News Summary
The Business Journal has made headlines by winning a remarkable 10 first-place awards at the 2024 California Journalism Awards. Showcasing their dedication to quality journalism, the publication also received several second-place and third-place awards. Their exceptional reporting has been recognized in various categories, including best newsletter, agricultural reporting, and technology, highlighting the team’s versatility and commitment to excellence in local news.
California – The Business Journal achieved a historic milestone by winning a record 10 first-place awards during the 2024 California Journalism Awards presented by the California News Publishers Association over the weekend. This remarkable achievement highlights the publication’s commitment to high-quality journalism, having also garnered seven second-place awards, along with additional third-place and other recognitions for its work published in the past year.
The publication, which competes against weekly newspapers with a circulation ranging from 4,301 to 11,000, demonstrated excellence across various categories. Notably, The Business Journal excelled in the “Best Newsletter” category with three awards: first place for the “Executive Dining Guide,” third place for “Real Estate Weekly,” and fourth place for the “Daily Update.”
In the category for Agricultural Reporting, The Business Journal achieved first place for its coverage related to Central Valley Meat’s acquisition and the layoffs at the Cargill beef plant in Fresno. It also received third place for its reporting on avian flu and a fourth place recognition for farmland selloffs.
The publication’s reporting on technology was particularly noteworthy, with first place awarded for a comprehensive story package on artificial intelligence. A second place was secured for coverage on the Black-owned tech firm Quiq Labs. The website, thebusinessjournal.com, also triumphed by winning first place for “Home Page Layout & Design,” showcasing the publication’s commitment to both content and user experience.
Graphic designer Cecilia Lopez earned accolades by winning first place for her illustrations related to the Farmer’s Almanac and INC 5000. Additionally, the design team achieved second place in the category of “Print Front Page Layout & Design.”
Frank Lopez, a reporter for The Business Journal, received several awards, including first place in “Coverage of Business and the Economy,” specifically for his story addressing employment opportunities for individuals on the spectrum. He also secured third place for his reporting on the Fresno Area Hispanic Foundation and fifth place for coverage of a global IT outage in 2024.
Lopez’s journalistic endeavors continued with a first-place award in “Labor Reporting” for a piece on union membership during ‘Labor Summer,’ using data sourced from local labor unions. He further showcased his versatility by winning first place in “Coverage of Youth and Education” for a story about collaboration between a Fresno engineering firm and Fresno State. Former Business Journal reporter Estela Anahi Jaramillo also contributed to the success, securing third place in the education category for her work on college partnerships.
The feasibility of showcasing local manufacturing talent was illustrated with the “Made in the Central Valley 2024” manufacturing supplement taking first place in the “Print Special Section” category, along with a first place recognition for its “Print Special Section Cover.”
In the realm of tourism and travel reporting, Ben Hensley won second place for his article on tourism spending, further demonstrating the publication’s diverse reporting capabilities. Hensley also earned second place in “Fine Arts Writing/Reporting” for a feature on local music teachers.
The Business Journal’s investigative series on the Scannell warehouse project in Fresno earned a second place recognition in “Housing and Land-Use Reporting.” In food writing, the publication placed third for a piece on Yolked Kitchen and fifth for a story about a former journalist returning to a family donut shop.
Additionally, The Business Journal achieved second place for its “60 Ideas in 60 Minutes” program, gaining recognition in the new “Audience/Community Engagement Award.” In the category of “Sports Feature Story,” reporter Dylan Gonzales earned second place with a story about a local developer’s nostalgic baseball experience, while Jaramillo’s report on a Fresno State athlete’s NIL rights secured fourth place.
Lopez’s coverage titled “From Clovis to Paris, via Egypt: Local manufacturer to make Olympic debut” attracted third place in “Breaking News.” The publication also received third place for the “Social Media Innovation Award,” highlighting its adaptability in an evolving digital landscape.
Competing alongside other local news organizations such as Fresnoland, Valley Voice, and GV Wire, The Business Journal’s record-setting recognition at the California Journalism Awards reaffirms its role as a leading source of local news and analysis.
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