The Ely Echo’s biweekly podcast has been lauded at the statewide level.
Last week in the Twin Cities, the Echo won 10 state newspaper awards including a one-two-three sweep of the Multimedia category in the Minnesota Newspaper Association’s Better Newspaper Convention.
Award-winners were announced during the association’s annual convention, which included an awards banquet at Brooklyn Center’s Marriott Hotel.
There, the Echo picked up not only first place, but second and third in Multimedia for the podcast dubbed “The Pulse of Ely.”
Twice each week, publisher Nick Wognum and editor Tom Coombe offer sneak previews of the newspaper and often interview guests on the podcast, which is posted on the Echo’s website and via other mediums.
A judge in the newspaper contest noted that the podcast was “an excellent use of multimedia to deliver timely, community-focused reporting,” noting a podcast that was related to fires in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Another podcast awarded was one with an interview of summer intern Harmony Fisher, and the third was for an episode featuring county commissioner Paul McDonald.
Judges recognized the McDonald episode for “insightful and professionally executed multimedia presentation showcasing strong local reporting.”
The Echo also won seven other awards, all in the category for newspapers with circulation between 3,0007,000 - including four second-place finishes.
Coombe won second place in the Best Columnist category, for pieces that highlighted a visit to the International Wolf Center with his daughter Macy, a feature on late school board chairman Ray Marsnik, and one on his recovery from a heart attack.
Judges indicated Coombe’s columns had a “very natural voice, and a nice mix of work and personal.”
Fisher also won a second-place award, in the Human Interest Story/Personality Feature category, for her story on the Ely Klown Band’s Jerry Fink.
“Fun story,” wrote a contest judge. “You can feel the excitement he has for his band and his town. Interesting to hear how his band came about.”
The Echo also was the runner-up in the Best Website category and took second in Editorial Page as a Whole.
“The Ely Echo’s editorial pages have incredibly lively and engaging letters to the editor, which unfortunately isn’t much of the norm anymore for community news,” a judge wrote. “The paper’s own editorials focusing on and highlighting strong community events is also refreshing and a great way to uplift and encourage readers to engage with their community. Well done.”
Highlighting the website, a judge wrote that it “makes effective use of its strong photos. They pull readers in.”
The Echo also gained third place honors for Use of Photography as a Whole, with a judge writing that, “It seems you’re everywhere in the community. What a lucky town to have a newspaper that cares about everything from town halls to theater events and everything between. Great job!”
The Echo also was awarded third place in Editorial Portfolio and photographer Ken Hupila won a thirdplace award for Photography Sports Photo for a baseball shot.
“Really good photo that catches the action - the way the runner is framed is just about perfect,” wrote a judge.
Over the last three years, the Echo has taken home 35 state awards.
“It’s an honor to be recognized on a statewide basis, especially when we are competing against bigger newspapers from larger communities with much bigger staff,” said Wognum, who attended the convention and accepted the awards along with editor Tom Coombe. “To continue to win on an annual basis is a credit to what we do each week.”
Wognum also made note of the recognition for the podcast, which is now about two years old.
“Newspapers continue to evolve and one of the ways we’ve changed is the podcast, which has just taken off in interest,” he said. “We’re getting more hits each week and now it’s a place for breaking news. Both of our candidates for State Representative have announced their candidacies on our podcast and our guest list has included political and community leaders.”
Hundreds of newspaper industry representatives, including publishers, editors and reporters attended this year’s convention. It included a series of seminars, a trade show and luncheons featuring guest speakers including Gov. Tim Walz, Secretary of State Steve Simon and a video appearance by Sen. Amy Klobuchar.
The Echo is the official newspaper of the cities of Ely and Winton, the Ely School District, and both Morse and Fall Lake townships.
