GV Wire Nabs 10 First Place and Runner-up CNPA Awards

By gvwire

Published 6 years ago on

May 5, 2019

In its first year in the competition, GV Wire won four first-place and six second-place awards in CNPA’s California Journalism Contest.

The winners were announced Saturday at the California News Publishers Association gala in Long Beach.

“We have an excellent team of local journalists working on the stories that matter most to our community. I want to congratulate our team for their determined and relentless effort in bringing these stories to light.” — GV Wire Publisher Darius Assemi

In addition, GV Wire claimed four third-place awards and fifth place for General Excellence in the competition for small digital news organizations.

GV Wire, however, competed against California digital publications of all sizes in the columns and story presentation/page layout and design categories, winning a total of three awards.

In all, 18 GV Wire entries made the final round of judging.

“We have an excellent team of local journalists working on the stories that matter most to our community,” said GV Wire Publisher Darius Assemi. “I want to congratulate our team for their determined and relentless effort in bringing these stories to light.”

Taub Is Double First-Place Winner

David Taub won the enterprise and feature writing divisions and claimed second, third, and fourth places for local government reporting.

“Every Californian was impacted by the 2014 law that radically changed (the) usage of plastic bags. This is a smart piece exploring the aftermath,” said a judge about Taub’s first-place story on California’s plastic bag ban.

Of Taub’s first-place feature on Bitwise co-CEO Irma Olguin Jr., a judge wrote, “A compelling read on a native daughter of Fresno who is making a difference in the community today and for the future.”

Said a judge of Jamie Ouverson’s first-place video feature on Central Valley Honor Flight 17: “Wonderful topic with terrific production values. Emotional and meaningful work.”

The year’s honors work published in 2018.

Here are the categories and GV Wire journalism honored by the judges:

First Place

Enterprise: Is California’s Plastic Bag Ban Working? David Taub

Feature: Olguin Writes New Code on Tech, Downtown Fresno, David Taub

Video Journalism: This Video Brings the Cost of Freedom Home, Jamie Ouverson

Youth/Education: Bargain Warp Speed Learning Has a Name: Dual Enrollment, Myles Barker, Bill McEwen

“Every Californian was impacted by the 2014 law that radically changed (the) usage of plastic bags. This is a smart piece exploring the aftermath,” said a judge about David Taub’s first-place story on the state’s plastic bag ban.

Second Place

Columns (all digital publications): Stop the Spin. Give Us the Truth on High-Speed Rail, Bill McEwen

In Depth Reporting: Who Runs California? Bill McEwen, Drew Phelps, David Taub

Informational Graphic: Pros and Cons of Measure P, Alexis DeSha

Local Government: Recounting the Drama: Hill Places Second, Miller Placed in Cuffs, David Taub

Video Journalism: Her Reading Heart Inspires Students Across Fresno, Jahz Tello

Youth/Education: Ashjian vs. Nelson: A Hot, Loud Debate on Special Ed, Bill McEwen, Myles Barker

Said a judge of Jamie Ouverson’s first-place video feature on Central Valley Honor Flight 17: “Wonderful topic with terrific production values. Emotional and meaningful work.”