The Dispatch, Dispatch.com receive 15 awards from Society of Professional Journalists

Thomas Hanks, The Columbus Dispatch
·2 min read
The Columbus Dispatch, which celebrated 150 years of publication on July 1, 2021, has a sign that has illuminated downtown Columbus for decades.
The Columbus Dispatch, which celebrated 150 years of publication on July 1, 2021, has a sign that has illuminated downtown Columbus for decades.

The Columbus Dispatch and Dispatch.com won 15 awards in Ohio's Best Journalism competition, sponsored by the Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati chapters of the Society of Professional Journalists.

The honors included six first-place awards and second place for both best daily newspaper and best website.

For enterprise projects, The Dispatch won first place for "Broken Pledge," an audio series that examined fraternity hazing and the life and death of Collin Wiant and Stone Foltz. Reported by Mike Wagner, Sheridan Hendrix and reporter Lucas Sullivan and produced by Patrick Flaherty, it won first place for best public service/social issues reporting. Collin's Law: Ohio's Anti-Hazing Act was introduced shortly after The Dispatch produced the series.

Reporters Hendrix and Céilí Doyle and photojournalist Joshua A. Bickel won first place for best minority issues reporting for their collaboration, "Descendants of Hope: The Legacy of Ohio's Underground Railroad." The story focuses on the descendants of Ripley, Ohio's Underground Railroad conductors and the descendants of freedom seekers they helped.

Other first-place awards include: Wagner, best features reporting; Bailey Johnson, best sports reporting; Alissa Widman Neese; best children's/education issues reporting, and Michael Grossberg, best critic.

Dispatch staff took home second place for best deadline reporting in the wake of the death of 16-year-old Ma'Khia Bryant.

Also winning second place were Bethany Bruner, best criminal justice reporting; Erica Thompson, best reporter; Megan Henry, best children's/education issues reporting; Amelia Robinson, best editorial/criticism writing; Darrel Rowland, best science/medical/health care reporting; and Courtney Hergesheimer, best videographer.

Dispatch reporter Jordan Laird was honored for her previous work at the Dayton Daily News. She won second place for best minority issues reporting.

Dispatch intern Abby Bammerlin won first place for best college news writing for her work at The Miami Student.

Dispatch Magazines took home 10 awards as well in their respective categories.

First place awards in the digital media category went to Columbus Alive for best specialized journalism site; Alive's Andy Downing for best business and tech reporting; Columbus CEO for best government/political reporting; and Columbus CEO's Rob Hardin for best photographer (for publications with a circulation of less than 60,000).

Second place awards went to Downing for best reporter (for publications with a circulation of less than 60,000) and Alive's Joel Oliphint for best arts and entertainment reporting and best business and tech reporting.

Columbus CEO won several second-place awards: best feature reporting, best minority issues reporting, and best public service/social issues reporting.

A luncheon will be held Aug. 27 to recognize the winners at the Boat House at Confluence Park, 679 W. Spring St.

thanks@dispatch.com

@hanks_t99

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Dispatch, Dispatch.com win 15 SPJ awards