New Mexico In Depth collected several awards over the weekend, including three first-place finishes, at the 2015 Top of the Rockies contest. The competition, sponsored by the Colorado chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, featured hundreds of entries from journalists working in four states – New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Wyoming.
NMID’s award-winning entries included a two-part series reported and written by Lindsey Anderson in collaboration with the Las Cruces Sun-News that examined child fatality in southern New Mexico.
Also garnering first-place honors were Rene Romo’s exploration of the lack of state oversight of a ranch for youth in southern New Mexico and a profile of New Mexico’s top 10 political givers in advance of the 2014 general election by Sandra Fish.
NMID won two second-place awards and one third-place award in the Top of the Rockies contest, too.
It goes without saying that NMID is proud of the reporters and media partners whose work was honored this weekend. Great job, everyone!
This weekend’s awards are the latest recognition for New Mexico In Depth and the journalism it published in 2014. Last month, NMID won 1st place in overall excellence for an organization at the 2015 New Mexico Press Women Communications Awards Banquet. The overall honor came after NMID collected awards in several categories, including 1st, 2nd, 3rd place and honorable mention in Enterprise Reporting.
Here is a list of NMID’s winning entries from the Top of the Rockies contest, which were announced Friday night during an awards ceremony in Denver:
1st place, Public Service, General News, Print circulation less than 10,000 – Lindsey Anderson, “Protecting Children series”
What the judges said: “Excellent example of persistent digging and fine storytelling.”
1st place, Investigative/Enterprise Reporting, General News, Print circulation less than 10,000 – Rene Romo, “Youth ranch controversy calls into question CYFD’s authority”
What the judges said: “Well written and well researched. Attention to detail makes the story highly readable.”
1st place, Specialized Reporting, Politics: Enterprise Reporting, Print circulation less than 10,000, Sandra Fish, “Meet New Mexico’s Top 10 political donors”
What the judges said: “Good analysis of giving that put a human face on those who put money toward politics. It’s unfortunate more weren’t willing to comment on the record. Additionally, the thoughtful highlighting of the complexity of the situation via a needed correction was excellent.”
2nd place, Specialized Reporting, Politics: Enterprise Reporting, Print circulation less than 10,000, Sandra Fish, “Analysis of 2014 political TV ads”
2nd place, Specialized Reporting, Health: Enterprise Reporting, Print circulation less than 10,000, Bryant Furlow, “Health guides work to convince Native Americans to try Obamacare”
3rd place, Specialized Reporting, Health: Enterprise Reporting, Print circulation less than 10,000, New Mexico In Depth, “Medicaid Freeze”
Congratulations! Well deserved. It is great to have a source of genuine journalism.