QUEZON CITY (MindaNews / 27 June) — MindaNews won the Best News Website for Mindanao during the 2024 Community Press Awards of the Philippine Press Institute (PPI) on Friday. MindaNews editor in chief Bobby Timonera received the award at Eastwood Richmonde Hotel. “MindaNews captures Mindanao’s heart and soul,” said PPI’s citation. “[It] carries news that matter and presents them in a manner that gives readers insights to the diverse culture of Mindanaons,” PPI added. “The no-frills website design reflects the journalism substance that the media organization practices. Its Fact-Check section is outstanding,” PPI further said. MindaNews bested two other finalists in the category: Edge Davao and Sunstar Davao. Northern Dispatch won the Best News Website for Luzon while The Freeman, for the Visayas. Winners in the other categories: Best in Photojournalism: SunStar Cebu (daily) and Baguio Chronicle (weekly). Best in Environmental Reporting: SunStar Cebu (daily) and Baguio Chronicle (weekly). Best in Business and Economic Reporting: Daily Guardian (daily) and Herald Express (weekly). Best Editorial Page: Panay News (daily) and Pahayagang Balikas (weekly). Best Edited Community Newspaper: SunStar Cebu (daily) and Pahayagang Balikas (weekly). Also honored by the PPI was Dr. Crispin Maslog, who “championed the cause of community journalism.” In his early journalism career, Maslog worked for the Agence France-Press bureau in Manila. He then went to the United States for post-graduate studies, finishing his Ph.D. in Mass Communication from the University of Minnesota. Instead of going back to his work in Manila, he opted to go to Dumaguete City to establish the school of journalism and communication of Silliman University, the first such school outside Metro Manila. Later, he moved to the University of the Philippines in Los Baños. Maslog documented the stories of community newspapers across Asia, and in 1996 helped establish PPI’s Community Press Awards. (MindaNews)
