The New England Better Newspaper Competition categories are reviewed each year to reflect changes in our industry and news coverage. The 2021 competition includes eight new or modified categories including Coverage of Protests and Rallies.

In this category, judges will be asked to consider the quality, accuracy, and context of reporting on protests and rallies as well as their effects on the local community. Entries may consist of a single article or series of articles that are part of ongoing coverage.

Elections. Racial injustice. Immigration. Increasingly, the thornier issues Americans face are being hotly debated in the streets, and that means more journalists are finding themselves covering mass protests. How do you engage with demonstrators and still stay safe? Our expert panel discussed the dos and don’ts of getting the story while avoiding injury, arrest, and COVID-19 during the New England Newspaper Convention on April 8, 2021.

Presented by: Bill Kole, The Associated Press, New England Editor (moderator); Meghan Ottolini, Boston Herald, Multimedia Journalist; Julio Cortez, The Associated Press, Staff Photographer, and Daniela Altimari, Statehouse Reporter, Hartford Courant.