Missouri Lifestyle Journalism Awards

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The Missouri Lifestyle Journalism Awards were first awarded in 1960 as the Penney-Missouri Awards to recognize women's pages that covered topics other than society, club, and fashion news, and that also covered such topics as lifestyle and consumer affairs.[1][2] The Penney-Missouri Awards were often described as the "Pulitzer Prize of feature writing".[3] They were the only nationwide recognition specifically for women's page journalists,[4] at a time when few women had other opportunities to write or edit for newspapers.[3] The annual awards appear to have been last given in 2008.

History

The Penney-Missouri awards were conceived by

J. C. Penney retail chain, who hoped improving women's page sections would turn them into more effective advertising channels for his stores.[5] Penney established the award at the University of Missouri because he believed the school had the necessary prestige.[5]

Kimberly Wilmot Voss's research suggests that as early as 1960, when the awards were established, women's page sections were reporting on a broader range of issues than expected, often creating the kind of coverage the awards were intended to encourage: "more than just society notices and photographs of brides".[4]

In 1974, as most newspapers were changing their women's sections into features sections, contest rules changed to allow entries from journalists who did not work full-time in a women's page section.[5]

In 1994, J. C. Penney stopped funding the awards, and they were renamed as the Missouri Lifestyle Journalism Awards, with the University of Missouri funding as well as judging.[5]

Award winners were announced for 2008 and previous years in the media and Missouri School of Journalism press releases.[6][7][8][9][10] However, at least some of the trophies and $1,000 cash prizes for the 2008 winners were only distributed after public reporting of what journalism reporter Jim Romenesko described as "the no-prizes flap," and as late as May 2009, nine months after the announcement of winners.[11][12] There appears to be no evidence of the awards being given after 2008.

Leadership

The directors of the award program were:[13]

  • Paul L. Myhre (1960–1971)
  • Robert Hosakawa (1971–1976)
  • Ruth D'Arcy (1976–1984)
  • George Pica (1984–1988); Pica was also a previous winner of the award
  • Nancy Beth Jackson (1988–1994)
  • Kent Collins (in 2009)[11]

Impact

Rodger Streitmatter, writing in the scholarly journal Journalism History, credits the awards for helping to change women's pages journalism.[14]

Award winners

References

  1. . Retrieved 24 November 2018.
  2. .
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  5. ^ .
  6. ^ Romenesko, Jim (19 August 2008). "Winners of Missouri Lifestyle Journalism Awards announced". Poynter. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  7. ^ "Missouri School of Journalism Announces 2008 Winners of the Missouri Lifestyle Journalism Awards" (Press release). Missouri School of Journalism. 19 August 2008.
  8. ^ "Winners of 2007 Missouri Lifestyle Journalism Awards Announced" (Press release). Missouri School of Journalism. 22 May 2007. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  9. ^ "Missouri Lifestyle Journalism Awards: 2006 Winners and Finalists" (Press release). Missouri School of Journalism. 24 October 2006. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  10. ^ "Missouri Lifestyle Journalism Awards: 2005 Winners and Finalists" (Press release). Missouri School of Journalism. 20 June 2005. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  11. ^ a b Romenesko, Jim (27 January 2009). "Missouri journalism contest director promises that winners will get their prizes". Poynter. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  12. ^ Romenesko, Jim (7 May 2009). "Missouri Lifestyle Journalism Award prize finally arrives". Poynter. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  13. ^ "Penney-Missouri Journalism Awards, Records, 1960-1993" (PDF). State Historical Society of Missouri. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  14. (PDF) on 27 December 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2018.