“The Race to Deliver,” amNewYork Metro’s five-part series on the impact of grocery delivery apps in New York City, earned the top prize for Solutions Journalism Project in the 2021 New York Press Association Better Newspaper Contest.
amNewYork Metro also won three other first-place awards in the statewide competition recognizing the best in journalism in the Empire State. NYPA handed out the awards during its Spring Conference in Saratoga Springs during the weekend of April 29-30.
Co-written by Kirstyn Brendlen and Gabriele Holtermann (who also photographed), “The Race to Deliver” ran last October and November, focusing on how grocery delivery apps such as JOKR, Gorillas and the now-defunct Fridge No More were impacting bodegas and other businesses across the Big Apple.
“This newspaper is to be commended for tackling such an important story on a topical issue facing your readers (and advertisers),” the NYPA judges wrote in recognizing “The Race to Deliver” series. “The newspaper allocated the resources — reporters and photographers’ salaries, paper and ink — to help their readers understand the changing dynamics of shopping that is sweeping across America and the globe. The newspaper did an exceptional job of being fair and balanced by getting comments from all sides — the delivery app companies and the brick-and-mortar grocers and shoppers. This sort of stories and series of stories reminds readers why newspapers continue to play an important role in their daily lives.”
“The Race to Deliver” also took home a second-place award from NYPA for Coverage of Business.
Dean Moses, amNewYork Metro’s breaking news editor, also earned a first-place award for Feature Photo (Division 3). The picture showed a tearful Cynthia Duffy, mother of a murder victim, Delila Vasquez, at a March 2021 vigil in the Bronx.
“Such a dynamic photo,” the judges wrote. “It tells a story on so many levels. Well framed, great contrast and has depth on many levels. Excellent story told in just a photo. Brings emotion to the forefront.”
Emily Davenport, amNewYork Metro’s digital editor, took home a first-place award for Best Newsletter. NYPA recognized both amNY’s daily email blasts as well as our breaking news alerts.
“Wow – and Pow! This high impact, quick hit daily news digest is powerful – great graphic support, high-interest topics – I’ll subscribe!” said the judges.
Finally, Publisher Ed Abrams, Production Manager Zelinda Barnes and Art Director Luis Matos earned a first-place award for Best Media Kit. The judges said the media kit did a “Great job telling the story of WHY one should choose amNY. Great art and layout, all the key data is included. It’s long, but the layout does a good job of holding your hand and asking you to dig deeper and understand what is available.”
amNewYork Metro is part of Schneps Media, which took home a combined 36 awards in the 2021 NYPA Better Newspaper Contest.
“We are proud of the work our editorial team does every day covering the most grass-roots local news throughout New York City and Long Island,” said Schneps Media CEO Joshua Schneps. “This past year was particularly a special time to be recognized as our reporters and editors worked tirelessly covering critical topics such as the pandemic and public safety. We have the best team in the business and they play a major role in our coverage area, writing many stories that you can’t find anywhere else.”
