RJ staffers collect second- and third-place awards in journalism contest
Las Vegas Review-Journal staffers took home two second-place awards in the 2017 Best of the West journalism contest and grants program.
Judges recognized Rachel Aston in the category of video storytelling and George Riggle took second place for headline writing. In addition, the newspaper’s graphic artist Sev Galvan, earned a third-place award in graphic illustration for work he produced while at the Denver Post.
“This recognition is reflective of the top-notch work we’re doing across the newsroom,” Review-Journal Managing Editor Glenn Cook said. “We’re very proud of Rachel, George and Sev.”
A judge called Aston’s video — a profile on a young former gang member looking for a new beginning — “great access.”
“The voice of the young man in ‘Gang banging at 10, out at 13’ is just what video is so great at accomplishing,” judge Carrie Cochran, visual journalist for the Cincinnati Enquirer, wrote. “You can get inside his head, taking you places that words or photos cannot. Had the camera work been a little smoother, and a little more time spent in collecting b-roll with various angles, as well as mixing down audio, it may have risen to the top spot.”
Riggle took second place for headlines like “Zombie A-choco-lypse,” “Pointless Exorcise” and “The Art of the Ordeal.”
“Sharp, witty and great plays of words,” wrote judge Jack Legg, senior copy editor for the New York Times News Service. “‘Maim That Tune’ is the best of a great collection.”
“Maim That Tune’” accompanied a story highlighting a variety of karaoke venues in Las Vegas.
Riggle also won second place in the 2015 contest and first place in 2012 for his headline writing work.
Galvan won third place for a graphic that illustrated the late Muhammad Ali’s boxing record.
“At a glance, the Muhammad Ali graphic seemed like a complicated reading experience due to the non-traditional circular design,” wrote judge Carlos Ayulo, assistant managing editor of presentation for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “But it turned out to be a quick read at Ali’s career wins and losses. Organized chaos came to mind as I judged this entry. Kudos to the artist for organizing the information neatly into a complex circular shape avoiding a visual mess.”
Contact Natalie Bruzda at nbruzda@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3897. Follow @NatalieBruzda on Twitter.
