2023 New England Better Newspaper College and University Division deadline extended
We have already received so many requests for an extension this week that we are extending the deadline to enter the Better Newspaper Competition until Monday, December 11, 2023.
Starting in 2022, colleges and universities in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont were invited to enter the New England Better Newspaper Competition in 27 competitive categories, including College Newspaper of the Year. Our first year was a resounding success, with 14 schools participating.
Get your school recognized in 2023, the contest is open for entries now and all schools may enter, regardless of membership status, and submit up to 10 entries for a low flat fee of only $125.
We are running a promotion for Academic Membership to the New England Newspaper and Press Association that includes the contest entries. Click here for information on the expanded benefits of Academic Membership.
Work published by student newspapers in print and/or online during the contest year, August 1, 2022, to July 31, 2023, is eligible for this competition.
You can download the information packet for all the information necessary to prepare your entries, including a list of competitive categories, complete rules and guidelines, and criteria that each contest category will be judged upon.
- College/University Division – Download Information
The deadline to submit entries is extended to Monday, December 11, 2023.
Awards will be presented during the annual New England Newspaper Convention, which will be held at The Waltham Westin Hotel on March 22-23, 2024. The special room rate of $149 per night is available to book now!
We encourage you to participate in the Better Newspaper Competition to recognize your students’ best work, compete with peers, and compare your coverage and publication.
We wish you the very best of luck in this year’s competition!
For further information, please get in touch with students@nenpa.com.
Learn more about the Better Newspaper Competition
New deadline for the 2023 Better Newspaper Competition!
We have extended the deadline to enter the region’s largest journalism recognition program to Monday, December 11, 2023.
It takes highly skilled, passionate, and determined individuals to produce high-quality publications. Each year the New England Newspaper & Press Association recognizes the achievements of the very best newspaper professionals in New England in the Better Newspaper Competition.
The Better Newspaper Competition is the largest and most comprehensive journalism recognition program in New England.
Work published by NENPA member news organizations during the contest year, August 1, 2022, to July 31, 2023, is eligible for this competition.
The competition has three divisions:
- Editorial/Multimedia/
Photography Division – Download Information - Advertising/Circulation/
Promotion Division – Download Information - College/University Division – Download Information
Download the information packets and you will find all of the information necessary to prepare your entries, including a list of competitive categories, complete rules and guidelines, and the criteria that each contest category will be judged upon.
You can find additional information on preparing entries – such as how to make PDF files smaller, extract particular pages, and combine several PDF files – on the Frequently Asked Questions page at the end of the packets.
The deadline to submit entries is extended to Monday, December 11, 2023.
Awards will be presented during the annual New England Newspaper Convention, which will be held at The Waltham Westin Hotel on March 22-23, 2024. The special room rate of $149 per night is available to book now!
We encourage you to participate in this year’s Better Newspaper Competition to show off your best work, reward and recognize your staff, and share ideas so we can learn from each other!
We wish you the very best of luck in this year’s competition!
If questions arise while preparing your entries, please email L.Conway@nenpa.com or T.
Free Branded Content Sales Boot Camp on December 5 and 6
The Branded Content Project is presenting a free two-day online Sales Boot Camp on December 5 and 6. All local media professionals interested in gaining valuable branded content sales advice and sponsorship opportunities are invited to join and sign up today!
This free, two-day bootcamp will consist of two group calls (one hour each), in addition to one-on-one sales support and consulting, access to turnkey sales products and custom content solutions, the Branded Badge Certificate Program, and an excellent opportunity to network and brainstorm with other local media organizations. The boot camp takes place on Tues., Dec. 5th at 12 p.m. EST and Wed., Dec. 6th at 12 p.m. EST.
Media professionals will get early access to our newest content series, Mind Matters, which focuses on mental health, as well as learn how to sell our other lifestyle content series. We also bring in coaches and sales experts who can give participants real-world advice and actionable takeaways.
If you want to spruce up your sales strategy and be positioned to start 2024 strong, the Branded Content Sales Boot Camp will help you on your way to new revenue!
The Branded Content Project is designed through a strategic partnership between the Local Media Association, the Local Media Consortium, and the Facebook Journalism Project to help facilitate additional growth, engagement, and revenue success for more publishers of all shapes and sizes.
PRESS RELEASE: Meet the new director of Lake Champlain Maritime Museum
Contact:
Meg Salocks
Email: meg@lcmm.org
Website: https://www.lcmm.org/
A Life Dedicated to the Lake: Meet the New Director of Lake Champlain Maritime Museum
VERGENNES, VT – Lake Champlain Maritime Museum announced today the appointment of new executive director, Chris Sabick. Chris Sabick has been the museum’s director of research and archaeology since 2013 and brings decades of experience and a career-long dedication to Lake Champlain, research, history and public access into this new leadership role.
A nautical archaeologist by trade, Sabick has spent his entire professional career working on the lake and surrounding waterways with Lake Champlain Maritime Museum. His experience, exploration and expertise of the lake, the region’s history and the museum make him uniquely qualified to take the helm. Sabick started with the museum as an intern in 1998 and officially joined the team as an archaeological diver in 1999, working on the Valcour Bay Research Project and implementing artifact conservation plans for the museum’s lab. Sabick’s cutting-edge work in conservation and shipwreck investigation, as well as his dedication to public interpretation and team building precipitated his steady rise at the museum as he was promoted to the director of conservation in 2000 and director of research and archaeology in 2013. Most recently he has served as the museum’s interim co-director, leading the organization with fellow interim co-director Lauren Ross, director of development, since March 2023.
“After a national search, I could not be more excited to name Chris Sabick as the new executive director of Lake Champlain Maritime Museum,” said Harry Chaucer, chair of the search committee and museum board member. “His expertise in nautical archaeology, his commitment to the local community and his decades-long career serving the museum and the public make him a uniquely qualified candidate with an exciting vision for the future. After 24 years leading conservation, research and archaeology at the museum, we are honored to see Chris now step into the executive leadership role for this organization.”
Sabick is a Vergennes resident and beloved local scientist, well known for his appearances on local news and at events. In addition to his work at the museum, he regularly serves as an expert and collaborative partner with other regional history and lake science organizations. As he enters this new role, Sabick is dedicated to fulfilling the museum’s strategic plan and mission to connect all people to Lake Champlain, inspiring them to learn from the past and build together to create a sustainable future for the region.
“I’ve always been fascinated with history. The Champlain Valley has a unique maritime history, dating back nearly 12,000 years when the first people moved into the region. When I came to the museum in 1998, I fell in love with this history and Lake Champlain,” said Chris Sabick. “I am honored to take on this new role and demonstrate the power of the museum as a place to change lives, as it did with mine. As a diver, I get to experience history firsthand. As executive director, I look forward to creating more ways for all people to experience history, archaeology and ecology in meaningful and impactful ways.”
Sabick starts as executive director this November and will be hosting the museum’s third annual Virtual Archaeology Conference in February 2024. Follow the museum by email or social media to catch the latest updates from Sabick and the team.
About Lake Champlain Maritime Museum
Founded in 1985, Lake Champlain Maritime Museum connects all people to Lake Champlain, inspiring them to learn from the past, build together in the present and create a sustainable future. Committed to free access to the lake and its history, archaeology, and ecology, the Museum is open to all from late May to mid-October with free admission. Year-round education programs serve more than 2,500 K-12 students, as well as hundreds of educators locally and nationally. For more information, visit www.lcmm.org.
PRESS RELEASE: Provisions International – A New Era of Excellence in Fine Food Products
Contact:
Emilie Vilmore
Email: Emilie@provisionsintl.com
Phone: 802-698-3989
Website: http://www.provisionsintl.com/
Provisions International – A New Era of Excellence In Fine Food Products With Acquisition By Industry Leaders

White River Junction, VT (November 2023) – Provisions International, known for its premium food offerings including fine cheese, charcuterie, extra virgin olive oils, and ingredients from around the globe utilized by some of the best restaurants in the region, proudly announces its acquisition by industry veterans James Gordon of Upper Valley Produce and Éric Frechette of Taste of the North.
Provisions International, a trusted source of high-quality food products, regularly supplies restaurants, food cooperatives, independent grocers, and specialty stores across Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, New York, Massachusetts, and the Greater Boston area. The company has forged valuable partnerships with New England cheesemakers, reinforcing its dedication to local producers.
Wendy Hallgren, the founder of Provisions International, expressed her confidence in the acquisition, stating, “James and Eric have built two amazing companies, Upper Valley Produce and Taste of the North, both of which serve many of the same customers with the same attention to detail and customer service that Provisions does. The similarities between all three companies, along with their dedication to customer service and support of producers/vendors, echo the core values of Provisions. That James and Eric came along, not wanting to see Provisions dissolve, was a blessing!”
The management team of Provisions International also shared their excitement about the acquisition, stating, “We are thrilled to welcome James Gordon and Éric Frechette as the new owners of Provisions International. Their expertise and industry knowledge will undoubtedly propel our Provisions International to even greater heights. With their combined resources, we can expand our product offerings, improve distribution efficiency, and continue delivering exceptional service to our valued customers.”
Provisions International takes pride in its dedicated and knowledgeable staff and provides the finest local, domestic, and imported products. With James Gordon and Éric Frechette on board, the company looks to strengthen its position as a premier food supplier in Vermont and neighboring regions.
Yankee Quill nominations still being accepted
Your help is needed to recognize the efforts and dedication of those in New England who have had a broad influence for good in journalism. Nominations are still being accepted for the Yankee Quill Award through Friday, November 17, 2023.
The award is administered by the New England Society of News Editors Foundation, and recipients are inducted into the Academy of New England Journalists upon receiving the Yankee Quill Award at a celebratory luncheon during the annual New England Newspaper Convention, which will be held at The Waltham Westin Hotel on March 22-23, 2024.
Selection for the award is not based on a single distinguished achievement. Rather, the Yankee Quill recognizes the effort and dedication of those in New England who have had a broad influence for good in journalism. In other words, it is not based on a certain achievement in reporting, writing, or editing or on the fact that someone runs a good newspaper, broadcast show, or station. Instead, it honors a lifetime of contribution to the profession.
Nominations may range across the entire field of journalism — including daily and weekly newspapers, radio and television news coverage, and other forms of media that meet the tests of journalism.
Members of the Academy of New England Journalists, along with the representatives of several New England media associations, will select the persons to receive the Yankee Quill Award this year.
The link to the nomination form can be found by clicking here.
Nominations may be emailed to: quill@nenpa.com or hard copies may be mailed to:
Yankee Quill
c/o NENPA
PO Box 2505
Woburn MA 01801
For further information contact:
George Geers, academy chair, gnews@empire.net, (603) 785-4811 or Linda Conway, academy clerk, l.conway@nenpa.com, (781) 281-7648
We are also seeking Historical Figure Nominations
Last year’s historical figure Yankee Quill Award was presented to Robert Bailey Thomas (1766-1846), founder of the Old Farmer’s Almanac, posthumously for his historic contribution to specialty weather and agriculture journalism.
History nominations generally are primarily focused on those who had a significant impact on journalism starting in New England from the early years of the founding of our country up to the last 100 years or so.
The History Award category was begun in 2004 with the selection of Benjamin Edes (Boston Gazette).
Others recognized include:
- Benjamin Edes (Boston Gazette)
- William Lloyd Garrison (The Liberator)
- John Greenleaf Whittier (19th century poet, editor)
- Gen. Charles H. Taylor (Boston Globe)
- Mary Baker Eddy (Christian Science Monitor)
- Sarah Josepha Hale (poet novelist, Godey’s Women’s Magazine editor)
- Isaiah Thomas (Worcester Gazette)
- Ann Smith Franklin (Rhode Island Gazette)
- Samuel Bowles I & Samuel Bowles II (The Republican)
- Thomas Green (The Courant)
- James Franklin (New England Courant)
- Henry Martyn Burt (Among the Clouds)
- William Monroe Trotter (Boston Guardian)
Nominations with a summary of the work of the candidate and reasons for consideration should be emailed to Richard Lodge at richardklodge@gmail.com, and Rod Doherty, history committee chairman, at roddoherty411@gmail.com.
NENPA U webinar on Nov. 16: Journalism Ethics – Needed now more than ever???
Don’t miss this lunchtime NENPA U Ethics training session on November 16 with leading New England experts!
Journalism ethics have long stood as a cornerstone in our newsrooms. Are they as important and as followed in our newsrooms today? This session will offer opinions, including yours, on that question. Our panelists also will provide their thoughts – and ask for yours – on how to avoid or escape the thorny ethical thickets that often crop up in our newsrooms. We’ll share some anecdotal examples of dealing with touchy issues on deadline and invite you to join us in some exercises on how to handle decisions involving ethics. You’re invited to bring up at this session any difficult ethical cases you’ve faced, to explain how you handled them and whether fallout ensued. Our panelists will weigh in on these cases from their experience during the Q&A at the end of the session.
Presented by Traci Griffith, Racial Justice Program Director for the ACLU of Massachusetts, Mike Donoghue, Executive Director for the Vermont Press Association, and Link McKie, Consultant and Journalism Professor. Please click on each speaker’s name to view their biography.
The session happens on November 16 from 12:00 -1:00 pm and is being held inside the NENPA member community. NENPA member tickets are free, non-member tickets are $15 each. If you have any problems registering or are not getting the free member ticket option please email t.cleary@nenpa.com for assistance.
Sponsored by the New England Newspaper & Press Association and the Vermont Press Association.