Latest news with #MinnesotaNewspaperAssociation
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
EDITORIAL: What has changed, and what hasn't, in 100 years
Mar. 29—On Jan. 30, a handful of Post Bulletin employees attended the Minnesota Newspaper Association awards banquet in Brooklyn Park. This event recognizes the efforts of newspaper reporters, sports writers, editors, photographers, graphic artists and advertising designers across the state. The PB claimed 16 first-place awards that night, as well as 15 second-places and 10 thirds across a wide array of categories. Each award carried a point value, and when the final numbers were tallied, the Post Bulletin claimed the 2024 Vance Trophy, awarded annually to the state's best multi-day newspaper. It was a fun Thursday evening for the PB staffers who claimed the hardware, but they had little opportunity to bask in glory or rest on laurels. On Friday morning they were back in the office or out and about in southeastern Minnesota, working hard to produce new content for the Post Bulletin. That's the nature of the newspaper business. There's little time for reflection or celebration. When one story has been told, another requires attention. One news cycle immediately follows (and indeed overlaps with) another, and each new day comes with a unique set of opportunities and challenges. Journalists know all too well the truth of the saying, "You can't step into the same river twice." This weekend, the Post Bulletin commemorates 100 years of stepping into new waters every day. On March 30, 1925, the first edition of the Rochester Post Bulletin landed on newsstands and doorsteps. It represented a merger of two competing papers, the Rochester Daily Bulletin and the Rochester Post and Record. The front page of that first edition featured more than a dozen headlines, but no photos. Datelines included Berlin, San Francisco, Manilla, Chicago, Tulsa, Washington and Long Beach, Calif. — where the headline declared, "Man reports lost leg to California police." (It was an artificial leg, soon recovered.) In 1925, and for decades to follow, the Post Bulletin was the region's best source for national and international news. Television news programs didn't reach wide audiences until the 1950s, and even then a half-hour broadcast couldn't touch the breadth of information to be found in a daily newspaper. The Great Depression. Pearl Harbor. Hiroshima. Korea. Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle. JFK. The moon landing. Vietnam. The first Super Bowl. Watergate. The Berlin Wall. The Gulf War. For all of these eras, events and celebrities, and others too numerous to name, the Post Bulletin was an invaluable source of news and analysis. But the Post Bulletin also offered much more. From the newspaper's inception, its reporters attended meetings of city and county leaders, chronicled the rise and fall of local business tycoons and enterprises, and bore witness to the inevitable growing pains of an expanding city. The Post Bulletin told the ever-evolving story of Mayo Clinic's ascension to international fame — and the newspaper experienced firsthand the devastation when floodwaters swept through downtown Rochester. But nowhere was the Post Bulletin more valuable than in its documention of daily life in Rochester and southeast Minnesota. The newspaper was the official record of local marriages, births, deaths — and everything in between. Graduations. Anniversaries. Retirements. Military honors. Athletic achievements. For generations of our readers, life events weren't "real" until they were documented in the Post Bulletin's printed pages. Times have changed. During the past 30 years, the advent of the Internet, the smartphone and 24-hour cable news dramatically altered the ways in which people get their news. Print journalism paid a heavy price for this shift. Since 2005, more than 3,200 newspapers nationwide have closed or been absorbed by other publications. The Post Bulletin was not immune to these pressures, and the resulting changes have not been easy. Jobs were eliminated. The company's physical footprint shrank. Six printed editions per week became just two, and those print editions aren't as thick as they were 30 years ago. Such developments led more than a few naysayers to predict the imminent demise of the Post Bulletin. We proved the naysayers wrong, and what didn't kill us has made us stronger. The Post Bulletin isn't just surviving — it's thriving. As we begin our second century in Rochester, we can report that during the past two years, our circulation has actually grown — due in large part to the public's growing awareness that our product is worth paying for, even for readers who never touch a physical newspaper. Our website gets more than 2 million views per month, and last year, our reporters produced more than 4,000 local news stories. This growth isn't an accident. The Post Bulletin didn't resist change: It embraced it. Our team has never been more agile, adaptable and better positioned to identify and meet the needs of its readers than it is right now. Every day we get real-time data about which stories are bringing people to our website, and which advertisements are getting "clicks." Readers can contact us instantly, whether in an emailed letter to the editor or simply an online comment. When a story is best told through a video or a series of photographs, that's what we do. Our journalists are agile multitaskers, ready and willing to use whatever medium is appropriate, and our level of dedication to local news has never been higher. Does this mean the future will be smooth sailing? Not at all. Nationally, the level of distrust in the media is at an all-time high, and the Post Bulletin isn't immune to such cynicism. The constitutional guarantee of press freedom is under attack, and as respect for our profession has waned, so too have legal protections for journalists. Social media platforms routinely republish our content without our permission and without payment. Artificial intelligence is making it increasingly difficult for reporters and readers alike to distinguish between fact and fiction. As the Post Bulletin begins its second century serving Rochester and southeast Minnesota, it will not ignore these new challenges — but it won't fear them, either. It will speak the truth to power. It will celebrate courage. It will give a voice to the weak. That first edition of the Rochester Post Bulletin included a statement of goals for the new enterprise, including this phrase: "The policy of the Rochester Post-Bulletin will be to serve the public. ... to interpret through its news columns Olmsted County and southern Minnesota's developments without bias and without prejudice." That policy hasn't changed in 100 years, and it won't change in the next 100, either.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Pioneer secures 30 awards at Minnesota Newspaper Association convention
Feb. 4—BROOKLYN PARK — The Bemidji Pioneer walked away with a record-setting 30 awards for the paper during the Minnesota Newspaper Association's 158th annual convention. Expert judges from Illinois reviewed almost 4,000 entries of the MNA members' most outstanding work during the contest period of September 2023 through August 2024 to determine the best of the best. Winners were honored on Jan. 30 at the Better Newspaper Contest Awards Gala held in Brooklyn Park. Judges chose the Pioneer as the first-place winner in general excellence, general reporting and headline writing, among multi-day papers up to 5,000 circulation. "I thought the Pioneer was the strongest in their class because of the breadth of their coverage," the judge said of the general reporting category. "Strong page one stories with a good mix of hard news and features. Thought there were some excellent ledes that brought readers right to the point of the story. "I liked how the sports pages seemed to have more of a feature approach and then used roundups for results. In general, most stories contained good background for readers. A good newspaper serving its readers well." The Pioneer also won second place for its use of photography, sports reporting, advertising excellence and typography and design, along with third place in the editorial page category. The Pioneer's Summer 2024 edition of inBemidji Magazine secured first place in best magazine design, with the judge commenting "Love this magazine. Bright and colorful." The Spring 2024 edition also placed second in both the best magazine cover and best magazine reporting categories. Editor and photographer Annalise Braught won first place for her portrait of a young dancer participating in the 19th Annual Niimi'idiwin (powwow) in Bemidji. "The first-place photo of the little dancer floated to the top of the entries," the judge commented. "Great color and composition and I loved the expression of the subject. The pleasing look on the child's face draws you into the photo." She also got second place for her news photo from the annual Memorial Day program at Bemidji's Greenwood Cemetery, with the judge commenting, "The expressions really stand out in this image, and the tension and seriousness of the moment is clear from the posture and body language of the subjects." Braught placed both second and third in the feature photo category. In second, was another photo of a young dancer from the 19th Annual Niimi'idiwin, and in third was a photo of children reading at the recently opened Little Saints Daycare. She also came in both first and second place for two different photo stories. Her first-place win was for images from the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's Conference held in May 2024. "Nice image of Kingbird family inside. I could feel their pain," the judge commented. "Overall nice collection of images that told an impactful story." Her second-place photo story was a collection of images from the aforementioned 19th Annual Niimi'idiwin, "Nice colors and images, especially of the children," the judge said. "I really get the feeling of being there." Multimedia editor Madelyn Haasken came in third for her news photo from the eighth annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's walk. "The framing helps give a sense of emotion in this picture, with the intensity of the figure in the middle and the dominance of the red colors capture the viewer's attention," the judge commented. She also placed first in the feature category for a photo from Bemidji High School's Unified basketball game. "Great angle puts the reader right into the action before the game starts," the judge said. "The photographer captured the perfect moment with all technical requirements spot on." Former multimedia reporter Charley Gilbert also placed second in the portrait category for her photo of a young attendee at Bemidji ECFE's annual Wheels event. Braught and Haasken secured first place for their investigative reporting on the situation surrounding the sexual assault of an 11-year-old girl and the arrest of 11 undocumented immigrants in September 2023. Reporter Daltyn Lofstrom came in second place for his hard news story on steps to restore Red Lake's tribal boundaries leading to opposition and concerns with the judge noting, "Very thorough reporting, tight writing, interesting topic." Former Pioneer reporter Nicole Ronchetti came in first for her local breaking news story on Bemidji postal workers protesting unsustainable working conditions. She also came in first for her government and public affairs reporting series on the ordeal that spanned from fall 2023 through the following spring. "Really interesting look at this situation and how it affects postal workers and those waiting to receive a check in the mail," the judge said. "The story about the carrier who hit his breaking point was particularly good. The mix of background and new information as the stories unfolded was excellent. Great work!" Pioneer sports editor Jared Rubado came in first and second place in the sports story category. In first was his hockey story on the Beavers dethroning Minnesota State in blowout fashion to win the MacNaughton Cup. "An interesting contrast between the winning and losing sides," the judge said. "This is a compelling read with an interesting reference to 'Ric Flair's cadence.' Some interesting factoids and strong quotes here too. Well done." The judge was also impressed with his second-place story on the BHS football team winning the Section 8-5A Tournament quarterfinal game commenting, "A strong lede with strong quotes that earned their way into the story. The narrative keeps pushing the reader forward with a creative touch that makes this story stand out." Rubado also placed first in the sports feature category for a story about then-two-time para sled hockey gold medalist Chloe Kirkpatrick. "This was quite the story to share of Chloe's path to win gold with courage and determination," the judge said. "The in-depth story takes the reader from China to the medal stand and makes this the winner in a field of good entries." Sports reporter Alex Faber secured second place for his football feature on Bemidji State defensive lineman Marcus Hansen. "The subject broke all odds to make the team as a walk-on and the author did a great job sharing the story," the judge commented. Rubado came in first in the columnist category with the judge commenting, "Very strong writing with a personal touch. Pieces feature vivid description, strong, consistent focus and generally tight construction." Braught received a Herman Roe Editorial Writing Award for her editorial drawing attention to the lack of awareness surrounding the missing and murdered Indigenous relatives topic and a need for change in how tribal communities are supported. "The column about the Indigenous community was well-written and heartfelt and highlights the power of journalism to bring a spotlight to overlooked communities," the judge said. According to the MNA, the highly-coveted Herman Roe Editorial Writing Award recognizes impactful, meaningful and excellent editorial writing by honoring the single best editorial published during the contest period with judges strongly considering the editorial's significance to the community. The late widow of Herman Roe established this award in 1965. Herman Roe was a publisher of the Northfield News, past president of MNA and one of the state's outstanding editorial writers. Pioneer General Manager Christine Olson applauded the entire team for all the hard work that led to the paper bringing home a record number of awards again this year. "We believe in the power and importance of local journalism. Our team works tirelessly every day to provide trusted, meaningful coverage that serves our readers and community," Olson added. "While awards aren't the goal, earning 30 honors — including 13 first-place finishes, the general excellence award and sweeping the feature photo category — reinforces that our commitment to quality storytelling in both print and digital is making a real impact."
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Post Bulletin named a top newspaper in Minnesota (and won 42 awards too!)
Jan. 31—BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. — The Post Bulletin collected 42 awards from the Minnesota Newspaper Association's Better Newspaper Contest on Thursday, including the evening's most sought-after prize: the Vance Trophy. The Post Bulletin won 16 first-place awards, 15 second-place awards and 10 third-place awards. Each award carried different point values. The newspaper with the most points at the end of the evening wins the Vance Trophy. "The Vance Trophy is one of the most prestigious awards from one of the state's most prestigious news organizations. The entire team at the Post Bulletin works hard to tell the stories of the Rochester region — through editorial and advertising — and we're honored to be recognized for that effort," said General Manager Steve Lange. Newspapers ranging from small weeklies to large dailies from all over Minnesota submitted about 4,000 entries for the contest, according to the MNA. The Post Bulletin last won the Vance Trophy in 2022, 2019 and 2018. The trophy is awarded annually to the top multi-day newspaper in Minnesota, and was created in honor of the Vance family of Worthington. * Brian Todd — Human Interest Story — News Feature * Mark Wasson — Hard News — Coverage of Court/Crime * Jason Feldman — Sports Story * Jason Feldman — Sports Feature Story * Maya Giron — Press Photographer's Portfolio * Joe Ahlquist — Photography — Feature Photo * Maya Giron — Photography — Photo Story * Joe Ahlquist — Best Magazine Photography * Steve Lange — Best Magazine Article * Tessa Olive & Beth Krohn — Self-promotion or House Ad * Beth Krohn — Use of Color in Advertising * Special Section for all Multi-day * Advertising Excellence for Multi-day 10,001 and over * Use of Photography as a Whole for Multi-day 10,001 and over * Magazine General Reporting for Multi-day 10,001 and over * Category X — Coverage of annual community events on various platforms for all Multi-day * Matthew Stolle — Human Interest Story * Alex VandenHouten — Sports Feature Story * Jeff Kiger — Business Profile * John Molseed — Arts & Entertainment * Brian Todd — Business Story * Joe Ahlquist — Photography Feature Photo * Joe Ahlquist — Best Magazine Photography * Joe Ahlquist — Photography — Portrait and Personality * Joe Ahlquist — Photography — Photo Story * Lily Dozier — Photography — Sports Photo * Best Magazine for Multi-day 10,001 and over * General Excellence for Multi-day 10,001 and over * Typography and Design for Multi-day 10,001 and over * General Reporting for Multi-day 10,001 and over * Editorial Portfolio for Multi-day 10,001 and over * Pat Ruff — Sports Feature Story * John Molseed — Human Interest Story * Brian Todd — Human Interest Story — Personality Feature/Profile * Rebecca Mitchell — Human Interest Story — News Feature * Maya Giron — Best Magazine Photography * Maya Giron — Photography — Photo Story * Joe Ahlquist — Press Photographer's Portfolio * Becca Larson — Use of Information Graphics/Graphic Illustrations * Editorial Page as a Whole for Multi-day 10,001 and over * Best Magazine Cover for Multi-day 10,001 and over
