Meek School Wins Big At Louisiana-Mississippi Associated Press Competition

The University of Mississippi won big at the Louisiana-Mississippi Associated Press Competition.

Courtesy of the Meek School of Journalism and New Media.

Patricia Thompson, assistant dean of Student Media at the University of Mississippi’s Meek School of Journalism and New Media, and assistant professor of journalism, said the Meek School had a great showing at the recent awards banquet in Jackson. UM students won a total of 25 awards, including 13 first-place awards and two “Best of Show” awards.
Here are the highlights, along with some of the judges’ comments for first-place winners:
The Daily Mississippian won first place for newspaper general excellence. Judges said of the DM’s three newspapers entered for this category: “This defines general excellence. Great content, strong design throughout. Excellent investigative piece, as well as a fun festival guide. Great job!”
The Daily Mississippian won first place for best website, and first place for breaking/spot news, for its coverage of “Occupy Lyceum.” Judges said the website is “clean, easy to navigate, plenty of quality content, clear winner.” Judges said of the breaking news protest entry: “Multi-media elements, including photos, video and embedded social media posts were used to effectively convey how this story quickly developed. The reporting was thorough, well-sourced and balanced.”
NewsWatch Ole Miss won first place for sportscast or news program for its show previewing the football game against Alabama. “Pretty impressive presentation for a collegiate entry,” judges said.
The documentary class production about the election won first place for documentary TV. Judges said: “A good mix of interviews. The multiple angles were well presented.”
Clara Turnage not only led the DM staff to several first-place awards, but also won two individual first-place awards, and a Best of Show top award for newspapers. Judges said her entry that won first-place in the enterprise/investigative category, “Confronting the Trust Deficit,” which examined the relationship between Ole Miss and the IHL board, was “a clear winner. Heads above all the rest in terms of depth and sophistication.” Her feature entry was described as “understated but emotionally powerful. Good topspin to move the story along. Tight but revealing bites. Strong, evocative verbs.”
Rebel Radio correspondent Billy Rainey took Best of Show top award for radio, and won one first-place, one second-place, and one third-place award. Judges said his first-place news entry is “a terrific example of taking such a sensitive topic as sexual assault and making it vital for a college campus.”
Other first-place winners: Cameron Brooks; Brian Scott Rippee; Jake Thrasher; Italiana Anderson; Sara McAlister.
Here’s the list of everything Meek School/SMC students won:
Best of Show, newspapers: Clara Turnage
Best of Show, radio: Billy Rainey
First place, College General Excellence: The Daily Mississippian
First place, College Web site: Daily Mississippian staff
First place, College Breaking/Spot News: The Daily Mississippian staff, “Ole Miss student’s viral comment leads to community protest”
First place, College Sportscast or Sports Program: NewsWatch Ole Miss, “Ole Miss Beat Bama”
First place, College Documentary: Meek School documentary class, “Election”
First place, College Radio Documentary: Italiana Andereson, Rebel Radio, “UM breast cancer research”
First place, College Enterprise/Investigative: Clara Turnage, The Daily Missisissippian, “Confronting the Trust Deficit”
First place, College Feature: Clara Turnage, The Daily Mississippian, “A beautiful multitude: The ordination of Reverend Gail Stratton”
First place, College Sports Enterprise/Feature: Brian Scott Rippee, The Daily Mississippian, “Ole Miss basketball: A team that spreads across the map”
First place, College Personal Columns: Jake Thrasher, The Daily Mississippian, “You are no less of a man for having been assaulted”
First place, College Sports Photos: Cameron Brooks, The Daily Mississippian, “Rebels dominate Sugar Bowl in the Big Easy”
First place, College Radio News Story: Billy Rainey, Rebel Radio, “Rebels Against Sexual Assault”
First place, College Radio Sports Story: Sara McAlister, Rebel Radio, “Ole Miss vs. Georgia”
Second place, College Newscast: NewsWatch Ole Miss
Second place, College Feature Photos: Ariel Cobbert, The Daily Mississippian, “Tory Lanez performs at the Lyric”
Second place, College Radio Feature Story: Billy Rainey, Rebel Radio, “Baton Rouge flooding efforts”
Second place, College Radio News Story: Italiana Anderson, Rebel Radio, “New vice chancellor of diversity”
Second place, College Radio Sports Story: Riley Mueller, Rebel Radio, “Rebels keep their heads up”
Third place, College Newscast: NewsWatch Ole Miss, “9/26/2016”
Third place: College TV News Story: Chandler Morgan and Payton Green, “Racial Unity Awareness Week”
Third place, College Radio News Story: Billy Rainey, Rebel Radio, “Chancellor’s investiture”
Third place, College Radio Sports Story: Megan Peoples, Rebel Radio, “Baseball spring training”
Third place, College Radio Feature story: DeAndria Turner, Rebel Radio, “Everybody’s Formal”
There were 36 college categories and nearly 300 entries from 10 colleges. There were 96 awards were handed out. Nine universities won awards in college newspaper categories; five universities won awards in the college television categories; and three universities won awards in the college radio categories. First-place winners were awarded plaques, and the six Best of Show winners each received $250 scholarships. Second- and third-place winners received certificates.
This is the first year the Louisiana-Mississippi AP Media Editors and the Mississippi AP Broadcasters have conducted a joint college contest for both states, and also welcomed Louisiana broadcast students to compete for the first time. LSU’s Tiger TV won best TV newscast, and Southeastern Louisiana won best radio newscast.
Assistant Dean Patricia Thompson attended the awards luncheon at the Hilton Jackson on Saturday, April 25, with six students: Madison Heil, NewsWatch Ole Miss manager; Lauren Layton, NewsWatch anchor/correspondent and a member of the documentary project class; Abby McIntosh, NewsWatch video producer, co-sports director and NewsWatch manager for 2017-2018; Billy Rainey, Rebel Radio news correspondent; Jake Thrasher, DM editorial cartoonist; Clara Turnage, DM editor-in-chief.
We will soon find out how we did in the annual regional SPJ Mark of Excellence contest, competing against colleges in Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, Louisiana.

Courtesy of the Meek School of Journalism and New Media.
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