The Kent Reporter and reporters Steve Hunter and Ben Ray received awards at the 2024 Better Newspaper Contest presented by the Washington Newspapers Publishers Association (WNPA).
The Kent Reporter received third place in the General Excellence category for Group 4 (papers of circulation of 6,500 or more). The Wenatchee World took first place and the Key Peninsula News (Gig Harbor area) placed second. Each paper had to submit issues from April 16, 2023; Aug. 13, 2023; and one of publisher’s choice.
Hunter took first place in Crime & Court Story for “Officer fired for telling residents to seek ‘street justice.’” He also took first place in Sports Feature Story for “Candlelight vigil honors Kent Little League catcher.” Hunter took second place in Business News Story for “Space Summit puts Kent front and center.” He also took second place in Government Story for “Neighbors seek pedestrian upgrades along street.”
Ray took second place in Sports Feature Story for “Kentwood senior and father form super combo.”
Those recognized for the General Excellence honors were Hunter, Ray, editor Andy Hobbs, multimedia sales manager Marie Skoor and digital advertising director Elvira Anderson.
The awards were given out at the 137th WNPA convention Oct. 5 at the Indian Summer Golf and Country Club in Olympia. The convention is held each October. This year’s contest was judged by the Arizona Media Association. The contest period ran from April 1, 2023 through March 31, 2024.
Fifty papers across the state participated in the competition. There were 41 entries for General Excellence and 913 News article entries.
The WNPA is an advocate for community newspapers, freedom of the press and open government. The association is dedicated to helping members advance editorial excellence, financial viability, professional development, and a high standard of publication quality and community leadership.
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