By Jean Doran Matua, Editor
Each January, I look forward to the annual Minnesota Newspaper Association convention. It’s the one opportunity each year to gather with hundreds of my colleagues to celebrate, learn, and sometimes commiserate. Our work – especially in small rural towns – can be isolating otherwise. It’s not like we regularly run into dozens of other journalists and editors in our daily work.
Two years ago, I had to miss the convention because of my mother-in-law’s funeral, halfway around the world. Last year – well, last year the whole convention went virtual which just wasn’t the same.
So this year was going to be extra-special. And it was. Attendance was already lower than usual, but nearly half of those registered didn’t come. Even some of the speakers canceled, because of stupid COVID-19. Those of us who were there still had a good – and productive – time of it.
Thursday night is traditionally the awards banquet. This year, the Tri-County News received three awards: a first place for Best Advertisement, third place for Advertising Excellence, and third place for Website.
The Best Advertisement was to Sue Hughes for her fall Watkins Legion anniversary ad. (The judges had no commentary in this category.)
Advertising Excellence is an important win. It is for the overall quality of advertising throughout the previous year. Sue Hughes is largely responsible for this win as well. “This paper had very impressive ad support, a nice looking front page, color was good, good editorial [content]. The overall look and feel of the paper was good!” said the judges.
Our website won yet another award; now at least half a dozen in the 22 years it’s been in existence. Even now we are planning monumental improvements to our website that we just can’t wait to tell you about (but we’ll have to wait another week or two, at the least). It will be worth the wait, we promise.