Media Frenzy

By Rob Holbert Managing Editor

It’s awards time in the news business, and the Alabama Press Association recently announced the winners of its Better Newspapers Contest. In the Daily Division A, which includes the state’s biggest papers, the winner far and away was the Birmingham News, which took 26 total awards, 15 of them first-place awards.

Our local daily, the Press-Register, finished back in the pack with 15 overall awards, including three first-place awards. The Press-Register took first for Public Service, Best Sports Page and Best Sports Feature Story, “The Battle of Murder Creek” by Mike Herndon.

Smaller newspapers in our area that did well included the Citronell Call, which dominated Division D, winning several awards, including first place for both General Excellence and Most Improved. The Fairhope Courier received both a first- and second-place award for Public Service Division D, and also received a first-place award for Best News Feature Story.

Mobile Press Club

Speaking of media awards, the Mobile Press Club entries are due in at this time, and, as a board member, I’m hoping we’ll see more active participation this year. The awards are open to both print and broadcast media.

The broadcast, particularly television news, is usually quite competitive. The print categories have become more competitive as we’ve removed some of the Balkanization of categories so different publications can compete against one another.

Let’s get those entries in, folks!

Speaking of the Press Club, Katie Hammond of WKRG is also trying to coordinate getting “Media Night” going again at some local watering holes, so let her know if you’re interested. Perhaps we’ll keep it to once every couple of months at first. Baby steps… baby steps.

Bell leaving

Award-winning production director John Bell is said to be leaving the market and heading to Sonora, Cal. While his name may sound very familiar to Widespread Panic fans, this John Bell is known primarily for his voice work with Clear Channel’s local radio stations. He’s won numerous Addy Awards.

“He is one of the most prolific radio voice people I have ever met, and he will be missed by our company,” one CC insider said.

Bell has also done voice work on several video games. His last day is May 26.

WABB adds Sparks

Former HOT 104 DJ Rob Sparks has made the cross-town conversion to WABB. The host of the “Rob Sparks Experience” is now doing weekend on-air work and producing WABB’s “Matt, Jay and Cherish” show.

Speaking of WABB radio personalities, Jonathan and Cherish headed out to Hollywood for the finale of “American Idol” to cheer on ‘Bama native Taylor Hicks.

Bernstein back in the news

It looks like former WPMI newshound Josh Bernstein has already made a pretty big splash in Sacramento. The daily newspaper there, the Sacramento Bee, recently profiled Bernstein, lauding his investigative skills and the stir he has created in California’s capital city.

The story details how Bernstein fell in love with investigative reporting in college and how he is now Sacramento’s only investigative television reporter. The full story can be seen at www.sacticket.com/tv_radio/v-print.

Rob Holbert is Lagniappe managing editor. Contact him at rholbert@lagniappemobile.com.

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