Times of San Diego editors and contributors collected five first-place awards and 16 in all Tuesday night at the San Diego Press Club’s 42nd annual Excellence in Journalism Awards.
The 19-month-old independent news site founded and edited by local journalism veteran Chris Jennewein of Del Mar took second place to NBC 7 San Diego for Best Local News Website.
Contributing photographer Chris Stone and her contributing editor husband, Ken, of La Mesa took home four first-place plaques for the Times. Jennewein won top honors for a portfolio of opinion columns.
Nearly 400 people gathered at the Joe & Vi Jacobs Center in San Diego to celebrate the best work by local journalists and public relations professionals.
“Journalists have by necessity become more entrepreneurial, and it has opened up publishing and broadcasting opportunities for a wider range of communicators,” said Kris Eitland, outgoing club president and event chair.
“We are seeing it in the diversity of the participants and the entries submitted. The number of entries has grown for several consecutive years. It’s good news for our profession and makes our awards program truly meaningful for the winners.”
The San Diego club’s awards program is among the largest regional competitions in the United States. More than 350 awards were presented in 136 categories, with a record number of entries, about 1,300.
Six individuals won seven or more awards apiece, including Beth Accomando of KPBS Radio/TV (seven awards); Claire Yasbek Fadden, San Diego Family Magazine and About Town Magazine (seven awards); Rick Griffin, various (seven awards); Chris Stone, Times of San Diego (nine awards); Ken Stone, Times of San Diego and Voice of San Diego (nine awards); and Jamie Reno, (11 awards, including nine for work in the Reno Dispatch and two for Veteran Journal).
Reno, recipient of the 2009 Drew Silvern Award, remains the Press Club’s most honored journalist in the history of the awards competition.
Best of show winners for 2015:
- Best Television Entry: Candice Nguyen, Jay Yoo and Lynn Walsh for “NBC 7 Investigates Reveals Underground Industry of Unlicensed Guards and Bouncers” (NBC 7/39)
- Best Non-Daily Newspapers Entry: Linda Hutchinson, Milan Kovacevic, Susan DeMaggio and Daniel Lew for “La Jolla’s Faith Communities” (La Jolla Light)
- Best Magazines Entry: Troy Johnson and Jaime Fritsch for “The Baja Moment” (San Diego Magazine)
- Best Websites Entry: Barbara Moreno, Steven Johnson, Rick Gray, Steve Babbitt and communications staff for “San Diego Convention Center Corporation Website Redesign” (San Diego Convention Center)
- Best Radio Entry: Leonardo Castaneda and Brad Racino for “San Diego agencies cash in on drug money, assets” (inewsource)
- Best Daily Newspapers and Web Entry: Lorie Hearn, Joanne Faryon and Brad Racino for “An Impossible Choice” (inewsource)
- Wildcard Category: The Drought in California: NBC 7 Staff for “Running Dry: Drought in California” (NBC 7/39)
Special Achievement Awards:
- Chuck Westerheide of NBC 7/39 won the Harold Keen Award for Outstanding Contributions in Journalism.
- Christina Simmons of the San Diego Zoo won the Andy Mace Award for Career Achievement in Public Relations.
- And Ena Marie Craig Newell of KPBS won the Jim Reiman Award for Excellence in Media Management.
Ken Stone also took first in daily news feature for “How Boltman Became a Fan Favorite and the Chargers’ Nemesis” and second place for daily education story for “The Case of the Missing Alpine High School” — both posted on voiceofsandiego.org.
Masterstrack.com, Stone’s blog on adult age-group track and field, took second in single-topic blogs.
Times of San Diego first-place winners:
- Chris Jennewein, Op-Ed Columns by Chris Jennewein (Daily newspapers and websites, Essay/Commentary/Opinion)
- Chris Stone for “Supporting Role: San Diegan Was WWII ‘Enigma’ Code-Breaker” (Daily newspapers and websites, History)
- Chris Stone for “A Child’s Farewell to Marine Dad at Nepal Memorial” (Photography – Still, News)
- Chris Stone for “Veterans at S.D. Parade Bemoan Youthful Indifference to Service” (Photography – Still, Portrait)
- Ken Stone, Headline portfolio for Times of San Diego (Daily newspapers and websites, Headlines)
Times of San Diego second-place winners:
- Pat Launer for “Reality TV Before its Time: ‘The Lion in Winter’ at Moonlight Stage” (Daily newspapers and websites, Reviews: Theater-Opera)
- Chris Stone for “Return to Midway: Tales of Vietnam Sorrow, Sacrifice and Gratitude” (Daily newspapers and websites, History)
- Chris Stone for “Heat No Treat, But Saturday’s Miramar Air Show Can’t Be Beat” (Photography – Still, Feature)
- Chris Stone for “‘Gettysburg’ Meets ‘God Bless the USA’ at Fort Rosecrans” (Photography – Still, News)
- Chris Stone for “Modesty Reigns at ‘Toughest Competitor Alive’ Games” (Photography – Still, Sports)
- Ken and Chris Stone for “Supporting Role: San Diegan Was WWII ‘Enigma’ Code-Breaker” (Photography – video, Portrait)
- Ken Stone for “SeaWorld coverage in Times of San Diego” (Daily newspapers and websites, Series)
- Ken Stone and Chris Stone for “Supporting Role: San Diegan Was WWII ‘Enigma’ Code-Breaker” (Photography – video, Portrait)
- Times of San Diego Staff (Jennewein, Aleksandra Konstantinovic, Alexander Nguyen, Ryan Posner, Debbie Sklar, and Chris and Ken Stone) for Best Local News Website
Times of San Diego third-place winners:
- Chris Stone for “Return to Midway: Tales of Vietnam Sorrow, Sacrifice and Gratitude” (Photography – Still, Photo Essay)
- Ken Stone for “Blowup on Grossmont Healthcare Board: Interest Conflicts Alleged” (Daily newspapers and websites, Political/Government)
Judging in the professional categories was done by press clubs across the country, including Oklahoma, Alaska, New Orleans, Houston, San Francisco and Rochester, New York. College media were judged by the San Diego Press Club Board of Directors.
Updated at 2:35 p.m. Oct. 28, 2015
