Dispatch wins 32 awards
Dispatch.com was named best general news website in Ohio on Saturday by the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists, and The Dispatch won 32 awards — more than any other newspaper in the state.
In addition to the website award, The Dispatch won 15 other first-place awards. The paper won the top award for best defense of the First Amendment for its work to obtain public records from Powell police in the investigation of former Ohio State assistant football coach Zach Smith.
The awards are sponsored by the SPJ chapters in Columbus, Cincinnati and Cleveland.
The Dispatch’s Kyle Robertson was named best photographer in Ohio.
The newspaper’s coverage of Jack Hanna’s anniversary with the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium earned the best special section award. Mike Wagner won best arts profile for his feature of Nina West and best newsmaker profile for his piece on Jack Hanna. The editorial staff won first place for best editorial page campaign for its opinion pieces about pharmacy benefit managers.
Ken Gordon was awarded the top honor for best explanatory journalism for his story on burn pits. And Wagner, John Futty, Doug Caruso, Joshua A. Bickel, Rachel Kilroy and Doral Chenoweth earned a firstplace award for their series on the millions of unserved warrants in the U.S.
Jennifer Smola was awarded first place for best coverage of higher education issues, Danae King won first place for best religion reporting, and Beth Burger won top honors for best environment reporting. Rick Rouan and Caruso were awarded first place for best public records use for their look into campaign contributions at Columbus City Hall. Mark Williams and Mark Ferenchik earned the best social issues award for their stories on income inequality in rural counties.
Michael Grossberg won two first-place awards: best critic in Ohio and best arts reporting.
The Dispatch was awarded 16 second-place awards, including: the Dispatch staff for best public service reporting, best breaking news coverage and best Page One layout; the Public Affairs staff for best investigative reporting; Theodore Decker for best columnist; Adam Jardy for best sports reporting; Eric Lagatta for best arts reporting; Alissa Widman Neese for best K-12 education reporting; Rouan for best government reporting; Darrel Rowland for best political reporting; Smola for best reporter in Ohio; Joanne Viviano for best medical/science reporting and best children’s issues reporting; Williams for best business profile and best consumer reporting; and Holly Zachariah for best human interest reporting.
Columbus Alive earned eight awards, Columbus Monthly magazine earned six awards and Columbus CEO magazine won three awards.