Place Name: First Place Contestant Name: Amarillo College Entry Title: The Ranger Online Entry Credit: Valerie Salas, Nadia Colchado Judge Comment: So straight to the point. Easy to navigate, tight spacing, excellent diversity of coverage. Again, people, new graphic. Make text in bottom bar with info shorter. Update social media.
Place Name: Second Place Contestant Name: Dallas College - Eastfield Entry Title: The Et Cetera website Entry Credit: Et Cetera Staff Judge Comment: Eastfield never fails with content and production. The website is messy and lacks any clear focal point or entry way. Lack of color does not help. Content is largely relevant, though could use more creativity in pursuing stories. Gotta love the writing.
Place Name: Third Place Contestant Name: Texas Wesleyan University Entry Title: The Rambler Entry Credit: Rambler Staff Judge Comment: Not surprised The Rambler has a great website and the students can find stories on the small campus. Update graphic and make menu bar font bolder. Nice placement of video and good photographs.
Place Name: Honorable Mention Contestant Name: UT-Tyler Entry Title: Talon Website Entry Credit: Nathan Witt Judge Comment: The colorful landing page cost this otherwise strong newspaper a few points. While attempting a magazine feel, it misses the mark with images (one looked like a screenshot and had a text box in the middle). The front page carousel shows a commitment to diversity to a diversity of strong stories. Perhaps separate audio and video stories in separate sections to avoid confusion. Ambitious but misses the mark.
Competition Comment: Content trumps quality here with mixed results. There's the overambitious (Talon) and utilitarian (Ranger). Each paper is scrappy. Not a bad thing. But surely more is going on their communities. Can't wait to see you all shine.
