The College Heights Herald, WKU’s student-run newspaper and digital news sites, won the Kentucky Press Association’s top honors for both news and advertising excellence among colleges at KPA’s 2015 winter conference in Louisville last week. The honors come as the Herald celebrates its 90th birthday on Jan. 29.
It is the second year in a row that the Herald has won both competitions among the state’s college and university newspapers. Second place for General Excellence went to The Kentucky Kernel at the University of Kentucky, and third place went to The Murray State News at Murray State University. The KPA contest covered the period from Oct. 1, 2013-Sept. 30, 2014. The Florida Society of Newspaper Editors judged the news contest; the advertising contest was judged by Maryland/Delaware/District of Columbia Press Association.
Herald editors-in-chief during the contest period were Michael McKay, a Louisville senior; Joanna C. Williams, a May 2014 graduate from Clarksville, Tennessee; and Taylor B. Harrison, a December 2014 graduate from Lexington. Herald advertising managers during the period were Henry Sandefur, a December 2013 graduate from Calhoun; Sidney Wahle, a Louisville senior; and Zachary Tatoian, a senior from Dover, Delaware.
Carrie Pratt is the adviser to the College Heights Herald. Jason Thompson is the advertising adviser. Cameron Love, a Mount Washington junior, is the Herald’s current editor-in-chief and Tatoian is the advertising manager and creative director.
KPA Excellence in Newspapers Contest
(College Heights Herald competes with all college and university newspapers in the state)
First place
- General Excellence – Herald staff
- Editorial – Herald staff
- Column – John Greer
- Sports column – Elliott Pratt
- Sports feature story – Elliott Pratt
- Investigative story or series – Tyler Prochazka
- General news picture – Brian Powers
- Feature picture – Brian Powers
- Sports picture essay – Jabin Botsford, Ian Maule, Adam Wolffbrandt
- Sports section – Herald sports staff
- Lifestyle section – Herald features staff
- Front page – Herald staff
- Website – wkuherald.com
Second place
- Breaking news coverage – Jacob Parker, Jackson French, Josh Newell
- Sports feature story – Jonah Phillips
- General news picture – Brian Powers
- Sports picture essay – Luke Franke
- Special section – Herald staff
- Sports special section – Herald sports staff
- Headline – Herald staff
Third place
- Breaking news coverage – Shelby Rogers
- Investigative story or series – Tyler Prochazka
- Business story – Mackenzie Mathews
- Multimedia – Jonah Phillips, Kreable Young, Tyler Essary, Cameron Love
- General news picture – Luke Franke
- Picture essay – Jabin Botsford
- Sports picture essay – Mike Clark
- Sports special section – Herald staff
- Editorial page – Herald staff
Honorable mention
- Breaking news picture – Ian Maule
- General news picture – Abbey Oldham
- Sports picture – Demetrius Freeman
KPA Advertising Excellence Contest
(College Heights Herald competes with university newspapers and commercial free-distribution publications, including magazines)
First place
- Real estate – Herald ad staff
- Multiple advertiser sig page – Zach Tatoian
- Entertainment/dining – Herald ad staff
- Ad series – Steven Charny
- Holiday/miscellaneous – Herald ad staff
- Newspaper promotion – Steven Charny
- Online/digital – Herald ad staff
Second place
- General excellence – Herald ad staff (top finisher among university publications)
- Financial – Zach Tatoian
- Multiple advertiser sig page – Zach Tatoian
- Special sections – Steven Charny
- Special publications – Zach Tatoian
- Ad series – Zach Tatoian
- Special events – Herald ad staff
- Newspaper promotion – Peyton Hobson
Third place
- Financial – Zach Tatoian
- Furniture – Zach Tatoian
- Clothing store – Zach Tatoian
- Special sections – Zach Tatoian
- Special publications – Zach Tatoian
- Ad series – Peyton Hobson
- Newspaper promotion – Zach Tatoian
Honorable mention
- Real estate – Steven Charny
- Special publications – Herald ad staff
- Use of color – Zach Tatoian