NEW ORLEANS — The Columbian-Progress staff garnered 14 awards, including five firsts, in the annual statewide newspaper contest.
Editor/Publisher Charlie Smith and Managing Editor Mark Rogers accepted the honors Saturday in New Orleans during the joint Mississippi Press Association/Louisiana Press Association convention.
Rogers, a veteran photojournalist, won two first places for pictures that drew the emotions out of stories: one of Columbia Academy baseball players celebrating a state championship and a portrait of a World War II veteran in front of an airplane.
Smith received the top spot for both commentary column and editorials, reflecting opinion pieces about topics like the graduation rate and welfare incentives, while Sports Editor Joshua Campbell received first place recognition for a sports feature about CA superstar-in-the-making Slade Wilks.
“I’m proud of everything our staff does to serve this community. These awards just reflect the hard work they do day in and day out to report fairly and accurately what’s going on that is important in Columbia and Marion County,” Smith said.
Other awards included:
• Sports News Story, second place, Campbell
• Sports Column, second place, Campbell
• Sports Feature Photo, second place, Rogers
• News Package, second place, Smith and Rogers
• Sports Page, second place, Campbell and Production Manager Wright Nichols
• Magazine Story, second place, Rogers
• Design, second place, staff
• Sports News Story, third place, Campbell
• Lifestyles Page, third place, staff
The South Carolina Press Association judged Mississippi’s annual Better Newspaper Contest, which recognizes work published in 51 member newspapers during 2017.
Pictured Above: Mississippi Press Association President Paul Keane, left, presents a first-place plaque to Columbian-Progress Editor and Publisher Charlie Smith Saturday in New Orleans during the annual Better Newspaper Contest awards ceremony. | Photo by Anthony Warren/MPA
