Petty Officer 3rd Class Matthew Schwarz, the editor of the Skywriter, works on a recent edition. Atsugi’s base paper earned 2nd place in the Chief of Information Merit Program awards in its category. (Brian Naranjo / Courtesy of U.S. Navy)
For the second year in a row, the small Navy media detachment at Sasebo Naval Base, Japan, took home the most honors from the Chief of Naval Information Merit Awards Program, which recognizes Navy journalists and media outlets around the world.
Two Sasebo sailors also earned a Department of Defense-level Thomas Jefferson Award: Petty Officer 2nd Class Beau Smith and Seaman Darrin Russ, both journalists.
“It’s fantastic. We have a fairly junior group here,” said Senior Chief Petty Officer Roger L. Dutcher, who heads the detachment. “I’d like to say it’s raw talent but they also work very hard.”
In addition, CHINFO gave awards to Naval Air Facility Atsugi, the USS Kitty Hawk, 7th Fleet at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, and detachments at Misawa Air Base, Yokota Air Base and Diego Garcia.
American Forces Radio Tokyo disc jockey Petty Officer 1st Class Rhonda Davis earned first place in the radio entertainment program category for her morning show in the Kanto Plain.
The awards, coordinated by the Naval Media Center in Washington, recognize internal media products by individuals and commands at Navy installations around the world.
Awards are given for first, second and third place and an honorable mention. First-place recipients go on to compete in the Thom- as Jefferson awards against winners from all services.
Atsugi’s base newspaper, The Skywriter, took second place in the newspaper tabloid format category.
Base spokesman Brian Naranjo said the success stems from the staff’s emphasis on good stories, great layout and relevant coverage.
“It comes down to trying to make it look as pleasing to them as possible,” Naranjo said.
Naranjo said the staff uses the results of the base’s last readership survey to focus content. The award shows their tactic is working, he added.
“To be recognized by the Navy subject matter experts, it says we’re on track.”
Other honors go to ...
Print media
Tabloid format newspaper, second place: The Skywriter, Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan.
Stand-alone photograph, second place: PH3 Bo Flannigan, USS Kitty Hawk, Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan.
Web-based publication, third place: Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, for its Web site.
Broadcast media
Radio entertainment program, first place: JO1 Rhonda Davis, AFN Tokyo
Radio spot production, first place: JO1 Christian Marquardt, Naval Media Center Broadcast Det, Sasebo Naval Base, Japan.
Radio report, honorable mention: JO1 Christian Marquardt
TV information program, honorable mention, CC Update, Naval Media Center Broadcast Det, Misawa Air Base, Japan.
TV spot production, first place: JO3 Beau Smith; second place: JO1 Christian Marquardt; and honorable mention: JO3 Josh Glassbum, all from NMC Broadcast Det Sasebo.
TV report, first place: JOSN Darrin Russ, NMC Broadcast Det Sasebo; honorable mention, JO3 Zack Baddorf, NMC Broadcast Det, Yokota Air Base, Japan.
TV feature report, honorable mention: JOSN Darrin Russ, NMC Broadcast Det Sasebo.
Local TV newscast, 2nd place: Island News, NMC Broadcast Det, Diego Garcia.
Brian Naranjo/Courtesy of the U.S. Navy
Petty Officer 3rd Class Matthew Schwarz, the editor of the Skywriter, works on a recent edition. Atsugi’s base paper earned 2nd place in the Chief of Information Merit Program awards in its category.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Matthew Schwarz, the editor of the Skywriter, works on a recent edition. Atsugi’s base paper earned 2nd place in the Chief of Information Merit Program awards in its category. (Brian Naranjo / Courtesy of U.S. Navy)
Navy journalists Seaman Darrin Russ,left, and Petty Officer 3rd Class Beau Smith hold their invitations to attend the award banquet for the Thomas Jefferson award in Washington. To earn the award, the two Sasebo broadcasters earned first place in the Navy Chief of Information Merit Awards Program, then competed against top-place winners from the other services in their categories. (Jeffrey A. Johnstone / Courtesy of U.S. Navy)
