c. 1998 Religion News Service
Atlanta and Dallas papers share top religion coverage prizes
(RNS) The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the Dallas Morning News were among the top winners in awards presented Saturday (Sept. 12) by the Religion Newswriters Association for religion coverage in the secular media during 1997.
Writers from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Houston Chronicle, the (Salt Lake City) Deseret News, and the Everett (Wash.) Herald won top honors in individual achievement categories. The awards were presented in Atlanta during RNA’s annual conference.
The Atlanta and Dallas papers tied for first-place in the Harold Schachern Award competition for religion pages or sections. Third place was awarded to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
In the individual categories, Ann Rodgers-Melnick of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette won the top prize in the John Templeton Award competition for religion reporter of the year. Susan Hogan-Albach of the Minneapolis Star Tribune and Adelle M. Banks of Religion News Service finished second and third.
Richard Vara of the Houston Chronicle took the top prize in the James O. Supple Award competition for religion writer of the year. Second place was awarded to David O’Reilly of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Third place went to Carol McGraw of the Orange County (Calif.) Register.
In the George Cornell Award competition for reporters at newspapers with circulation between 50,001 and 150,000, the winner was Lois M. Collins of the (Salt Lake City) Deseret News. Awarded second and third were Alice Crann of the Pensacola, Fla., News Journal and Rebekah Scott of The Blade, Toledo, Ohio.
Steve Nantz of the Everett (Wash.) Herald won top honors in the Louis Cassels Award contest for religion coverage at newspapers with circulations below 50,000. Laura Tutor of the Anniston, Ala., Star and Melanie Smith of the Decatur, Ala., Daily took second and third place honors.
RNA, with some 200 members, is the professional organization for journalists who cover religion at secular media.
IR END RNS
