POULSBO — The North Kitsap Herald won 10 awards, including first place for Best Front Page Design, in the 2015 Better Newspaper Contest hosted by the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association.
The awards were announced at the association’s 128th annual convention Oct. 9 in Everett.
As a group, Sound Publishing’s newspapers in Kitsap County — the Bainbridge Island Review, Bremerton Patriot, Central Kitsap Reporter, Port Orchard Independent, and the Herald — won 40 awards. The Bainbridge Island Review won Ad of the Year. The Port Orchard Independent won General Excellence. Discover Kitsap, edited by Special Publication Editor Leslie Kelly, won Best Tourism Guide.
All told, 58 newspapers competed in this year’s contest, which consisted of work produced between April 1, 2014 and March 31, 2015. There were 373 advertising entries, 160 special sections entries, 1,076 news entries, 349 photography entries, 31 web entries, and 45 general excellence entries. The entries were judged by members of the Kansas Press Association.
The North Kitsap Herald competes in Group 3, consisting of newspapers with circulation of 5,001-12,500. Here are the awards the Herald won:
FIRST PLACE
— Best Front Page Design: Richard Walker, “Aug. 8, 2014 edition.”
SECOND PLACE
— Topical/Non-Tourism Special Sections: “How-to Guide.”
— Best General Feature Story, Long: Richard D. Oxley, “Dock-to-dock delivery; brew delivers a keg of beer by rowing from Poulsbo to Ballard.”
— Best Personality Profile, Long: Richard D. Oxley, “The man behind the keys.”
— Best Feature Page Design: Richard D. Oxley and John Rodriguez, “Kitsap Week cover May 23, 2014.”
— Color Photo Essay: Richard D. Oxley, “The Man Behind the Keys.”
THIRD PLACE
— Best Single Ad Promoting a Sale or Event, half-page or larger: Mark Gillespie and Frank Portello, Spring Savings Coast Do It Best Hardware.
— Feature Writer of the Year: Richard Walker.
— Best General Feature Story, Long: Richard D. Oxley, “National touring exhibit stops in Suquamish.”
— Best Front Page Design: Richard Walker, “Jan. 9, 2015 edition.”
“These awards are validation of our staff’s very hard work,” Editor Richard Walker said. “General Excellence judges wrote of the Port Orchard Independent, ‘This paper had a lot of really good content, was designed well, and held my interest throughout.’ I believe that can be said of all of our newspapers and special publications.”
Lori Maxim, publisher and a vice president of Sound Publishing, said, “I am tremendously proud of our team for winning so many coveted awards. It’s a tribute to the exceptionally talented staff we have working for our company. Our team shares these awards with our readers and advertisers in the community. Without their stories, this wouldn’t have been possible.”
