NPPA's Best Of Photojournalism 2005 Television Contest
Judging Underway At Poynter Institute In Florida
ST. PETERSBURG, FL (March 13,2005) – After a filling Sunday morning breakfast, the five judges for this year’s NPPA Best Of Photojournalism Television Photography contest headed over to The Poynter Institute for Media Studies and began the day hungry to get started. “Let’s watch tape,” announced Scott Hedeen, a photojournalist from WXIA-TV in Atlanta.
The morning menu included 30 spot news stories. The judges divided the entries then retreated to two rooms. The judging teams picked finalists and then watched the best of the best together.
"These photojournalists have put their heart and soul into their stories and their entries," Merry Murray, the television contest chair said. "We have a first rate panel of judges who are excited about picking this year's winners."
Looking at tape this morning were the Television Photography categories judges: Kurt Austin, a photojournalist for KGW-TV in Portland, OR; Richard Essex, a reporter for WTHR-TV in Indianapolis, IN; Scott Hedeen, a photojournalist for WXIA-TV in Atlanta, GA; Katrina (Brown) McCann, a photojournalist for KYTV in Springfield, MO; and Kenny Reynolds, a photojournalist for KTHV-TV in Little Rock, AR. NPPA president Bob Gould is also on site to assist with the judging.
This year's Television Editing categories judges are Brandi Paulson, an editor for WKYC-TV in Cleveland, OH, and Paul Pytlowany, of WWJ-TV / WKBD-TV in Detroit, MI, who will join the Photography category judges later this week to round out the panel.
Today the debate became heated over a couple of Spot News stories and it took some time to pick the winners. “I need to step away from this for a while,” Essex said. After lunch, the group hunkered down once again and finally came to a consensus on the Spot News category, just one of nine categories that they will have to wrestle with this week.
By mid-afternoon, amidst the empty water bottles, stale coffee, and legal-pad-lined tables, the familiar clicking sound of loading videotape echoed in the rooms another 37 times. The category? Deadline Photography.
The judges felt this group of stories fell shy of their expectations. “There was a lack of general news urgency,” Hedeen said. The category is designed to celebrate work under extreme deadline pressure. “There needed to be more live shots or sense of immediacy,” McCann said. “Some (entrants) did a good job getting emotional stories put together in a very short amount of time.”
“It was a good, healthy debate, lots of great discussion,” said Murray. “They’re taking their time to go over everything thoroughly, and that intensity helps set the stage for the rest of the week.”
"It's an exciting time of the year for NPPA,” Gould said, “and it's an amazing experience to be here at Poynter watching all this phenomenal storytelling.”
“We are really glad you are here,” said Al Tompkins, broadcast faculty member at The Poynter Institute. Tompkins loves seeing great stories and is always looking for teaching moments. “One of the reasons we love hosting the national contest is because Poynter faculty have the luxury of watching hundreds of the best examples of photojournalism from the previous year. Without fail the contest produces stories that we can show in our workshops and seminars. These are often powerful examples of the best use of images, editing, lighting and teamwork. Sometimes they have been produced under tremendous time pressures. It is real world journalism, not ivory tower stuff,” Tompkins said.
The judges watched and absorbed nearly 70 stories before dinner. And as the sun said good night over the Gulf of Mexico just a few miles away, five pairs of weary eyes were also ready to call it a day. “We got a lot done today, but we know this is just the beginning,” McCann said.”
The panel will sit through nearly 400 tapes by Friday. The week will culminate with the winners announced during a live Webcast hosted online by The Poynter Institue for Media Studies at www.poynter.org.
"By Friday, March 18, we'll have crowned new Stations of the Year (small, medium, and large divisions), a new Ernie Crisp Television News Photographer of the Year, and a new Television Editor of the Year, along with individual category winners,” said Gould.
Stay tuned this week as Bob Gould files daily stories from the judging, and winners are announced on Friday during a Webcast hosted on www.poynter.org.
The Best Of Photojournalism 2005 Television contest page is updated daily during the judging.
Monday's story: Judges picked winners from General News and Sports categories.
Tuesday's story: Judges picked winners from the Features and Documentary categories.
Television judges: Read their biographies.
Last week: The Best Use Of Pictures and Editing categories were judged at Ohio University in Athens, OH. Read about that judging here, along with information about the Best Of Photojournalism Still Photography and Web site judges for 2005.
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