Cardinal Points Fares Well in 2012 Press Association Contest

April 22, 2013

Cardinal Points, the student newspaper of SUNY Plattsburgh, has been awarded third place overall in the college division of the New York Press Association 2012 Better Newspaper Contest.

Cardinal Points earned 55 points overall. The Ithacan of Ithaca College took first with 76 points, and The Statesman of SUNY Stony Brook finished second with 60 points. The entries were judged by members of the North Carolina Press Association.

The paper earned first-place honors in design, beating out second- and third-place papers, The Ithacan and The Perspective, from Medaille College in Buffalo. Judges wrote: “Excellent design and graphics. Broadsheets can present a challenge, but the staff of this newspaper comes through on every page."

The Cardinal Points staff placed first in editorial writing as well, beating out Fordham University’s Fordham Observer, which placed second, and third-place finisher New School Free Press of Eugene Lang College, both in New York City.

Of the editorial prize, judges said: “These editorials define important problems and offer practical solutions in clear, straightforward prose.”

Ben Rowe, editor-in-chief during the contest time frame, was the second-place winner in the news story category. The North Carolina judges wrote: “Good lede, use of illustration, photos and interviews that make an informative article with a satisfying resolution.”

And Associate Fuse Editor Ian Tully took third-place honors for column writing. “Ian is unafraid to stick his neck out there and is good at making a strong argument — sustained throughout each paragraph with the forces of research and intellect,” the judges commented.

“I continue to be very proud of the accomplishments of the entire staff of Cardinal Points,” said Shawn Murphy, professor of journalism and Cardinal Points adviser. “This is another honor in a long string of honors that ranks them among the best college newspapers statewide and nationwide. While I hesitate to single out any one student ton praise, as this is definitely a group effort, I must point out that the editor-in-chief during 2012 was Ben Rowe, who showed remarkable leadership skills.”

“What I like best about these awards is how many parts of the paper they cover,” Rowe said. He appreciated the fact that the paper was honored in all three categories of news writing, editorial and design. “I know the staff worked hard to spread our energy into all the different parts of the paper, and it’s great to see that balance rewarded.”