Reporters from the Petoskey News-Review and the Charlevoix Courier took home half a dozen awards in the 2021 Michigan APME Newspaper Contest.
Awards were given for business writing, best column, sports column, sports photo, spot news and best multimedia writing.
“As everyone knows, 2021 was another tremendously challenging year for everyone. It was particularly difficult for journalists because we had to bring information to readers quickly and accurately as anxiety and worries over COVID-19 continued,” said executive editor Sarah Leach.
“Then consider deeply contentious political times continue to feed ideological divisions in our communities, putting even more stress on communities and newsrooms. Yes, it’s always rewarding to be acknowledged for hard work, but this time it’s much more significant. We risked our health to interact with the public. We faced public pushback as ‘facts’ seemed to be politicized. We had a massive responsibility to get accurate information to people in real time as public health, safety and our democracy were in crisis. This time, knowing that outside experts say we did it right, just means more. I couldn’t be prouder of the team we have and their dogged dedication to their craft.”
Winners in Division 1 include:
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Best Column, Third Place: Rachel Brougham, Petoskey News-Review
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Best Business Writing, Third Place: Ryan Bentley, Petoskey News-Review
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Best Multimedia Storytelling, Second Place: Annie Doyle, Charlevoix Courier
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Best Sports Column, First Place: Drew Kochanny, Petoskey News-Review
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Best Sports Photo, Third Place: Drew Kochanny, Petoskey News-Review
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Best Spot News Coverage, Second Place: Will Perkins, Petoskey News-Review
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Petoskey News-Review, Charlevoix Courier take home APME awards
