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Horn-tootling and Back-patting


by Jerome Weeks 16 Nov 2008 10:05 AM

We won. Or tied. In any event, we weren’t even here eight months ago, so the outcome is still remarkable. Saturday night, the Press Club of Dallas resuscitated the Katie Awards, which honor quality journalism in Texas media. It seems that in 2004-2006, the Press Club’s previous president, Elizabeth Albanese, didn’t send the submissions out […]

CTA TBD

We won. Or tied. In any event, we weren’t even here eight months ago, so the outcome is still remarkable.

Saturday night, the Press Club of Dallas resuscitated the Katie Awards, which honor quality journalism in Texas media. It seems that in 2004-2006, the Press Club’s previous president, Elizabeth Albanese, didn’t send the submissions out for judging but pretty much kidnapped them and kept them in the trunk of her car — when she wasn’t handing out some of the prizes to herself.

As one might expect after such a near-death experience, the victim was frightfully thin. Actually, it was impressive that the Press Club volunteers put on such an evening at all and drew a decent crowd. Any category that didn’t get a sufficient number of submissions to produce a real competition was scrupulously eliminated. So there were no awards, for example, in any category involving radio or television. All of those previous divisions for specialty publications, newsletters, press relations and whatnot: Gone.

But when it came to the best website, award presenter and SMU journalism professor Tony Pederson reported that it was a tough race, compounded by what the judges termed “the vast discrepancy in the amount of resources behind each entry. On top of that, these websites set out to do different things.”

In other words, someone will have to figure out a way to distinguish among websites, just as newspapers are relegated to large, medium or small markets. But for this year’s round, “we award two additional Katies here because of standout designations for innovative work.”

Translation: Art & Seek was in a three-way tie for first place with both the Dallas Morning News (“arguably the most comprehensive website serving Texas”) and Pegasus News (“great engineering behind this site and the content is delivered in a neat, tidy package”). Art & Seek, we blush to report, has “a beautiful and clean design and great functionality (it works every way you slice it).”

I’m going to use that line on my wife: “Honey, you have a beautiful and clean design. And hey, great functionality.”

Considering the other winners, you see what they mean about the “vast discrepancy” of resources among the competitors. In this light, the three-way was preferable even to an outright win: It shows we were judged alongside “the most comprehensive website serving Texas” and held our own.

Oh yeah. We also placed third in best blog.

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  • Jennifer

    Yay, Art&Seek! It’s quite an accomplishment, and a testament to the quality information you guys put out over there…

  • rolf arend

    Congratulations !!! Being tied for first place with sites like the DMN is indeed remarkable…….

  • Dan Routman

    Congratulations to Art&Seek! This is a great accomplishment for KERA.

  • Lucy

    Way to go! This is such an exciting achievement, and well-deserved. I’m glad you’re getting noticed. I look forward to reading your website for years to come!

  • Hey thanks for the congrats. And right back at you! I’m thrilled about our Katie award. But I’m even more excited about creating a digital community for the arts in North Texas. And you are making this happen, whether you have created a profile or submitted an event to our calendar (that’s more than 1,300 arts groups and venues), commented on our blog or feature stories, put up a Flickr photo, sent us a picture of where you make space for art for our online studio tour, or e-mailed us with an idea about what you’d like to see on the site. So thank you! And keep it coming. Can’t wait to see what we’ll all come up with next.
    Anne Bothwell
    Director, Art&Seek

    • Carlo

      Congrats to the whole team at Art & Seek. Well deserved.

  • Rawlins Gilliland

    It is absolutely true what was said about Art & Seek; it is the best desined and most user-friendly blog I see. Besides that, it is intelligent and has an urban savvy sorely missing elsewhere. I look forward to seeing the future where the readership grows along with the absolute respect for the content and vision. KERA is a huge part of my lfe, and Art & Seek has become a destination of daily purpose thanks to all of you who contribute. I am proud OF you and even more proud FOR you. Un fuerte abrazo! Rawlins

  • As usual, the best I can do, is second Rawlins!

    well done.

    Oh, jerome, I’d hold that line for a while before you try in on the esposa. I mean that as unsolicited legal advice…

    bill

  • RebeccaR

    Congratulations Anne, Jerome, and all the great people at KERA! Art & Seek is a masterpiece – and that’s my unbiased opinion! Rebecca Rebalsky, formerly of Zero Defect Design, currently of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

    • Elaine

      Congratulations! great job! you’ve got a terrific website going – keep up the good work!

  • Sarah

    Congrats! Love this site.

  • Dana

    Congratulations to the whole Art & Seek team. And Jerome, I can’t wait to hear Sara’s response!

  • Padraic

    Congratulations to Art & Seek!
    It may be a three way tie, but it confirms my belief that there is none better!

  • Jessica

    Well done guys! Congratulations on your much-deserved Katy.

    JH