Polly Bond Awards Given at International Meeting
Episcopal News Service. July 28, 1983 [83146]
VICTORIA, B.C., Canada (DPS, July 28) -- The Voice, the newspaper of the Diocese of Newark, was honored as exceptional in general excellence in the annual Polly Bond Award competition sponsored by Episcopal Communicators.
Winners of the Polly Bond Awards were announced at the International Consultation of Anglican Communicators held at the University of Victoria just prior to the World Council of Churches Assembly.
Presentation of awards was a highlight of the first evening's session and the Communicators met two days later in a business meeting, but most of the time was devoted to examination of communication issues in concert with counterparts from Canada, the Pacific Basin, Asia and South America.
The wide-ranging program began on the night of the awards banquet with a challenge from Canadian television journalist Patrick Watson to add a distinctly Christian viewpoint to the journals and commentaries that shape world opinion. A publication staffed by the best Christian journalists available and operated on twin principles of factual observation and stringent inquiry would have to be taken seriously, he noted.
Watson's challenge was followed by a review of a United Nations report that has raised anew the question of who controls the views and information that shape opinion. Neville Jayaweera, associate general secretary of the World Association of Christian Communication, detailed the conclusions of the McBride report and the calls for a New World Information and Communication Order which he characterized an attempt to "democratize communication."
While conceding that many calls for a new order carried risks of censorship, Jayaweera told the communicators to consider such calls, not just in light of the geographic Third World, but in terms of a sociological one in which an elite controls poverty in any place of the globe.
Sandwiched among the addresses -- which also dealt with Anglican and World Council Communication needs and structures -- were a variety of sessions designed to bring together editors, executives, administrators and others with special communication functions to share perceptions and discuss their work.
The three-day session was the first ever on such a scale and included people with communication responsibilities in all media and from parish to intercommunion levels. Representatives from Canada, the United States, New Zealand, Australia, England, Uganda, Kenya, India, Brazil, South Africa and the Solomon Islands took part.
The unique gathering grew out of discussions held at the 1979 meeting of Anglican primates in Washington and was hosted by the Communicators and the editors of Canadian Anglican publications.
About 40 members of the Episcopal Communicators took part and most of the Polly Bond award winners were represented at the presentations.
Rated as outstanding in the general excellence category for newspapers were The Episcopal News of the Diocese of Los Angeles and the Episcopal Church in Georgia.
Co-editor, Archdeacon Stephen C. Galleher, received the award for The Voice, and editor Ruth Nicastro received the award for The Episcopal News.
Other awards for print media were:
- Feature: The Voice, exceptional, for an article "From a convict's wife: Media and popular myths distort prison reality"; The Colorado Episcopalian, The Church Militant and the Southwestern Episcopalian, all outstanding.
- Editorial/Interpretive: Cross Current, Diocese of East Carolina, exceptional; The Colorado Episcopalian, outstanding.
- Layout: The Record, Diocese of Michigan, exceptional.
- Photography: The Episcopal News, merit award.
- There were no entries in the news story category.
For the first time in the four-year history of the awards, Episcopal Communicators this year presented honors for electronic media.
Those awards went to:
- Half-hour Video Segment: Delaware Valley Media Ministry, exceptional; Trinity Parish, New York City, outstanding.
- Public Service Announcement; St. Paul's Parish, Sikestown, Mo., exceptional.
Other (educational and informational programs less than 25 minutes): Trinity Parish, exceptional; Diocese of Colorado, outstanding.
Judging for the newspaper general excellence award was performed by LaRue Gilliland, chairman of the department of journalism at Northeastern University in Boston. He said all the entries were of "surprisingly good quality."
He said of The Voice that the newspaper "is well edited, with planning and care given to article assignment and copy reading. Quality of lead writing and page layout is above average. Design is neat without being overly restrictive. Candid photos are abundant. Good features balance news coverage." He said the Episcopal News "appears to keep its readers thoroughly informed about events in the diocese of Los Angeles. Good candid photos keep pages from being too heavy with posed shots. Variety is used in design of pages. Stories are generally well written and most are well edited."
He said of the Episcopal Church of Georgia, "Lead writing is superior. Layout invited invited readership. Story selection is balanced with news and social and religious issues well represented. Stories are interestingly written. Editing of articles and most photos is good.
Judging for the electronic media was coordinated by Jon Paul Davidson, an Episcopal priest and television producer who owns his own film production service at Incline Village, Nev.
Contest chairman Dick Snyder of the Diocese of Nevada said the contest is open to all Episcopal communicators and not just members of Episcopal Communicators.
Announcements about the contest for 1983 will be made through Diocesan Press Service early next year.