Sedona.biz reporter wins Arizona Press Club Award

Cyndy Hardy, Sedona.biz takes second place for "Best Use of the Web, small and medium publications, 2008"

by Carl Jackson

SEDONA, AZ (May 17, 2008) - At a time when there are more newspapers slipping into bankruptcy than auto companies, Arizona's best journalists proved they still possess the professional enthusiasm to pay tribute to their own at the May 16, 2009 Arizona Press Club Awards held at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University in Phoenix.

A bitter sweet occasion, the awards dinner coincided with the final printing of the 138 year old Tucson Citizen, Arizona's oldest daily newspaper.  This week Gannett announced that it would be shuttering the afternoon daily after it was unable to find a buyer.

The awards ceremony was attended by over 100 journalists, designers, and photographers from some of Arizona's most revered newspapers such as the Arizona Daily Star, Arizona Republic, East Valley Tribune, Arizona Daily Sun, and Phoenix New Times.

The evening began with a speech by Sarah Fenske, President, Arizona Press Club.  Said Fenske, "Let me start by stating the obvious: It's been one rough year in the print business.  Every day seems to bring another round of layoffs, furloughs, even newspaper closures...But let's not write the industry obituary.  Not yet.  For despite all the doom and gloom, Arizona journalists have done some amazing work in 2008."

The Distinguished Service Award was given to Paul Brinkley-Rogers for his more than 50 year career writing on the front lines from places like Vietnam and Cuba, and winning a Pulitzer Prize.  Despite being recently laid-off, Mr. Brinkley-Rogers was gracious, but also somewhat melancholy, stating that these days he takes joy in teaching younger journalists.

Community Journalist of the Year went to Marley Shebala, Navajo Times for covering tribal governments and officials which has been difficult due to decades of mistrust of daily journalists, said AZ Press Club judge Gary Graham.  Perhaps not unexpected, the AZ Press Club also presented the Navajo Nation with its "Joseph Arpaio Award - the Brick Wall Award" for its two year stonewalling of the Navajo Times' request for information on the use of government money.

Marley Shebala of the Navajo Times was awarded Community Journalist of the Year.  In the foreground is one of two brick awards given to the Navajo Nation.	Le Templar, East Valley Tribune (right) presents Paul Brinkley-Rogers with the Distinguished Service Award.

Other winners were Chris Hawley, Arizona Republic for Journalist of the Year; Renee Fullerton, Arizona Daily Star for Designer of the Year; and James Gregg, Arizona Daily Star for Photographer of the Year.

Mr. Gregg remarked, "As the ceiling comes down, I'm amazed how hard reporters continue to work to deliver the best quality journalism.  It's what we do.  These are the best of times."

On a local note, second place for Magazine Cover Design went to Deb Weinkauff, Sedona Monthly.

Internet only publication Sedona.biz and its reporter Cyndy Hardy nabbed second spot for Best Use of the Web, small and medium publications.

Said judge Laura Sparks about Cyndy Hardy and Sedona.biz, "This series of reports are very local and very relevant to the daily lives of Sedona residents.  The use of video and photography help create a sense of place and reveal the inner workings of local government." 

Article submissions penned by Ms. Hardy included the "Fondamenta of Sedona" about affordable housing, "Chapel of the Holy Cross: A Legacy Set in Stone," "Bob Bradshaw: A Modern Cowboy Story," "Accused members may strike back at accusers," about potential open meeting law violations, and "Man’s best friend doles out smiles to traffic-jammers."