The California News Publishers Association’s 2020 Journalism Awards was truly one for the books for the Pleasanton Weekly.
We earned 12 awards in all, between first and fifth places in print and digital categories, for our work during an unprecedentedly demanding year. Each of our editorial team members received recognition. We placed fourth for Online General Excellence in our circulation division. I got two second-place awards, including for my editorial on the Kate Steinle case.
But one award stands above the rest in my eyes.
We won first place for Public Service Journalism (Digital) for our 2020 Tri-Valley candidate forum series. This CNPA award is a well-earned testament to the hard work our entire editorial team put into a grueling local election season in the midst of a global pandemic.
What a whirlwind it was.
Our publisher Gina Channell Wilcox and I co-moderated eight forum events for 12 Tri-Valley local election races during a five-week stretch between August and September, including forums on four nights in a row from Sept. 21-24 — every one in the evening after a full workday.
Each event was free and livestreamed, with a video-recording posted online afterward for voters to access whenever they had time before submitting their ballot. We also featured individual news stories about every forum, with reporters Ryan J. Degan, Julia Baum and Cierra Bailey alternating coverage amid other stories assignments.
All of this while our team and I were in the throes of pandemic and wildfire coverage, among a wealth of other news during hectic 2020.
But, as I told the CNPA judges in our nomination packet, the candidate forums were an important priority for us.
We co-organized the events because the stakeholders wanted them and because we recognized that without us, they would not happen: No other local or regional news media would be presenting interactive, objective, live debates for Tri-Valley elections to better inform the voters.
The judges certainly took note. One wrote, in part:
“Their reporting on the candidates, issues and forums was top-notch, and when compounded by the fact that they set up and moderated these forums and during a pandemic and while completing their ‘regular’ jobs, it’s almost unfathomable that the staff was able to accomplish this without having some wide variety of super powers.
“This is the type of journalism and newsroom that I will teach to my reporting public affairs students for years, as it represents the very best of what we can be and do as local journalists when we try hard enough to make it happen.”
I’m so proud of this honor from our peers. Take a look at the full list of our 2020 awards, print and digital divisions combined.
2020 CNPA Awards
First place
Public Service Journalism: 2020 Tri-Valley candidate forum series – Staff
Second place
Editorial Comment: “Steinle case: A complete miscarriage of justice” – Jeremy Walsh
Breaking News: “Pleasanton PD officers cleared of criminal charges for man’s death after confrontation outside Raley’s” – Walsh
Third place
Feature Story: “On the road again” – Dolores Fox Ciardelli
Profile Story: “Gretchen’s legacy” – Ryan J. Degan
News Photo: “Dining out in Pleasanton” – Degan
Fourth place
Online General Excellence: PleasantonWeekly.com – Staff
Editorial Comment: “The time for the first community debate on policing in Pleasanton is now” – Walsh
Coverage of Youth and Education: “Danville student settles free-speech lawsuit against SRVUSD, will receive $655,000 and public apology” – Degan
Fifth place
Coverage of Local Government: “Policing in Pleasanton” series – Julia Baum and Walsh
Photo Coverage of Protests and Racial Justice: “Moment of silence (8:46) during Pleasanton march” – Degan
Coverage of Youth and Education: “Another abrupt superintendent departure for Dublin Unified” – Staff
