Best In Class
The 2016 Merit Awards
ROBERT S. ABBOTT
BEST EDITORIAL AWARD
The Best Editorial Award is based on clarity of thought, community interest, style and relevance.
1st Place
Richmond Free Press – Day of Reckoning
2nd Place
The Skanner – Bernie Foster
3rd Place
Philadelphia Tribune
EMORY O. JACKSON
BEST COLUMN WRITING
The Best Column Writing Award is based on timeliness of topic, significance of subject to community, treatment of topic, appearance and originality.
3rd Place
Seattle Medium
Chris Bennett
CARL MURPHY
COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD
The Community Service Award salutes community service efforts of the newspaper relating to one specific subject or project showing effort above and beyond the routine coverage.
1st Place
Insight News
2nd Place
Crossroads News
3rd Place
St. Louis American
IDA B. WELLS
BEST NEWS STORY
The Best News Story Award is based on overall importance and significance of an interest in the story, impact of headlines and lead; thoroughness of reporting, sentence and paragraph structure.
1st Place
The Philadelphia Tribune
Larry Miller – “Witness Intimidation”
2nd Place
Indianapolis Recorder
Victoria Davis “Ransom Place”
3rd Place
The Chicago Crusader
J. Coyden Palmer
“How a Beating and Three Murders led to the Execution of Tyshawn Lee”
FRANK L. STANLEY, SR.
BEST FEATURE STORY
The Best Feature Story Award is based on originality, thoroughness, investigation and importance of subject treated.
1st Place
Chicago Crusader
Erick Johnson
“Grave of Icon Found After Nearly 100 years”
2nd Place
New York Amsterdam News
Jodi Ann Williams
“Former Child Soldier Writes Children’s Book”
3rd Place
St. Louis American
Kenya Vaughn
“Denzel’s Faith”
WILBERT L. HOLLOWAY
BEST NEWS PICTURES
The Best News Pictures Award selects best work in a picture by a staff photographer.
1st Place
Los Angeles Wave – Gary McCarthy
2nd Place
St. Louis American – Lawrence Bryant
3rd Place
Winston Salem Chronicle – Tevin Stinson
ROBERT L. VANN
BEST LAYOUT AND DESIGN
TABLOID AND BROADSHEET
The Best Layout and Design Award for tabloid and broadsheet is based on headline type, layout and design and overall print quality.
1st Place
Houston Defender
2nd Place
Washington Informer
3rd Place
Gary Crusader
ROBERT L. VANN
BEST LAYOUT AND DESIGN
BROADSHEET
1st Place
St. Louis American
2nd Place
Winston Salem Chronicle
3rd Place
Philadelphia Tribune
LEON H. WASHINGTON
BEST SPECIAL EDITION
The Best Special Edition Award is based on excellence, depth of supporting editorial material, use of pertinent photos, and skill in handling advertising.
1st Place – St. Louis American
“Diversity: A Business Imperative”
2nd Place – Winston Chronicle
“National Black Theatre Festival”
3rd Place – Chicago Crusader
“Crusading for 75 Years to Change Black America”
BEST YOUTH WRITER
The Best Youth Writer Award is based on layout, articles and pictures of special interest to youth, as well as writing style.
1st Place
Los Angeles Wave – Jaivon Grant
2nd Place
Houston Forward Times -Tashon Thomas
3rd Place
Houston Defender
W. A. SCOTT, II
BEST USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS
TABLOID AND BROADSHEET
This award is based on the best use of local pictures.
1st Place
Final Call
2nd Place
Windy City Word
3rd Place
Chicago Crusader
W. A. SCOTT, II
BEST USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS
BROADSHEET
1st Place
Houston Forward Times
2nd Place
St. Louis America
3rd Place
Insight News
BEST CHURCH SECTION
This award is based on news content, feature treatment, interest of pictures, and layout pertaining to church news.
1st Place
Indianapolis Recorder
2nd Place
Philadelphia Tribune
3rd Place
Pittsburgh Courier
DON KING
BEST SPORTS SECTION
The Best Sports Section Award is based on layout, interest of pictures and news content pertaining to sports.
1st Place
Winston Salem Chronicle
2nd Place
Washington Informer
3rd Place
Dallas Weekly
E. WASHINGTON RHODES
BEST BUSINESS SECTION
The Best Business Section Award is based on relevance of news and feature content, interest of pictures, and layout.
1st Place
St. Louis American
2nd Place
The Michigan Chronicle
3rd Place
Houston Defender
ARMSTRONG-ELLINGTON
BEST ENTERTAINMENT SECTION
The Best Entertainment Section Award is based on layout, news and feature content, and interest of pictures pertaining to entertainment.
1st Place
St. Louis American
2nd Place
Michigan Chronicle
3rd Place
Houston Forward Times
MILLER COORS – A. PHILLIP RANDOLPH
MESSENGER AWARD DIGITAL EXCELLENCE
This award is recognized for overall digital design functionality and effectiveness in building community engagement.
Houston Forward Times
RUSSWURM/SENGSTACKE
TROPHY FOR
GENERAL EXCELLENCE
The John B. Russwurm/ John H. Sengstacke Trophy is awarded to the newspaper scoring the highest number of points in the 15 Merit Award categories.
St. Louis American
2016 SAMUEL E. CORNISH AWARD
FOR PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR
The Publisher of the Year Award is special because the recipient is nominated and selected by vote of peer publishers.
Dr. Donald Suggs
St. Louis American