The 2023 presentation of the annual Allan B. Rogers Editorial Award, New England First Amendment Award, AP Sevellon Brown NE Journalist of the Year, Bob Wallack Community Journalism Award, and the New England Newspaper of the Year Awards happened on October 19 during the New England Newspaper Conference.
2023 Publick Occurrences Awards Presentation Video
The 2023 presentation of the annual Publick Occurrences Awards happened on October 19 during the New England Newspaper Conference. 13 publications were recognized for producing the finest work that New England newspapers create each year in individual or team stories, series, spot news coverage, columns, or photojournalism that ran in print and/or online.
Visit the Publick Occurrences Award page for the full list of 2023 winners and the comments read about the winning entries during this video presentation.
PRESS RELEASE: NH News Organizations Request Release of Education Reform Records
Contact:
Phil Kincade
Granite State New Collaborative
pwkincade@gmail.com
603-988-1069
NH News Organizations Request Release of Education Reform Records
More than two dozen of the state’s leading news organizations requested today that the New Hampshire Department of Education make public all records of the special task force charged with recommending broad revisions to the rules that will govern public education in the state for at least the next decade.
The news organizations contend the education reform task force – created as a result of a sole source contract with the National Center for Competency-Based Learning approved by the governor and Executive Council – is a quasi-governmental body and therefore subject to New Hampshire’s right to know law, RSA 91-A.
Since its inception more than two years ago, the 13-member task force has been conducting business, yet there is no public record of its meetings, votes or minutes, as required by RSA 91-A.
Specifically, the law stipulates that public bodies must conduct meetings open to the public, that “minutes of all such meetings, including nonpublic sessions, shall include the names of members, persons appearing before the public bodies, and a brief description of the subject matter discussed and final decisions”, and that “minutes shall be promptly recorded and open to public inspection not more than 5 business days after the meeting,” and “shall be treated as permanent records of any public body, or any subordinate body thereof, without exception.”
This letter requesting public disclosure was made by the Granite State News Collaborative, the New Hampshire Press Association, and the New England First Amendment Coalition.
Background:
In November 2020, as recommended by Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut, the Governor and Executive Council approved a $50,000 sole-source contract with the National Center for Competency-Based Learning “to facilitate a revision of the ED 306 Minimum Standards Administrative Rules.” The NCCBL is a Durham-based company led by former New Hampshire Board of Education Chair Fred Bramante.
In January 2021, the NCCBL created a 13-member self-described “task force” that set out “to enhance and further embed competency-based learning within the Minimum Standards,” according to a June 23, 2022 letter the task force sent to state educational leaders.
The ED 306 Minimum Standards Administrative Rules were established as part of the Joint Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules (JLCAR) created in 1983 by the legislature to provide legislative oversight of administrative rulemaking by the agencies of the executive branch.
The news organizations contend that because the contract with NCCBL was approved by the Governor and Executive Council and its responsibilities are a derivative of the legislature’s oversight functions affecting public policy, the task force is a quasi-public body and therefore subject to all provisions of the state’s right to know law, RSA 91-A.
The news organizations also cited Bradbury v. Shaw, 116 N.H. 388 (1976), a case heard before the New Hampshire Supreme Court concerning the application of RSA 91-A:1 to a private committee. The court upheld the trial court’s finding that heavy involvement in governmental functions renders a private committee a public body and subject to the right to know law.
Nominations are now being accepted for the Yankee Quill Awards
Nominations are now being accepted for the Yankee Quill Award. The award is administered by the New England Society of News Editors Foundation, and it recognizes the efforts and dedication of those in New England who have had a broad influence for good in the field of journalism.
Recipients are inducted into the Academy of New England Journalists upon receiving the Yankee Quill Award at a celebratory luncheon during the annual New England Newspaper Convention, which will be held at The Waltham Westin Hotel on March 22-23, 2024.
The 2023 honorees were:
- Steve Curwood
- Anne Galloway
- Mal Leary
- Lincoln Millstein
- Robert Bailey Thomas (historical figure)
Selection for the award is not based on a single distinguished achievement. Rather, the Yankee Quill recognizes the effort and dedication of those in New England who have had a broad influence for good in the field of journalism. In other words, it is not based on a certain achievement in reporting, writing, or editing or on the fact that someone runs a good newspaper or broadcast show or station. Instead, it honors a lifetime of contribution to the profession.
Nominations may range across the entire field of journalism — including daily and weekly newspapers, radio and television news coverage, and other forms of media that meet the tests of journalism.
Members of the Academy of New England Journalists, along with the representatives of several New England media associations, will select the persons to receive the Yankee Quill Award this year.
The link to the nomination form can be found by clicking here.
The deadline for nominations is Friday, November 17, 2023.
Nominations may be emailed to: quill@nenpa.com or hard copies may be mailed to:
Yankee Quill
c/o NENPA
PO Box 2505
Woburn MA 01801
For further information contact:
George Geers, academy chair, gnews@empire.net, (603) 785-4811
or Linda Conway, academy clerk, l.conway@nenpa.com, (781) 281-7648
Newspaper Conference on Oct. 19 offers discounted registration rate for journalism educators and students
Get ready for an exciting opportunity to connect, learn, and grow at the New England Newspaper Conference on October 19!
This event is being held virtually on the NENPA online community platform.
Journalism educators, advisors, and students in New England are invited to register for the conference at a discounted rate for individuals and groups. Individual registration is only $29 per person and groups are just $125.
This is your opportunity to learn from executive-level speakers, gain knowledge about the industry, and join in rich discussions. It’s a place where collaboration happens, innovative ideas are shared, and the challenges facing today’s media industry are discussed.
The conference program is available, and registration is now open!
Join us as we showcase excellence and give recognition with the announcement of the Publick Occurrences Award winners, the New England Newspaper of the Year Awards, and the recipients of four additional prestigious awards.
If you have any questions or need assistance with registration, please contact Tara Cleary at t.cleary@nenpa.com.
Winners announced for Bob Wallack Community Journalism Award and AP Sevellon Brown Journalist of the Year!
Join us on October 19 for the virtual New England Newspaper Conference, as we celebrate the invaluable contributions of two exceptional journalists who have dedicated their lives to the craft, and served the industry with distinction over the years.
We are thrilled to announce that Wayne Braverman, managing editor of The Bedford (MA) Citizen, will receive the Bob Wallack Community Journalism Award, while Katie Mulvaney, court reporter for The Providence (RI) Journal, will receive the AP Sevellon Brown New England Journalist of the Year Award!
Make sure to register soon for this insightful event where, in addition to recognizing our award winners, we will also have the privilege of listening to insightful presentations from top-level executives.
Wayne Braverman
Bob Wallack Community Journalism Award Winner
Wayne Braverman, managing editor of The Bedford (MA) Citizen, receives the Bob Wallack Community Journalism Award for his distinguished reputation as a resourceful, media-savvy, multi-award-winning journalist and pioneering managing editor. He is an accomplished and seasoned journalist whose skills and experience transcend media.
By design, he has spent his entire 50-year media career in community journalism and has earned more than 50 awards at national, regional, and state levels in newspapers, television, and public speaking.
Whether online or in print, Wayne consistently achieves the highest journalistic standards in all of his work. In his roles as lecturer, reporter, editor, and opinion writer, he has demonstrated an understanding of the role of journalism and its sacred trust with the public.
There are innumerable examples over his illustrious career of how much of a positive influence Wayne has had on his employers, colleagues, and readers.
Katie Mulvaney
AP Sevellon Brown New England Journalist of the Year
Katie Mulvaney, courts reporter for The Providence (RI) Journal, receives the AP Sevellon Brown New England Journalist of the Year Award.
Katie is a reporter who has built a beat around people who have no voice. Every story she writes is compelling and holds the powerful accountable. She’s relentless about it. Over the course of the one-year award period, she wrote 182 stories, many of them investigations.
Katie writes these stories with such heartbreaking clarity. By the time they’re published, they’re no longer a case number on a court docket, an overdose statistic, or a whisper. She’s tracked down the interviews and found the records or the details to breathe life into them.
But she doesn’t just write the stories and move on. She makes people, who wouldn’t normally care, listen.
Her fierceness is why The Providence Journal has so many stories of tremendous consequence, all united around the theme of giving voice to the voiceless.
How to login to the NENPA Member Community and register for events
In 2021, we launched the NENPA online member community. The goal of the platform is to host virtual events, such as our annual conference and convention, and to serve as a space where you can connect, collaborate, and learn with your peers all year long.
Many of you already have an account and can log into the platform. Log-in is required to purchase tickets and register for the upcoming New England Newspaper Conference on October 19, 2023.
How to Log in and Purchase Tickets in 6 Easy Steps
- First, follow this link (https://nenpa.tradewing.com/home) to navigate to the community! We recommend you bookmark this page so that it’s easy for you to find.
- Next, click the link that says “Log in”, and then click where it says “Forgot Your Password? Reset it here”. You’ll only have to do this the first time you log in.
- Enter your email address. Please be sure to use the same email address you receive your NENPA email.
- Check your email for an activation link. You may have to check your Spam folder.
- Click on the link, set your password, log in, and begin exploring!
- Navigate to the event, and to purchase tickets, click the Register button.
If you have any issues logging in, get an error message when trying to log in the first time, have problems purchasing tickets, or have additional associates or staff members that need to be added to the NENPA community, please contact Tara Cleary at t.cleary@nenpa.com.
If your newspaper isn’t a current member, you will still be able to request access to the online community and purchase tickets to an event at the non-member rate.
August September Obituaries 2023
MAINE
Robert Blouin
Terry Kozloff
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Nancy Dewar
Maureen Mann
Anna McIntyre
Barry Palmer
RHODE ISLAND
Monty Burnham
VERMONT
None Reported
October 19 New England Newspaper Conference registration opens
Get ready for an exciting opportunity to connect, learn, and grow at the New England Newspaper Conference on October 19!
This event is being held virtually on the NENPA online community platform.
Our annual gathering brings together top executives from New England’s leading news organizations. It’s a place where collaboration happens, innovative ideas are shared, and the challenges facing today’s media industry are discussed.
We are excited to announce that the conference program is now available below and tickets are on sale. A rich array of executive-level speakers and discussions await you during the event.
Several award presentations are also held during the event: the announcement of the Publick Occurrences Award winners, the New England Newspaper of the Year Awards, and the recipients of four additional prestigious awards.
2023 New England Newspaper Conference Program
8:30 – 9:00 AM
Election of NENPA Officers
9:00 – 10:00 AM
New business models to support local news
In this session, Ross McDuffie, chief portfolio officer of the National Trust for Local News, will provide valuable insights on their emerging business model and the transformation work underway to future-proof local news. Specifically, he will delve into the National Trust for Local News and the Maine Trust for Local News, two organizations established to conserve, transform, and sustain local news.
10:00 – 11:00 AM
Current challenges in local news and reestablishing trust with readers
Brian Stelter, author, former chief media correspondent for CNN Worldwide, and former media reporter for the New York Times, will discuss the current challenges in local news and strategies for building or reestablishing trust with readers.
11:00 – 11:30 AM
Announcement of Publick Occurrences Awards
Presentation of the annual Publick Occurrences Awards, recognizing the finest work that New England newspapers produce each year in individual or team stories, series, spot news coverage, columns, or photojournalism that ran in print and/or online.
1:00 – 2:00 PM
How to attract and retain younger readers
Who are the younger consumers and how do we capture their attention? We know they consume media differently, work differently and shop differently than their older counterparts. Kerry Twibell, a partner at The AQ, will share invaluable strategies to reach and engage this younger demographic. Her insightful advice will focus on attracting and retaining the younger generation of readers. Twibell is a proven expert in aiding companies to achieve growth. Her expertise lies in advising and assisting tech and media companies by leveraging market positioning and strategic partnerships to drive revenue.
2:00 – 3:00 PM
Innovation at local newsrooms and connecting with your community
Michael Bolden, the CEO and executive director of the American Press Institute, will offer a comprehensive vision for the future of local news, essential for those invested in community well-being and journalism. He will highlight the opportunity to use challenges as catalysts for innovation, forging a future for local journalism that is more robust, inclusive, and deeply connected to the communities it serves.
3:00 – 3:30 PM
Announcement of Individual Awards and Newspapers of the Year
Presentation of the annual Allan B. Rogers Editorial Award, New England First Amendment Award, AP Sevellon Brown New England Journalist of the Year, Bob Wallack Community Journalism Award, and the New England Newspaper of the Year Awards.
NEFAC receives largest gift ever from the estate of late Boston Globe reporter Gloria Negri
Negri, who died in 2017, spent 53 years at the Globe working in several roles including columnist and foreign correspondent. The estate bequeathed $818,125 to the coalition for journalism education and programming.
The bequest will be used to support and grow NEFAC’s current journalism education programs and services, such as the New England First Amendment Institute, NEFAC Mentors, and 30 Minute Skills. It will also be used to create additional much-needed resources for journalists and newsrooms in the region.
Read more at nefac.org