Pantagraph.com Weather forecast, local radar and more
NewsFriday, September 21, 2007 9:03 PM CDT
Comments Comments (22) | E-mail this page E-mail this page | Print this page Print this page | Enlarge type Enlarge type | Reduce type Reduce type | Search archives Search archives | RSS RSS feeds | Add to My Yahoo! Add to My Yahoo!
Pantagraph.com, newspaper win state awards
By Pantagraph staff
Advertisement

SPRINGFIELD — The Pantagraph and its Web site were named among the best in Illinois on Friday while more than a dozen staff members earned individual awards for their work during the Illinois Press Association’s joint meeting with the Illinois Associated Press Editors Association in Springfield.

The Pantagraph took third place in the AP contest’s General Excellence category, which judges the quality of the entire newspaper. First place went to the Chicago Sun-Times; the Rockford Register-Star took second. The large-newspaper class also included entries from newspapers in Arlington Heights, Champaign-Urbana, Peoria and Springfield.

The newspaper’s Web site, www.pantagraph.com, took second place among newspapers in the same class in the IPA’s separate editorial contest. This is the first year IPA has judged Web sites based on their news content.

“It is really gratifying to see that the newspaper and our Web site were honored by both AP and IPA this year,” Pantagraph Editor Mark Pickering said. “Our staff has worked extremely hard in the past year to continue producing a quality newspaper, but also make www.pantagraph.com the No. 1 place for breaking news and other information in Central Illinois.”

Linda Lindus, publisher and president of Pantagraph Publishing Co. and vice president of publishing for Lee Enterprises Inc., praised the “creative and comprehensive efforts of our online and newspaper staffs.”

She said the leadership of Pickering, Managing Editor Julie Gerke and Online Editor Michael Freimann is “moving us forward with news products that grow readership and our online audience.”

During the two-day conference, Pickering was elected vice president of the Illinois Associated Press board of directors.

IPA awards



In the IPA contest, judged by members of the Virginia Press Association, the Pantagraph won in the following categories:

Best newspaper Web site: second place, newsroom staff.

Best coverage of taxation: first place for “Is Bigger Better?” a two-day series examining Heartland Community College’s expansion plans, by reporters Michele Steinbacher, M.K. Guetersloh and Phyllis Coulter.

Best school board coverage: third place for “As Bullying Evolves, Schools Try to Adapt,” a two-day series about bullying in schools, by Coulter and former reporter Karen Walters.

News reporting — series: first place for “Big Crowds Can’t Stop Coliseum Loss,” by Guetersloh and reporter Mary Ann Ford.

Sports reporting: third place for “Titan Titlists — 10 Years Later,” a look back at the Illinois Wesleyan University championship basketball team, by reporter Randy Reinhardt.

Editorial Page: second place for Opinion Editor Lenore Sobota.

Reviews: first place for Entertainment Editor Dan Craft.

Headline writing: second place, by copy editor/paginator Jeff Zwadlo.

AP awards



In the AP contest, judged by Michigan AP members, the Pantagraph won in the following categories:

Sports column: third place, by reporter Randy Kindred.

Photo sports feature: second place for “Mind control,” by photographer/videographer Lori Ann Cook.

Photo illustration: third place for “Who can you trust?” by Photo Editor David Proeber.

Photo portrait: third place for “Still doing push-ups,” by Proeber.

Weekly newspapers



Two Pantagraph-owned weekly newspapers also received recognition in the following IPA categories:

Community service: first place for coverage of how a sales tax would finance a community recreation center, by LeRoy Journal Editor Sue Bratcher.

Sports reporting: honorable mention for coverage of new training resources for Heyworth athletes, by Heyworth Star Editor Troy Semple.

The Pantagraph, its weeklies, and Pantagraph Publishing Co. are owned by Lee Enterprises of Davenport, Iowa, which owns 57 other daily newspapers across the country. In Illinois, its daily newspapers are in Bloomington, Carbondale, Mattoon, Charleston, Decatur, DeKalb and the Quad Cities.

Video
Most commented stories
Browse online archives
Recent issues:
Reader comments on this story - 22 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

freebie2 wrote on Sep 25, 2007 8:59 PM:

" one wonders if the freebies are inlcuded in the circulation. can't even give this paper away for free sometimes... "

Last Word wrote on Sep 23, 2007 8:37 AM:

" Take a look at the circulation numbers over the past twenty years. The Pantagraph was well over 52,000 daily and 57,000 Sunday, with nearly 25,000 fewer residents. Today, daily numbers are near 47,000, while Sunday is barely over 51,000. Not a good story for one of the fastest growing an most affluent communities in the Midwest. A newspaper in this community unable to grow subscribers and readers has somethong very worng with it, awards notwithstasnding. "

yreadthisppr wrote on Sep 22, 2007 8:26 PM:

" No doubt this paper is pretty awful but it is entertaining to read the ridiculous editorials and small-minded attacks on progress in the community. Aps are all old news anyway but ok if cable news has been missed. if this paper won awards- good heavens, hate to see those that didn't! "

Jokepaper wrote on Sep 22, 2007 8:22 PM:

" If the Pantagraph can win an award(s) it's ust another indication of the pathetic status of journalism. Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck probably would have performed a better job as judges. This paper is awful - apart from dear abby of course and the ap articles... "

West Sider wrote on Sep 22, 2007 5:38 PM:

" It's excellent. I just wish bloggers were made to sign in and register. Too many cheap, cheap, hurtful shots because people hide. No guts. "

Movie Fan wrote on Sep 22, 2007 11:39 AM:

" Now if you can just get your award-winning film critic to start writing reviews again! Dan Craft's reviews are sorely missed! "

CRITICS wrote on Sep 22, 2007 9:52 AM:

" That goes to show you crappy journalism is accepted by their peers. Running articles on silly or sick things from all over the world to spark "interest" in readers. Well, not this reader. I have told you your paper reminds me of 7th graders blowing stories out of proportion or printing something hirrid just to create hooplah. I will grant you a good construction of the website with pictures and the whole ball of wax putting it together. you just need better writers/reporters....or editor. "

Eric wrote on Sep 22, 2007 9:47 AM:

" There is an old saying, "If you don't like it, don't read it" It's funny that someone would criticize a website, while taking the time to read it, and comment on stories. It's sort of like the guy who says "I hate this song"....But then sings alongs while it is playing on the radio. "

Oh, come on!!! wrote on Sep 22, 2007 7:47 AM:

" If those of you complaing really are unhappy.... then why are you still accessing the site????? I am a stay at home mom, and I check Pantagraph.com many times throughout the day. If something happens, they let us know. In the past, I have brought up an article that I read online to someone who gets the paper delivered to their home, and they did not know what I was referring to. I think the Pantagraph.com has a great website. It is up to date and informative. I've been on some other website that you have to be a user member to get any info. Great job pantagraph. Thanks for keeping me informed!@! "

For real wrote on Sep 22, 2007 6:16 AM:

" Must have been judged after happy hour hosted by the Pantagraph! I quit reading the Pantagraph a couple of years ago. I got tired of the tweaking. You had to keep looking in different places for things. What really torks me is the telemarketing company they are using. I'm on the Do not call registry and have been contacted so many times it is almost funny. I've told the callers I'm on the registry and take me off their list. I've had over 12 calls in 30 days, 4 calls yesterday alone. I've contacted the pantagraph and no return calls. Is that a lawsuit flying in the air I see coming? "

ummm wrote on Sep 22, 2007 1:02 AM:

" How? Did they show them some other paper that they do? "

ES wrote on Sep 22, 2007 12:28 AM:

" Must have been too many republicans judging. "

oh wow... wrote on Sep 21, 2007 10:38 PM:

" ...you have got to be kidding me. I do read this paper but that's only because there is no alternative.....I can't believe they would win any awards...Their website is cluttered.....The AP stories run 2-3 days after they are everywhere else on the internet ...So I'm getting old news and favoritism for the city of bloomington and town of normal.....Wow...I guess I should have been a journalist. "

reader wrote on Sep 21, 2007 8:24 PM:

" Well ,an award is an award.I just wish they would print all the comments and just because you don't like what we send in maybe have a section that if we want to see the really bad ones that you don't want to show in your all mighty wisdom don't like ,and we really would like to see them can .But for the most part you do show most of the comments. "

WOW- wrote on Sep 21, 2007 8:23 PM:

" It must have been those " Dogs Kill Cat " articles on the front page- "

congrats. wrote on Sep 21, 2007 7:03 PM:

" I check this website several times every day. The site is updated and always has the latest news on local trials, etc. I enjoy Edith Brady's work along with all the others. I do enjoy reading and participating in the comments, too. Again, congrats, you really deserve it. "

Rag wrote on Sep 21, 2007 5:19 PM:

" How can a paper win an award when it is nothing more than a piece of crap? "

P-Graph~~ wrote on Sep 21, 2007 4:44 PM:

" Ya gotta win somethin, puttn up with us crazy posters!!! (this one, anyway! :) "

To Gary E. wrote on Sep 21, 2007 4:43 PM:

" It said the Chicago Tribune finished ahead of Pantagraph.com. If the only website in the state that's better than this one is the Trib, that's not too bad. Good work Pantagraph, I've become a fan of you since you cahnged your site last year. Keep it up. "

RR3 wrote on Sep 21, 2007 4:40 PM:

" Your website puts the Tribune to shame. No Joke. "

Joe wrote on Sep 21, 2007 4:25 PM:

" You earned it! Congrats!! "

Gary E. wrote on Sep 21, 2007 4:24 PM:

" I guess I'm going to have to do a little research to find out who finished ahead of the Pantagraph.com in this judging. If there is a paper with a better website I need to see it for myself before I'll believe it. Great work folks. "
Add your own comments

Please read the rules before posting comments.

You must be logged in to leave comments.
If you don't have a member ID, please register.

*Member ID:
*Password:
Remember login?
(requires cookies)
  Forgot Your Password?
 
Lee Enterprises Customer Service | 301 W. Washington St., PO Box 2907, Bloomington, IL 61701-2907 | Ph. 309-829-9000 | 800-747-7323
Copyright © 2008, Pantagraph Publishing Co. and Lee Enterprises. All rights reserved. | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy