Three newspapers honored for making international news local

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Posted 8:30AM on Sunday, October 27, 2002

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - Three newspapers were honored Friday with a new Associated Press Managing Editors award recognizing outstanding journalism that makes international news relevant to local readers. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution won the APME International Perspective Award for creation of a weekly section, ``Atlanta and The World,'' which focuses on reporting international news with a local angle. The newspaper's circulation has increased more than 5,000 on the days the section is printed, and the section has proved to be popular with younger and less traditional readers. The Anniston (Ala.) Star received the award for a series of stories exploring the flight of local jobs to Mexico. The Greeley (Colo.) Daily Tribune won for using a feature approach on several international entries and for work by the newspaper's religion writer. The awards were presented during the editors association's 69th Annual Conference in Baltimore. The APME International Perspective Award was created in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks to encourage U.S. newspapers to devote even more attention to news from abroad and to find ways to relate those developments to local communities. Fifty-six newspapers, ranging from some of the country's largest metropolitan publications to small community-oriented dailies, submitted entries. ``We were particularly impressed with the high level of work by the newspapers entering this contest,'' said Ed Jones, editor of the Free Lance-Star in Fredericksburg, Va., and the incoming APME president. Jones oversaw judging of the competition in New York in July. Other finalists were: The Forum, Fargo, N.D., for a series examining the impact of Sudanese refugees migrating to Fargo. The News & Observer, Raleigh, N.C., for stories bringing the urgency of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to North Carolina. The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, for an investigation into the demise of the steel industry and the role played by foreign competitors. Los Angeles Times, for coverage of China's entry into the World Trade Organization and the economic impact on the United States and the world. The Morning Call, Allentown, Pa., for coverage of local Arab and Muslim communities. The Courier-Journal, Louisville, Ky., for coverage of the aftermath of Sept. 11 that endeavored to help readers understand a cultural and religious divide widened by the attack. The Seattle Times, for a 17-part report of how an Algerian boy evolved into a terrorist. The contest covered work published or pursued from July 1, 2001, to June 30. In addition to Jones, judges were: Kathleen Carroll, executive editor of The Associated Press; G.G. Labelle, AP World Services news editor; Carol Nunnelley, executive director, APME National Credibility Roundtables Project; Everett J. Mitchell II, managing editor, The Detroit News; and Scott Angus, editor, The Janesville (Wis.) Gazette. Carroll, Nunnelley, Mitchell and Angus are APME directors. Judges did not have entries in the contest. The full APME board of directors ratified the finalists and winners during a weekend meeting. The APME is an organization of editors and managing editors of the AP's more than 1,500 member newspapers.