The Deseret News and Deseret Magazine have been recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists — Utah Headliners Chapter with 24 first place 2024 Utah SPJ Awards.
The Deseret News’ Lee Benson was awarded a lifetime achievement award honoring his more than 50-year career at the Deseret News.
“We have an extremely talented staff that is recognized both regionally and nationally for the tremendous work it does every single day. We appreciate this recognition that shows our commitment to truth and light in a world that often grows dark,” said Doug Wilks, executive editor of the Deseret News.
The photo staff had a particularly impressive evening, taking the top spot in six of the photo award categories. Veteran photographer Laura Seitz was named “Best Photographer”.
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The Deseret Magazine was named “Best Magazine” and took top honors in the news and features article categories.
In addition to the 24 first place wins, the Deseret News and Deseret Magazine together earned 18 second place awards, 14 third place awards and nine honorable mentions.
Winners and finalists of the 2024 SPJ Utah Headliners Chapter Winners were recognized Thursday night at the University of Utah’s Cleone Peterson Eccles Alumni House in Salt Lake City.
Here is a full list of the awards and the stories that earned them:
- Deseret News
- Best newsletter:
- 1st, State of Faith, Kelsey Dallas.
- 3rd, On the Trail, Samuel Benson.
- Best photographer:
- 1st, Laura Seitz.
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- Photo: spot news:
- 1st, Scott Winterton, Remembering Ukraine.
- 2nd, Spenser Heaps, Washed Away.
- 3rd, Kristin Murphy, Spring Flooding.
- Photo: general news:
- 1st, Kristin Murphy, Tears of Joy.
- 2nd, Laura Seitz, Soldier Returns.
- Honorable mention, Scott Winterton, A Family Funeral.
- Photo: feature:
- 1st, Kristin Murphy, Governor Slam Dunk.
- 3rd, Laura Seitz, Homeless Hug.
- Photo essay:
- 1st, Laura Seitz, The place where no one dies alone.
- 2nd, Spenser Heaps, A crucible of dreams.
- Photo: sports action:
- 1st, Jeffrey Allred, Dueling Outfielders.
- 3rd, Jeffrey Allred, Soccer Collision.
- Photo: sports feature:
- 1st, Ryan Sun, Gatorade Dump
- 2nd, Jeffrey Allred, NCAA Soccer Victory
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- A&E:
- 1st, Meg Walter, Golden Bachelor’s red flag.
- Continuing coverage:
- 1st, Kyle Dunphey, Marjorie Cortez, Lois M. Collins, Enoch murder suicide.
- 2nd, Lisa Roche, Utah’s Olympic bid.
- Honorable mention, Dennis Romboy, NIL.
- Editorial:
- 1st, Jay Evensen, Parley’s Canyon.
- 2nd, Jay Evensen, Maui fire.
- Education:
- 1st, Samuel Benson, The man behind America’s most controversial high school course.
- General feature:
- 1st, Lois M. Collins, The place where no one dies alone.
- Best newspaper:
- 2nd place, Deseret News.
- Best use of news-oriented social media:
- 2nd, Deseret News.
- Best reporter:
- 3rd, Dennis Romboy.
- Honorable mention, Lois M. Collins.
- Business/consumer:
- 2nd, Amy Joi O’Donoghue, How the end of hog farming can kill a way of life in rural Utah.
- 3rd, Kyle Dunphey, A year ago he taught Utahns to be ‘alphas’ in business and life. Dozens of clients now say his companies cost them millions.
- Government:
- 2nd, Samuel Benson, What Jon Huntsman Jr. saw at the GOP presidential debate.
- Lifestyle/humor column:
- 2nd, Jennifer Graham, Help! My son is a vegan.
- 3rd, Meg Walter, What is that thing? A definitive history of the Aquarium Claw.
- Medical/science:
- 3rd, Lois M. Collins, FDA grants full approval to Leqembi, first drug to slow progress of Alzheimer’s.
- Military:
- Honorable mention, Amy Joi O’Donoghue, Kuwait, Dugway, Tooele Army Depot and what these places have in common.
- Diversity & Equity:
- 1st, Kyle Dunphey, ‘They didn’t tell us anything’: Venezuelan migrants say they’re being sent to Utah.
- 2nd, Dennis Romboy, An immigrant’s journey from deportation to citizenship.
- Opinion column:
- 1st, Holly Richardson, ‘How does your husband let you do this’ and other sexist comments women in politics face.
- 2nd, Meg Walter, Ruby Franke and the dangers of ‘sharenting’.
- 3rd, Jay Evensen, Hillside danger — Utah’s terra never has been very firma.
- Personality profile:
- 1st, Katie McKellar, Dell Loy Hansen’s next act.
- 2nd, Jennifer Graham, Ron DeSantis’ anti-woke, Trump-triggering traveling show is coming to town.
- Religion/values:
- 1st, Jennifer Graham, America is experiencing a ‘great dechurching.’ What’s happening to all the church buildings?
- Review/criticism:
- 1st Jennifer Graham, Are you blond and religious? In Hollywood, that makes you a villain.
- 3rd, Meg Walter, The right time for silly shows is the holidays.
- Series:
- 3rd, Suzanne Bates, Lois M. Collins, Brigham Tomco, Gitanjali Poonia, Working class.
- Honorable mention, Dennis Romboy, Cannabis in Utah.
- Sports column:
- 2nd, Doug Robinson, ‘Coach Prime’ didn’t invent today’s college football, he just exploited it.
- 3rd, Jennifer Graham, In the NFL, brutality isn’t only on the field. The commentators bring it, too.
- Sports deadline:
- 1st, Sarah Todd, NBA draft lottery.
- 2nd, Doug Robinson, Kenneth Rooks’ steeplechase.
- Sports non-deadline:
- 1st, Jay Drew, Multiple lawsuits seeking millions continue to hound Utah golfer Tony Finau, family.
- 2nd, Sarah Todd, After feeling lost and uncertain with the Hawks, John Collins sees a different kind of future in Utah.
- Honorable mention, Kelsey Dallas, Faith, football and freeways: Inside an Idaho couple’s epic road trip.
- Spot news:
- 1st, McKenzie Romero, Kyle Dunphey, Dennis Romboy, Man killed by FBI.
- Solutions Journalism:
- 1st, Lois M. Collins, The ‘power and hope’ in diapers.
- Environment:
- Honorable mention, Amy Joi O’Donoghue, The Great Salt Lake and Colorado River are at a pivotal crossroad.
- Deseret Magazine
- Best magazine:
- 1st, Deseret Magazine.
- Magazine news story:
- 1st, Kyle Dunphey, A crucible of dreams.
- 3rd, Natalia Galicza, Art or Artifice.
- Honorable mention, Ethan Bauer, A human condition.
- Magazine feature story:
- 1st, Ethan Bauer, The pursuit of forgiveness.
- 2nd, Freedom, Natalia Galicza, Freedom, just north of hope.
- 3rd, Ethan Bauer, From the Ashes.
- Magazine Solutions Journalism:
- 2nd, Ethan Bauer, For They Were Hungry.
- 3rd, Ethan Bauer, The conservative case for climate action.
- Honorable mention, Natalia Galicza, The ones that watch.