UtahPolicy.com’s staff won 5 “Top of the Rockies” awards, including 2 first-place honors, in the Society of Professional Journalists competition that included entries from Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming.
UtahPolicy.com won first-place honors for podcasting and reporting on marijuana issues. UtahPolicy.com staff also won second place awards for podcasting and headline writing, and a third-place citation for general politics reporting.
More than 1,200 entries were submitted to the contest:
FIRST PLACE:
General Podcast – “Bernick and Schott on politics”
“The judges liked the down-to-earth look at politics from Bernick and School. The podcasts provided listeners with perspective and information about why they should care about politics.”
Marijuana Enterprise Reporting: How Utah passed a compromise medical marijuana law.
Managing Editor Bryan Schott was honored for his series of reports breaking several stories about behind the scenes negotiations between Utah legislative leaders and stakeholders as they worked to craft alternative legislation to replace the voter-approved medical marijuana law.
The judges said, “This series broke news by following a complicated issue over time. The reporting is first-rate and accurate where mainstream publications had failed.”
SECOND PLACE:
Managing Editor Bryan Schott was honored for his series of podcasts interviewing Utah politicians and newsmakers.
Contributor Jared Whitley was cited for headline writing on a series of opinion pieces.
THIRD PLACE:
Managing Editor Bryan Schott earned an award for his behind-the-scenes reporting of an attempt by Utah Democrats to oust a party officer.
