Epoch Times Wins 25 Awards in Annual New York Press Association Contest

Michelle Rea, Executive Director of NYPPA (C) and staff members from the Epoch Times, hold eight first place awards and one John J. Evans award for Advertising Excellence, won at the 2015 New York Press Association and Trade show in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., on March 28, 2015. Jan Jekielek/Epoch Times

Epoch Times staff members were honored with 25 awards at the 85th annual Better Newspaper Contest for the New York Press Association (NYPA).

The contest recognizes the best work of newspapers across the state of New York for editorial coverage in news and feature reporting, photography, advertising, and design.

Overall, Manhattan-based Epoch Times took home 10 first places prizes, six for second place, five third place finishes, and four honorable mentions.

Design and Advertising

The Epoch Times creative department led the pack with a total of 11 awards and three honorable mentions in the category of design and advertising.

For the second year running, the department won two of the most prestigious design categories: first prize in the Richard L. Stein Award for Overall Design Excellence and the only prize for the John J. Evans Award for Advertising Excellence.

Creative Director Robert Counts won first place awards for best online infographic and best large space advertisement.

Also given a first place award was Luba Pischick for best advertising campaign. An additional first place team award was given to Counts, Seth Holehouse, and Dane Crocker for a special advertising section they created.

“I think we’re having some great success here because people are seeing that our dedication to our media and the inspiration that drives us really reflects through our designs,” said Counts, after the awards were announced on Saturday. “Our team works so hard, day and night. It’s wonderful to be recognized for it.”

The creative department was also awarded second place for advertising excellence. Overall, the department won six first place awards, four second place awards, one third place award, and three honorable mentions.

Editorial Coverage

In the category of Editorial Coverage, the Epoch Times was honored with a total of five awards for a range of stories about news, events, and people in New York City and beyond.

First place for editorial coverage included a spot news story by New York City metro reporter Annie Wu on New Yorkers paying their respects to two police officers who were killed while sitting in their patrol car.

Reporter Arleen Richards also won a first place award for her feature story about struggling farmers who support fracking to help them survive a tough business. Richards said she was drawn to the story because it encompassed a little-heard-of point of view.

“I realized that despite the negative impacts of fracking that we often read about, farmers who have devoted their entire lives to providing food for the masses are losing their multigenerational family farms and their valuable land is all they have left as a source of income,” said Richards. “Farmer Graby has helped me put a human face on a much-debated topic.”

In addition to the two first place awards the Epoch Times won for its editorial coverage, the editorial team won one second place award, two third place awards, and one honorable mention.

Photography

Epoch Times photographers won a total of five photography awards for their work in 2014.

Samira Bouaou won first place for her news photograph of a shocked boy reading a local newspaper in the aftermath of a vicious knife attack on two small children in which the attacker remained at large for several days, leaving local residents terrorized.

Benjamin Chasteen also won a first place award for his feature photograph of New Yorkers in vintage clothing in front of some of the city’s vintage trains for an annual get together.

Chasteen, who traveled extensively in 2014 for work, said he felt that the recognition helped make it all worthwhile.

“Last year was really life-changing for me as a photographer,” said Chasteen. “After covering the protests in Hong Kong and Ferguson I feel I have matured in my artistry. I really put in a lot of effort and hard work and for me winning this award makes it feel like it was all worth it.”

The entire photography team also won third place for photographic excellence for a total of two first place awards, one for second place, and two for third place.

The Epoch Times also won second place for the NYPA’s Past President’s Award for General Excellence.

The prestigious first, second, and third place awards in 50 categories are chosen from among more than 4,000 entries every year.

Full List of Awards

NYPA 2014 Better Newspaper Contest

John J. Evans Award—Advertising Excellence

Richard L. Stein Award for Overall Design Excellence First Place

Past Presidents’ Award for General Excellence Second Place

Photographic Excellence Third Place

EDITORIAL  COVERAGE

Feature Story First Place For reporting on struggling farmers who support fracking

Spot News Coverage First Place For reporting on New Yorkers paying respects to two murdered policemen

Best News or Feature Series Second Place For series of stories on 9/11 Museum opening

In-depth Reporting Third Place For series of stories on Superstorm Sandy/Build It Back

Feature Story Third Place For reporting on a New Yorker walking 8,000 miles

Honorable Mention For reporting on two sisters living together for 91 years

PHOTOGRAPHY

Spot News Photography First Place For photo of child reacting to story of young boy killed in elevator

Feature Photo First Place For photo of hipsters in vintage clothes on vintage train

Second Place For photo of two people hugging at closing of South Street Seaport pub

Spot News Photo For photo of aftermath of a five-alarm fire on Staten Island Third Place

DESIGN AND ADVERTISING

Overall Design Excellence First Place

Best Online Infographics First Place James Cameron, Deepsea Challenger

Best Special Section Advertising First Place Taste Asia

Best Large Space Ad First Place Taste Asia

Best Advertising Campaign First Place Nerai restaurant

Advertising Excellence Second Place

Best Special Section Cover Second Place

Best House Ad/Ad Campaign Second Place

Graphic Illustration Second Place

Best Small Space Ad Second Place Brazilia Cafe

Best Advertising Campaign Second Place The Four Seasons Restaurant

Best Special Section Cover Third Place

Graphic Illustration Honorable Mention

Special Sections/ Niche Publications Honorable Mention Health & Fitness special

Best Large Space Ad Honorable Mention