It is awards season \u2013 the time of year when \u201cthe best\u201d in everything from music and movies to books and journalism is rewarded. For the second consecutive year, the Center for Cooperative Media\u2019s (CCM) NJ News Commons Excellence in Local News Awards have recognized the very best in local journalism published in 2018 by online, print, broadcast, photo, radio multimedia, campus and other local New Jersey-based journalists. Several University-affiliated efforts were recognized at the February 8 ceremony held at Capital Craft in Green Brook, New Jersey.<\/p>\n
Among the winners was the Free Press, which won this year\u2019s Sustain Local Award for conceiving of and leading a campaign to create the Civic Information Consortium, an innovative, collaborative\u00a0 nonprofit dedicated to strengthening local news coverage and boosting civic engagement in New Jersey. Montclair State is a member of this new consortium of five leading New Jersey public institutions.<\/p>\n
School of Communication and Media professor Thomas Franklin won the Investigate Local award for his multimedia TAPinto Newark story about immigrant Daniel Castro who was hoping to avoid deportation while waiting in an ICE detention center while a judge reviewed his case.<\/p>\n
The Montclarion,<\/em>\u00a0the University newspaper, was recognized as the runner-up in the new Campus Watchdog Award category.<\/p>\n The awards reflect the CCM\u2019s mission to serve New Jersey citizens by growing and strengthening local journalism. Reporting from 2019 NJ News Commons Excellence in Local News Awards winners and other New Jersey journalists and media are featured in the daily NJ News Commons e-newsletter, which offers an insightful and informative roundup of the state\u2019s biggest stories.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s been a lot of talk about the chaos and uncertainty in the local news industry over the past decade or so,\u201d says CCM Associate Director Joseph Amditis. \u201cBut it\u2019s important to take a moment to recognize and remember that there are still local journalists out there who are doing great reporting on a daily basis despite all the chaos. We also feel it\u2019s important to honor those who go beyond the traditional duties of a local reporter by finding new and innovative ways to serve their communities and the larger journalism ecosystem.\u201d<\/p>\n Amditis and CCM Director Stefanie Murray presented awards in collaboration, innovation, sustainability, campus media, investigative reporting and engagement at a ceremony and luncheon at Capital Craft in Green Brook, New Jersey on February 8.<\/p>\n The award recipients were chosen by a three-judge panel composed of CCM Director Stefanie Murray; \u00a0Naemma Campbell, Dodge Foundation Program Associate, Environment and Informed Communities; and New Jersey Society of Professional Journalists board member Miriam Ascarelli from 36 online submissions. \u201cAnyone can submit their own work or the work of others, but the majority of the submissions tend to be from the authors and reporters themselves,\u201d explains Amditis.<\/p>\n Amditis and Murray additionally presented awards to:<\/p>\n\n