I had gone to Green Bay, Wisc., last week because I was one of three finalists for the Catholic Press Association’s St. Francis DeSales Award, the highest honor presented by the CPA.
The Award went to Julie Asher, the national editor for Catholic News Service in Washington, D.C., a truly worthy recipient.
I came home, however, as the editor of the diocesan newspaper that was named Newspaper of the Year. I couldn’t have been happier to see The Tablet honored in this way, since, as previously announced, this is the final year of my tenure as editor.
No, I’m not retiring, but moving over to assist with other duties as editor emeritus.
I know that I’m biased, but for years I’ve felt The Tablet was one of the best diocesan papers in the country but to have it officially designated as such was like that proverbial cherry on top of the sundae.
This is not an individual award but the results of a great team effort. Our editorial, advertising and production staffs all deserve credit for taking us to the top. I couldn’t think of a better way to finish out this phase of my career.
The presence of DeSales Media Group, our parent group, was felt in a big way in Green Bay. Not only The Tablet, but also other DeSales efforts were recognized for the quality year that we have had. There were awards for social media presentations and campaigns, and layout and design as DeSales continues to develop itself into the multi-media communications agency that we have envisioned. We received awards for entries in English and Spanish and our own Jorge Dominguez was named Spanish Editor of the Year for his work on Nuestra Voz, the diocesan monthly publication.
In the coming months, we will continue expansion of our news efforts as we develop more social media news platforms and establish a new circulation and subscription delivery system for The Tablet. You’ll be seeing a greater visibility of The Tablet as we seek out new ways to market and brand our award-winning newspaper. Just wait until you see the exciting new Tablet stands that will begin popping up soon in the back of churches. You’ll be hearing from us via email, on NET-TV, and other media as we will be striving to grow our presence throughout the diocese and beyond.
We’re convinced there is a wider audience wanting to hear Catholic news. We think there are more ways to use The Tablet in the classroom, in adult religious education programs, and from the pulpit. We’re also convinced that more than ever Catholics need to know what’s happening in their Church.
Some would say that there’s no future in print media. We think just the opposite. We see a definite place for print and we will continue to develop it alongside the other ways in which you receive the news these days.
The Tablet has a niche market and we will continue to target that specific group with the news that you’re not going to get anywhere else. You’ll continue to read all the news you care about as Catholics in the pages of The Tablet.
Rest assured that The Tablet and the rest of the DeSales Media team is not about to rest on its laurels. We’re working to bring you the quality of news that you’ve come to expect. When the Catholic Press convenes next spring in St. Petersburg, Fla., we’re setting our sights on bringing home even more awards.
