The Maryland, Delaware, D.C. Press Association’s annual awards convention April 23-24 at Westin BWI Hotel in Linthicum highlighted The Catholic Review’s excellence.
“We were pleased and proud to learn about our considerable success in this year’s MDDC annual awards competition for member newspapers,” said Chic Davis, interim associate publisher. “In all, we collected 15 awards for our demonstrated excellence in the areas of editorial, advertising and online.”
The total number of awards received is one of the biggest in recent history for the newspaper.
In the D Division for non-daily newspapers with a circulation over 20,000, The Review won first place for “best special section.” The editorial contest-winner was for the newspaper’s extensive preview of Pope Benedict XVI’s trip to Washington.
The Review had sweeping success in the advertising contest, winning four first-place awards and seven total honors in the non-daily category for newspapers with a circulation over 15,000. Mr. Davis was part of four different award-winning submissions. Former staff designer Bernice Twum-Barimah Jones teamed up with Mr. Davis to win first for “local recruitment in black and white or color.” He won first place with production assistant Kathy Bathon for “special section, member or vendor supported.” Mr. Davis; Jo Simmons, advertising manager; and April Hornbeck, senior art director, claimed second place for “print submission of a newspaper.” Mr. Davis and production manager Robert Thompson won third place for “house production ads.”
Ms. Hornbeck and sales representative Mary Gebbia were first-place winners in the “10 pounds of stuff in a five pound bag” category for a New Year’s-themed ad. Ms. Simmons, Mr. Thompson and Ms. Gebbia took first in the “themed feature page” category. Ms. Simmons, Ms. Hornbeck and former sales representative Deborah Moir were honored with a second-place award for “local real estate, black and white or color.”
In the non-daily classification of the online contest, staff writer Matt Palmer claimed first place for “online commentary or blog” as he tackled his relationship with his father. Richard Ihle, Binod Puri and Ms. Simmons also won first place for “innovative online advertising.” Mr. Ihle, Mr. Puri and Walt Braxton took third place in “general Web site excellence.”
The Review won four second-place awards in the editorial contest. Senior staff writer George Matysek won for “public service coverage,” Ms. Twum-Barimah Jones for “informational graphic,” photographer Owen Sweeney for “spot news photo” and former staff writer Gary Gately for “economy coverage.”
“We have an excellent team of professionals here at The Catholic Review,” Mr. Davis said. “It shows in their work, every day, and once or twice a year, it shows when their good work is compared to that of others in our news business world.”