Des Moines Register racks up 18 awards in 2024 Iowa Newspaper Association contest
The Des Moines Register staff took home 18 awards Thursday from the 2024 Iowa Newspaper Association contest honoring the best work of newspapers across the state.
The Register staff walked away from Thursday night's INA banquet with seven first-place awards, seven second-place awards and four third-place awards for writing, photography, design, social media, and graphics and illustrations in its size class for Iowa dailies.
The Register also won second place for General Excellence among large daily newspapers.
In addition, Register health reporter Michaela Ramm was one of three recipients of the Jay P Wagner Prize for Young Journalists.
Here's the results:
Best editorial pages
First place: Des Moines Register editorial staff.
Judge's comments: "Outstanding creativity in page design. Strong editorials and plenty of local contributors - in both columnists and letter-writers. The best in the field!"
Best sports section
Third place: Des Moines Register sports staff
Judge's comments: "A lot of sports news packed into these sections. Well-written stories and features. Would prefer a little better layout, but overall, a strong sports section."
Coverage of government and politics
Second place: Register reporters Brianne Pfannenstiel, Stephen Gruber-Miller, Virginia Barreda and Katie Akin.
Judge's comments: "Clearly reader-in-mind coverage of issues that gets past the council chambers and talking heads. Cuts through the 'government spin' and conveys to readers why stories are being done and how the issue could impact them."
Coverage of education
First place: Register reporters Samantha Hernandez, Chris Higgins, Katie Akin and Stephen Gruber-Miller.
Judge's comments: "Very in-depth and followed-through reporting. Took something national and localized it well."
Coverage of agriculture
Second place: Register reporter Donnelle Eller.
Subjects: Nutrient reduction plan; Proposition 12 impact; green hydrogen; bird flu and carbon capture pipelines.
Judge's comments: "In a time when the pandemic is still the squeaky wheel getting grease, the Register does a good job keeping tabs on progress on ongoing concerns, processes, new developments and plans. In doing so, the staff hasn't gotten away from showing the humanity in policy/data-centered stories. Even when one would think there should be a disconnect from middle-America to the West Coast, staffers enlighten and educate on how everything is connected. Good job."
Best use of graphics
First place: Des Moines Register infographic stories by data visualization specialist Tim Webber.
Judge's comments: "The book ban story, with its mix of charts, book covers that light up as the scroll comes across the page, the search by book/district with details on the challenge, lays out the issue with the national trend. For those not savvy to the bans, (they) are engaged and informed in a way that is quick, local and detailed. It's a great presentation all the way around. And the Caitlin Clark story breaks down the greatness that is the athlete for laypeople and fans alike. From the NCAA tournament to the court to the tweets from Magic Johnson as well as the NCAA women's career leaders, it paints a picture of greatness at a glance, regardless if you're a fan or not."
Best newspaper website
Third Place: DesMoinesRegister.com.
Judge's comments: "Landing page is nicely laid out and would lend itself to people staying logged on longer."
Best video (multi-day)
Second place: Photo Editor Zach Boyden-Holmes
Content: "I'm one of the lucky ones": After a tornado took most of her family, Kuri Bolger hasn't lost hope
Judge's comments: "I felt this woman's pain. My heart hurt for her. The video helped us share her grief yet see her blessing with her."
Bill Monroe best special digital project
First place: Des Moines Register columnist Courtney Crowder and visual journalist Kelsey Kremer
Best use of social media
Third place: Des Moines Register staffers Brian Smith, Natalie Howell, Nixson Benitez and Emery Glover.
Best news photo (multi-day)
Second place: Register photo editor Zach Boyden-Holmes.
Judge's comments: "Nice confrontation photo, but what makes it stand out is the bored look on the woman's face as she puts an arm between the two disagreeing men. It looks like she is doing it as an afterthought."
Best breaking news story (multi-day)
Second place: Register reporters Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Chris Higgins, F. Amanda Tugade, Francesca Block.
Subject: Fatal shooting at Starts Right Here Des Moines alternative school.
Judge's comments: "School shootings at any facility, public or private, are gut-wrenching news events. This entry handles this shooting aggressively and professionally while capturing the emotion of the situation."
Best sports feature story (multi-day)
Third place: Register reporter Alyssa Hertel
Subject: 'Let me have a chance': How running back Demarico Young overcame deafness, homelessness to thrive
Judge's comments: "This one was difficult. There was another entry about the same person. Both were well-written. I gave this one the edge because I learned more about Demarico Young's early life. What an incredible story."
Best series (multi-day)
First place: Register reporter Jay Stahl
Subject: Social influencers
Judge's comments: "What a great diversity of stories that tie together in social media. New story series idea which I like a lot!"
Best sports columnist (multi-day)
First place: Register columnist Chad Leistikow
Judge's comment: "Very diverse topics. Learned some facts I was not aware of. Good writing all the way around."
Second place: Register columnist Randy Peterson
Judge's comment: Liked his subject matter. Well rounded opinions.
Best continuing coverage
First place: Register reporters Katie Akin and Stephen Gruber-Miller.
Subject: Iowa's LGBTQ laws
Judge's comment: "Balanced coverage of the Iowa Legislature's leap into trendy MAGA public policy. Good people stories contrast with the follow-the-leader legislation.
Mike Trautmann is the News Director/Politics Editor for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at mtrautmann@gannett.com; Twitter: @DMRPoliticsCzar.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Des Moines Register wins 18 awards in 2024 Iowa Newspaper Association
