Daily Journal named best large newspaper in Mississippi for 5th straight year
Jun. 19—The Daily Journal was named the best large newspaper in the state for the fifth consecutive year by the Mississippi Press Association, while Executive Editor Sam R. Hall won the prestigious J. Oliver Emmerich Award for Editorial Excellence at the Mississippi Press Association's annual convention Saturday.
The Daily Journal and its staff won a total of 48 awards for work produced in 2022. Seven different staff members won first place awards, while every member of the staff placed in at least one category.
The Daily Journal took first place in General Excellence, while the Clarion Ledger took second and the Sun Herald took third. Mississippi Today also competes in the same division.
"I am incredibly proud of this staff and the work they do every day. For every member to be recognized individually or as part of a team is outstanding," Hall said. "We don't do journalism for awards, but it is obviously nice to be recognized by our peers for a job well-done."
Hall won his second Emmerich Award for an editorial he wrote about the Mississippi Ethics Commission's ruling that the Legislature is not subject to the state's open meetings laws. The Emmerich Award, considered the MPA's highest honor, was founded in 1977 to honor the life and career of one of Mississippi's leading journalists.
In addition, Ray Van Dusen, managing editor of the Monroe Journal, a sister newspaper of the Daily Journal, took home the Minor Prize for General News Reporting for a piece on a former Aberdeen youth pastor in Ukraine. The Minor Prizes recognize the best in news and investigative reporting for weekly and daily news outlets. The winners of the Minor Prizes receive a generous cash prize from a fund established in 2003 by Mr. and Mrs. Tim Medley of Jackson in memory of Minor's long career as a Mississippi journalist.
Daily Journal awards included:
— General Excellence for the Daily Journal
— J. Oliver Emmerich Award for Editorial Excellence for Sam R. Hall
— 1st place for Adam Armour in Headlines
— 1st place for Blake Alsup in Ledes
— 1st place for Brad Locke in Sports Feature
— 1st place for Ginna Parsons in Magazine Story
— 1st place for Michael Katz in Sports News Story
— 1st place for Michael Katz in Sports Game Story
— 1st place for Sam R. Hall in Commentary Column
— 1st place for Sam R. Hall in Editorial Page or Section
— 1st place for Sam R. Hall in Editorials
— 1st place for Daily Journal in Special Section for the Ole Miss National Championship Section
— 1st place for Thomas Wells in Feature Photograph
— 1st place for Thomas Wells in Personality Portrait
— 1st place for Daily Journal Design Staff in Design
— 2nd place for Adam Robison in Pictorial Series
— 2nd place for Blake Alsup in Feature Story
— 2nd place for Blake Alsup in Headline
— 2nd place for Brad Locke in General Interest Column
— 2nd place for Brad Locke in Special Section
— 2nd place for Caleb Bedillion in Daniel M. Phillips Freedom of Information Award
— 2nd place for Daily Journal in Spot News Story
— 2nd place for Danny McArthur in Planned Series
— 2nd place for Danny McArthur & Adam Robison in Best News Package
— 2nd place for Dennis Seid in Best Use of Social Media
— 2nd place for Ginna Parsons in Magazine Story
— 2nd place for Michael Katz in Sports Feature
— 2nd place for Michael Katz in Sports Game Story
— 2nd place for Daily Journal in Sports Page or Section
— 2nd place for Taylor Vance in General News Story
— 2nd place for Thomas Wells in Spot News Photograph
— 2nd place for Thomas Wells in Personality Portrait
— 2nd place for Daily Journal in Website
— 3rd place for Adam Robison in Personality Portrait
— 3rd place for Blake Alsup in Magazine Story
— 3rd place for Blake Alsup in Headline
— 3rd place for Blake Alsup in General News Story
— 3rd place for Blake Alsup & William Moore in Planned Series
— 3rd place for Caleb McCluskey & Adam Robison in Best News Package
— 3rd place for Michael Katz in Sports Feature
— 3rd place for Sam R. Hall in General Interest Column
— 3rd place for Thomas Wells in General News Photograph
— 3rd place for Thomas Wells in Sports Feature Photograph
— 3rd place for Thomas Wells in Sports Action Photograph
— 3rd place for Thomas Wells in Feature Photograph
— Honorable Mention for Adam Robison in Personality Portrait
— Honorable Mention for Blake Alsup in Magazine Story
— Honorable Mention for Caleb Bedillion in In-Depth/Investigative Reporting
