The Alabama Baptist was named the best regional Christian newspaper in the nation by Associated Church Press (ACP). The staff was presented the award for its work done in 2004 at the national convention in Nashville April 26.
Religion Communicators Council (RCC) also honored the paper for being among the top regional newspapers in the nation. The RCC award ceremony was held earlier in April.
The staff has been named top regional newspaper in past years by RCC and Evangelical Press Association.
This year’s ACP judges wrote: “The page layout is consistently inviting, with a thoughtful blend of image and word in the place that counts the most, page 1. The number of articles written by staff members and correspondents is impressive, reflecting a deep well of original material. Articles are inspiring and highly readable.”
ACP also awarded the staff an Award of Excellence for the series “Churches and the Arts,” edited by Erin Webster, assistant editor.
Judges wrote: “A very creative idea for a series. This grouping of articles provides a range of solid information for readers. It is an excellent way to show Baptists how others are using their God-given talents to worship God. Well written and well designed.”
And Grace Thornton, assistant editor, garnered a second place award in news writing from Baptist Communicators Association (BCA) for “Mississippi minister seeks truth about faith healings.”
Also winning a second place award was the photo series of Alabama Baptist missions volunteers in Venezuela, which appeared in The Alabama Baptist Aug. 12, 2004. Photographer Doug Rogers of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM) took the photos while on a missions trip earlier in the year.
Jesse Conte of the SBOM won second place for ad design promoting the Cooperative Program and Intentional Evangelism, which ran in The Alabama Baptist.
Rogers and Curry Evans of the SBOM also took first place for the audio program “One Mission.”
Another Alabama Baptist BCA winner was Brian Maxwell Smith of Shades Mountain Baptist Church, Birmingham Association. He received an honorable mention in feature writing for “Real People — Real Faith.”
Samford University’s communications office won awards from RCC.
Awards of merit were given for Seasons, the university’s news magazine; a direct mail campaign brochure designed by Scott Camp, senior graphic designer, and Sheri Hamiter, annual giving officer; the 2004–05 admissions viewbook, designed by Camp and written by Sean Flynt, electronic news editor; and a new logo for WVSU-FM, designed by Carlie Stamper, graphic designer.
Additionally, Mary Wimberley, news and feature writer, recently won a writing award from the Alabama Media Professionals (AMP) organization for a story on Samford University’s Global Center.
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