Dan’s Independent Media Teams Win Top Honors from New York Press Association

And the winners are… The New York Press Association (NYPA) took a virtual approach to announcing the winners of the 2019 NYPA Better Newspaper Contest (BNC) this year on August 21, and Dan’s Independent Media (DIM) now proudly invites you to raise a virtual glass with us.

The Independent was crowned Newspaper of the Year and claimed the Stuart C. Dorman Award for Editorial Excellence, and for the fourth time in five years, Dan’s Papers took home the top advertising prize, the John J. Evans Award for Advertising Excellence.

Both The Independent and Dan’s Papers made the Top Five Single Flag Newspapers list for most contest points earned in 2019, a testament to the combined strength that was envisioned when Dan’s Papers and The Independent merged this past June to form Dan’s Independent Media.

“The power of trusted, expertly reported local news and engaging editorial about what matters to the East End, advertising excellence in print and digital, and a dedication to creating products and platforms that provide unique experiences for readers and opportunities for advertisers was exactly what we had in mind when we merged to form Dan’s Independent Media, and remains what we will continue to strive for every day,” says DIM President Eric Feil. “We are thrilled and humbled for this recognition, and of course are always proud of the incredible work our teams produce.”

The Independent was also honored with the Past Presidents’ Award for General Excellence, Thomas G. Butson Award for In-Depth Reporting and Richard L. Stein Award for Overall Design Excellence. Judges praised the “incredible, well-sourced reporting, compelling writing and beautiful photography,” even calling it the “best all-around photography entry.”

“A very special thank you to the entire team of professionals that earned us these top awards from the New York Press Association,” says DIM Chief Operating Officer and founder of The Independent Jim Mackin. “It certainly is a career-capping moment for me that will last a lifetime.”

The Indy team swept the competition in numerous categories for editorial coverage, news reporting and photography—including Best Coverage of Crime/Police/Courts, Best Picture Story and Best Spot News Coverage—earning an impressive total of 28 awards and two honorable mentions. IndyEastEnd.com earned awards for Best News Site, Best Online News Project/Presentation, Best Online Dynamic and Best Use of Video.

Behind the Hedges took first place for Best Real Estate/Home Section, inspiring the judges to rave, “Wow, Wow, WOW!!! Outstanding publication from cover to cover, and every single page in-between. Incredible ‘over the top’ photography, spectacular advertisements, wonderful and interesting features—this masterpiece went straight to the top.” Dan’s Papers also picked up awards for Best Online Static Ad, Best Conquested Target Email and an award that was six decades in the making

The Dan’s Papers 60 Summers Celebration Issue took home the first place award for Best Innovative Ad Project, with judges praising the ambitious take on the traditional milestone anniversary tab. “The long-range planning and thoughtfulness for audience interest are apparent,” one judge notes. “The writing rich and creative yet sprinkled generously with humor. Tantalizing bits about hoax stories, brushes with fame, covers featuring acclaimed artists, cartoons and a once-in-an-80-year-so-far-lifetime interview with the founder are eyeball magnets.”

As always, the entire East End earned well-deserved kudos, and our congratulations go out to our colleagues at The Express Newspaper Group, Times/Review Newspapers and The East Hampton Star for the honors they received.

Here’s to NYPA and the judges and all their time and effort, to the teams at all the newspapers and media companies who are facing these challenging times with dedication, innovation and a genuine caring for the communities they serve, and to bright days ahead for us all. Cheers!