something to cheer about.” Good journalism is still happening in newspapers, recognized or otherwise by press associations, but until a long-term strategy emerges that’s more creative than the bail-out-the-water-before-the-next-cannonball-hits approach, it’s hard to find something cheer about.

But don’t take my word for it: journalists like awards.

Full lists of winners here.

SCPA News Contest Results are not for release until the News Contest Awards Presentation, which will be held
March 14, 2009 in Myrtle Beach. For more information, see http://www..scpress.org.

100 Judson Chapman Award Open Division
1st The State
C. Aluka Berry Tale of the Tuba
2nd Carolina Forest Chronicle
DOT rejects guardrail
3rd The Post and Courier
Kiawah Controversy
102 Copy Editor of the Year Open Division
1st The Post and Courier
Allison Nugent
103 Cartoon or Humorous Illustration Open Division
1st News-Chronicle
Mike Beckom
2nd Carolina Forest Chronicle
Michael Tidwell
3rd The Greenville News
Mitch McKell
104 Mixed Media Illustration Open Division
1st The News
Football Fever
2nd The Post and Courier
Let’s put a smile on that face
3rd The Post and Courier
Dog chow
105 Sports Series of Articles Open Division
1st The State
Bob Gillespie, Bob Spear, Pat Obley, Neil White, Akilah Nelson and Steve Wiseman
Best Athletes of All Time
2nd The Herald-Journal
Jason Gilmer Family matters
3rd The Herald-Journal
Jason Gilmer Three who shoot their age

106 Online Column Writing Open Division
1st The Island Packet
Liz Farrell Ode to the Ugly Land
2nd The Herald-Journal
Lane Filler The illegal immigrant next door
3rd The Herald-Journal
Jason Spencer What the rest of the media missed
107 Online Video Open Division
Results Pending
108 Online Single Photo Open Division
1st The Herald-Journal
John Byrum No-arms golfer
2nd The Morning News
Angela Kershner Cops on donut shops
3rd The Morning News
Angela Kershner Spitting image
109 Innovative Concept Open Division
1st The State
GoGamecocks.com
2nd The Post and Courier
Watchdog
3rd The Herald
Popcast
113 Informational Graphics Portfolio Open Division
1st The Sun News
Chris Mowder
2nd The Herald-Journal
Gary Kyle
3rd The Post and Courier
Gill Guerry
117 News Graphics Open Division
1st The Herald-Journal
Gary Kyle Gas to energy
2nd The Post and Courier
Gill Guerry Foreclosures
3rd The Lancaster News
Jamey Shepherd Crimes occured
111 News Special Edition or Section All Daily Division
1st The Sun News
Horizon 2008: A look at the economic future of our coast
2nd The State
Voter Voices
3rd The Greenville News
Day in the life of downtown
112 Sports Special Edition or Section All Daily Division
1st The Island Packet
Staff Verizon Heritage
2nd The Herald-Journal
Staff Good Vibrations, Prep Football 2008
3rd The Herald-Journal
Staff A Different Era, Motorsports 2008
114 Illustrations All Daily Division
1st The Herald-Journal
Gary Kyle Shopping Commandos
2nd The Greenville News
Mitch McKell Domestic Violence
3rd The Sun News
Chris Mowder Countdown to the S.C. Primary

115 Critical Writing All Daily Division
Results Pending
116 Photo Page Design All Daily Division
1st The State
Tom Peyton and C. Aluka Berry Horse Power
2nd The Morning News
Traci Bridges Monster Madness
3rd The Herald-Journal
Bevin Hutcheson Thanks for the memories
118 Feature Headline Writing All Daily Division
1st The Post and Courier
Beth Harrison
2nd The Post and Courier
Sandy Schopper
3rd The Island Packet
Steve Austin
119 Best Pictoral All Daily Division
1st The Post and Courier
Grace Beahm Bridge Run
2nd The Island Packet
Jay Karr To the Moon
3rd The Post and Courier
Grace Beahm Birds Eye View

120 Humorous Photo All Daily Division
1st The State
Gerry Melendez Stretched voter
2nd The Post and Courier
Melissa Haneline From 9 to 95 (pounds!)
3rd The Island Packet
Jonathan Dyer Nun Run
121 Health Reporting All Daily Division
Results Pending

122 Education Reporting All Daily Division
1st The Herald-Journal
Gary Glancy College tuition rises
2nd The Post and Courier
Diette Courrege School under scrutiny
3rd The Greenville News
Ron Barnett Some of the best school in state behind bars

123 Business Reporting All Daily Division
1st The Post and Courier
Katy Stech
2nd The Sun News
Lisa Fleisher
3rd The State
Kristy Eppley Rupon
124 Entertainment Section All Daily Division
1st The Post and Courier
Preview
2nd The Island Packet
The Guide
3rd The Sun News
Kicks!
125 E. A. Ramsaur Memorial Award for Editorial Writing All Daily Division
1st The State
Warren Bolton
2nd The Greenville News
Paul Hyde
3rd The Greenville News
Beth Padgett

126 Lifestyle/Feature Special Edition or Section All Daily Division
1st The Sun News
With Liberty and Rock for All
2nd The Sun News
Living Here
3rd The Morning News
Inner Views
145 News Headline Writing Daily Under 26,000 Division
1st The Item
Traci Quinn
2nd The Island Packet
Steve Austin
3rd Times and Democrat
Lee Harter and Lee Hendren

146 Sports Headline Writing Daily Under 26,000 Division
1st Times and Democrat
Herman Brightman and Jennifer Spears
2nd Times and Democrat
Travis Boland
3rd The Index-Journal
Scott Bryan

150 Spot News Reporting Daily Under 26,000 Division
1st Times and Democrat
Gene Zaleski, Gene Crider and Lee Harter Terror in the morning
2nd The Item
Ken Bell Oops
3rd Aiken Standard
Karen Daily Murder-suicide: 3 dead

151 Enterprise Reporting Daily Under 26,000 Division
1st The Island Packet
Renee Dudley An altered life
2nd The Island Packet
Tim Donnelly and Daniel Brownstein The face of Hilton Head’s homeless
3rd The Item
Randy Burns Murder in Lee

152 Lifestyle Feature Writing Daily Under 26,000 Division
1st Beaufort Gazette
Mark Allwood Political odd couples
2nd The Item
Ivy Moore A tomato by another name
3rd Beaufort Gazette
Mark Allwood Love your bog, love the Lord
153 Feature Writing Daily Under 26,000 Division
1st Bluffton Today
Tim Wood We own the knight
2nd Bluffton Today
Tim Wood Kitt, you’ve met your match
3rd The Island Packet
Liz Mitchell The Alligator Hunter
154 Profile Feature Writing or Story Daily Under 26,000 Division
1st The Item
Ivy Moore The reluctant draftee
2nd The Item
Annabelle Robertson War capture
3rd Times and Democrat
Wendy Jeffcoat Crider A bittersweet moment

155 Short Story Daily Under 26,000 Division
1st Aiken Standard
Rachel Johnson Bureaucratic catch-22 denies nonagenarian a passport
2nd Times and Democrat
Richard Walker Trees, power lines victims of winds
3rd Times and Democrat
Richard Walker Serving the sole
156 Column Writing Daily Under 26,000 Division
1st The Island Packet
David Lauderdale
2nd Bluffton Today
Tim Wood
3rd The Item
Graham Osteen

157 Series of Articles Daily Under 26,000 Division
Results Pending
158 Reporting In-Depth Daily Under 26,000 Division
Results Pending
159 Beat Reporting Daily Under 26,000 Division
1st Times and Democrat
Richard Walker Cops and Courts
2nd Beaufort Gazette
Jeremy Hsieh County Court
3rd The Island Packet
Liz Mitchell Environment

160 Humor Column Writing Daily Under 26,000 Division
1st The Island Packet
David Lauderdale
2nd Beaufort Gazette
Tim Hager
3rd Bluffton Today
Tim Wood
161 Public Service for Daily Newspapers Daily Under 26,000 Division
1st Bluffton Today
Kyle Poplin Community mourns teen
2nd Times and Democrat
Lee Harter Lakes dirty little secret
3rd The Union Daily Times
Graham Williams Patriot’s Lake
165 Spot Sports Story Daily Under 26,000 Division
1st The Index-Journal
Kevin Fiorenzo Fight erupts at girls game
2nd The Daily Journal
Will Vandervort Bowden era over
3rd The Index-Journal
Scott Bryan Neal’s future at Ninety-Six in limbo

166 Sports Enterprise Reporting Daily Under 26,000 Division
1st Beaufort Gazette
Jeff Kidd From golf balls to moth balls
2nd The Island Packet
Jeff Kidd Sand sharks struggle to recruit women
3rd The Index-Journal
Matt Anderson Is football in Erskine’s future?

167 Sports Feature Story Daily Under 26,000 Division
1st The Island Packet
Justin Jarrett More than a cartoon
2nd The Island Packet
Justin Jarrett Support from the sidelines
3rd The Island Packet
Sam McDowell Just one of the guys

168 Sports Column Writing Daily Under 26,000 Division
1st Beaufort Gazette
Brandon Parker
2nd The Island Packet
Justin Jarrett
3rd The Island Packet
Jeff Kidd
170 Page One Design Daily Under 26,000 Division
1st The Island Packet
Pamela Uhles
2nd Beaufort Gazette
Jennifer Alliet
3rd Beaufort Gazette
Ashley Ammons

171 Page Design Daily Under 26,000 Division
1st Beaufort Gazette
Jennifer Alliet Festival of Lights
2nd Beaufort Gazette
Jennifer Alliet Halloween
3rd Times and Democrat
Kristin Coker Top reasons to pick…

172 Feature Page Design Daily Under 26,000 Division
1st Beaufort Gazette
Pamela Uhles
2nd Beaufort Gazette
Jennifer Alliet
3rd Times and Democrat
Kristin Coker and Sherry Fogle
173 Sports Page Design Daily Under 26,000 Division
1st Beaufort Gazette
Dan Worthington
2nd The Island Packet
Mike Bragg
3rd Times and Democrat
Travis Boland

180 JL Sims Memorial Award for Spot News Photo Daily Under 26,000 Division
1st Beaufort Gazette
Bob Sofaly 2 cars overturned
2nd The Item
Chris Moore Oops!
3rd The Island Packet
Sarah Welliver Towing crackdown
181 General News Photo Daily Under 26,000 Division
1st Times and Democrat
Larry Hardy We’re not satisfi ed
2nd The Island Packet
Kristin Goode Vigil for slain teen
3rd Bluffton Today
Scott Salisbury Autism
182 Feature Photo Daily Under 26,000 Division
1st Beaufort Gazette
Bob Sofaly Fun at the fair
2nd Bluffton Today
Stephen Berend Nuns on the run
3rd The Index-Journal
T.M. Jones Providing love therapy
183 Sports Action Photo Daily Under 26,000 Division
1st Aiken Standard
Michael Paul Face off
2nd The Union Daily Times
Pete Cochran Feel the pain
3rd The Island Packet
Jay Karr Caught in the middle
184 Sports Feature Photo Daily Under 26,000 Division
1st Bluffton Today
Scott Salisbury Post-season anguish
2nd The Union Daily Times
Pete Cochran Coach pitch
3rd The Island Packet
Sarah Welliver Chip
185 Personality Photograph or Portrait Daily Under 26,000 Division
1st Bluffton Today
Stephen Berend Cookies
2nd Bluffton Today
Stephen Berend Saving the May River
3rd Beaufort Gazette
Bob Sofaly Humbled on Halloween

186 Photo Series or Photo Story Daily Under 26,000 Division
1st Bluffton Today
Scott Salisbury Parris Island female marines
2nd The Island Packet
Jay Karr Go fly a kite
3rd The Island Packet
Kristin Goode Iraqi boy
187 Photo Illustration Daily Under 26,000 Division
1st Bluffton Today
Scott Salisbury Don’t get blown away
2nd The Item
Traci Quinn The war
3rd Times and Democrat
Kristin Coker Orangeburg Massacre
190 Newspaper Web Site Daily Under 26,000 and 26,000 – 80,000 Combined” Division
1st The Island Packet
islandpacket.com
2nd The Sun News
myrtlebeachonline.com
3rd The Herald
heraldonline.com

192 Best Integration of Print and Web Coverage Daily Under 26,000 Division
Results Pending
201 General Excellence Daily Under 26,000 Division
1st The Island Packet
2nd Bluffton Today
3rd Beaufort Gazette

191 Best Online News Project Daily Under 26,000 Division
Results Pending
193 Best Photo Gallery on a Newspaper Web Site Combined” Division
1st The Herald-Journal
Tom Priddy The Final Piece
2nd Anderson Independent-Mail
Sefton Ipock Tent Revival
3rd Beaufort Gazette
Basic Training