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In our society, newspapers are disposable commodities. You read it one day, and by the next, it’s irrelevant. After all, who wants to read about yesterday’s news?
Yesterday’s news, however, was very significant last week as the Kentucky Press Association put the past year of newspapers from across the state at center stage and distributed the 2009 KPA awards.
And The Louisville Cardinal made itself quite relevant indeed.
In 2007, The Cardinal collected two awards at KPA. In 2008, we doubled our efforts and doubled our kudos, winning four of the coveted prizes.
At this year’s KPA awards, however, we banged our heads on the ceiling and plowed right through it, ascending to the unprecedented success of 19 KPA awards, the most the newspaper has amassed in a single year in its 83 year history. The Cardinal also received its first ever general excellence award. It was the tangible result of the collective efforts of a very talented and passionate group of students.
Emory Williamson, the editor-in-chief who oversaw the record-breaking year, collected a first place award for the best editorial and expressed great pride and honor in The Cardinal’s success.
“The most gratifying part is knowing that the countless hours we spent in that dungeon of an office were recognized and awarded,” said Williamson. “There are several individuals who devote a lot of time to the paper and I’m proud that their efforts were noticed.”
Williamson was especially pleased with the success of the newspaper in the face of the multiple handicaps with which we have been faced. The success of the year’s creative team has come in spite of hindrances that have opposed The Cardinal at every turn.
“Outdated equipment, limited training and other various necessities often hinder us from persevering above mediocrity, but this staff, in particular, was different,” said Williamson. “And the students who work here are different. They are simply the hardest working and most dedicated group of students and without them, the paper is nothing.”
The Cardinal’s other first place award was credited to Adam Lewis, who was recognized for the best feature photo. The picture that edged out the competition was one that highlighted student spirit at U of L athletic contests. The photo appeared on the cover of the Jan. 22, 2008 edition of the newspaper and provided a perfect visual complement to the paper’s dissection of U of L sports fans.
Rounding out our 2009 KPA awards were various place victories in the following categories: best editorial, best sports column, best sports feature, two awards in best headline, best general news picture, best feature picture, best sports picture essay, two awards in best graphic, best feature page, best front page, best series, best extended coverage, best newspaper Web site, best feature photo and best spot news coverage and the final and most prestigious award received was the general excellence award.
After the awards had been distributed and the groundbreaking success of the newspaper had settled in, Williamson tried to summarize the most important lessons the paper has taught him.
“Hard work pays off. I can’t tell you how many hours I’ve spent in The Cardinal’s office, but in the end, it’s worth it,” said Williamson. “The opportunities and good times the newspaper has given me will be cherished forever and I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished.”
It was William Arthur Ward who once stated “Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records.” It was the latter that we have chosen through-out our history.
