ASNE Announces Annual Winners in Writing, Photography

By: E&P Staff The American Society of News Editors (ASNE) has announced the winners of its annual writing and photography contest.

The association said it had received 302 entries in the U.S. down slightly from the 307 it received last year.

"The ASNE competition is always inspirational, showcasing the best in public service journalism, storytelling and community photojournalism," Charlotte H. Hall, senior VP/editor of the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel and chair of this year's ASNE Awards Board, said in a statement. "It also affirms the great work being done in American newsrooms, despite tough times."

The winners of the Jesse Laventhol prizes receive $10,000. The other winners get $2,500. The award ceremony is taking place during ASNE?s annual convention April 11-14 in Washington D.C.

The winners follow:

*The Star-Ledger in Newark, N.J., won the Jesse Laventhol Prize/Deadline News Reporting for its series on New Jersey state government corruption.

*The Boston Globe took the Jesse Laventhol Prize for Online Storytelling for its multimedia presentation of the life and career of former Senator Ted Kennedy.

* St. Petersburg Times reporter Lane DeGregory won the Batten Medal for a series of work about the lives of "ordinary people."

* New York Times columnist Nicholas D. Kristof was honored with the distinguished writing award for commentary/column writing.

* Denver Post photographer Craig F. Walker won the community service photojournalism award for his work chronicling an Army recruit.

* The New York Times' Nina Bernstein received the Freedom Forum/ASNE Award for Distinguished Writing on Diversity for her work on the mistreatment of immigrants in federal custody.

* The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's David Barham took the distinguished writing award for editorial writing.

* Barbara Laker and Wendy Ruderman of the Philadelphia Daily News won the distinguished writing award for local accountability reporting on local police.

* David Rohde of the New York Times was honored with the distinguished writing award for nondeadline writing for his account of being held captive by the Taliban and his eventual escape.