by Lisa Aciukewicz and Sue Robbins ·
Friday, May 19, 2023
It goes without saying that we are incredibly proud of the New England Newspaper & Press Association’s recognition of the Press at its awards ceremony last week. The general excellence award was especially gratifying because it was truly a team effort.
The Press was judged on two complete issues of the paper; one chosen by NENPA and one chosen by us that we thought best represented the paper. The judges considered local news and feature content, the editorial page, advertising, presentation (the use of photos, arrangement, layout, and typography) and our website. Basically, everyone who works at the Press had a hand in this win—our amazing writers and photographers, our copy editors and proofreaders, our advertising department, our layout department, and our editor in chief.
How did our “small, but mighty” staff pull this off? With our readers’ and advertisers’ support!
Without the additional income from our sustaining subscribers and the steadfast financial commitment from our local advertisers, our work would not be possible. We’ve heard from many of you this week with words of congratulations and pats on the back.
We’re hoping these prizes will encourage some of our readers to become a part of our award-winning team. And we hope to be able to leverage this recognition to bring in some corporate sponsorship and/or grants.
Our vision for the paper’s future starts with some behind-the-scenes upgrades to our antiquated subscription- and ad-management software. We hope to put other improvements in place over time, such as website upgrades and perhaps even an occasional partly color issue.
We’re also seeking to expand coverage of topics that affect readers’ lives. What will happen with Devens disposition? How will Harvard and the surrounding region address the lack of affordable housing, especially in light of all the development in Devens? How can Harvard maintain its excellent school systems while supporting a diverse base of learners? How can we all support and preserve the town’s agricultural legacy and protect open spaces?
For 17 years, we’ve worked hard to cover the local stories that you care about. It was incredibly gratifying to be recognized by our peers for our efforts. If you’ve ever considered becoming involved with the paper, there is no better time than the present. We’re always looking for new reporters and feature writers. Or perhaps you have a background in editing or photography. We would love to hear from you. In the meantime, congratulate yourselves for supporting local news in a time of utter uncertainty in the field. We feel incredibly fortunate to live in a town that supports and appreciates the excellence we try to bring to the paper each week.
Lisa Aciukewicz and Sue Robbins are co-owners and publishers of the Press.