Los Angeles Times earns prestigious APSE 'grand slam' honors
After a year of covering sports amid the hardship of a pandemic, the Los Angeles Times has earned a “grand slam,” placing among the nation’s best sports websites and sections in all four categories of a prestigious annual journalism contest.
Associated Press Sports Editors judges listed The Times' daily, Sunday and special sections among their Top 10 for 2020. The Times previously was recognized for producing one of the nation's Top 10 websites.
APSE also previously recognized writers in a slew of Top 10 individual categories.
“The section recognition is especially meaningful because it is a true team award,” Chris Stone, executive sports editor, said in a statement. “It is the truest measure of consistent, collaborative excellence.”
Only two other papers in the large-circulation category — the Seattle Times and the Advocate/Times-Picayune — earned nominations in all three section categories.
For special sections, judges praised The Times’ collection of stories about the Dodgers’ trip to the World Series, a package that was also published in Spanish with help from the Los Angeles Times en Español team.
Every category involved a coordinated effort by writers, editors, photographers, videographers, designers and members of the audience engagement team. The newspaper’s online coverage earned Top 10 honors in the digital category.
“Last year was one unlike any we had experienced in our lifetimes, which created challenges both practical and creative,” Stone said. “It was also a year rich with stories — triumphant, harrowing, difficult — that needed to be told.”
Writers earned nominations in 10 of 11 APSE individual categories. Nathan Fenno and David Wharton had three Top 10s apiece, and J. Brady McCollough had two. Bill Plaschke again ranked among the 10 best columnists nationwide.
APSE will announce final rankings in each category this summer.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
