The Monitor is proud to announce that our staff took home12 first-place awards from the New Hampshire Press Association’s annual Distinguished Journalism Contest.
Our staff-wide efforts around Concord’s municipal election last fall won the Community Service Award for “Concord Votes,” which gave readers access to reliable information about candidates running for office through stories, questionnaires and live forums. All of this content was free and accessible on our website for subscribers and non-subscribers alike.
“Providing the critical information voters need across multiple platforms is a way for news organizations to stay relevant,” the judges wrote. “Providing typically premium content, like the deeper dive into candidates’ views and positions, in front of a firewall, is definitely a community service. This is a great example of how large news outlets can meet readers where they are.”
That same project also took home first place in the political reporting category.
“If the Monitor staff could have gotten pets to weigh in on local elections — it’s clear that would be part of this otherwise comprehensive and exhaustive civics and public / reader service exercise,” the judges added. “Clearly the Monitor held up the multi-faceted stone that is a large local municipal election, and identified virtually every aspect of it — and covered it with engaging reporting and nonpartisan professionalism.
Another newsroom initiative, Sunshine Week 2025, earned the First Amendment Award. Each year for one week in March, the Monitor joins newsrooms around the country in using public records to shine a light on topics that otherwise would remain shrouded.
“Staffer Writer Catherine McLaughlin led the reporting with a couple of impactful pieces, including how New Hampshire residents have limited or no real meaningful access to sometimes powerful advisory committees,” the judges wrote.
The staff published stories about overtime pay for police and fire officials, the ombudsman program, rejected vanity plates and more.
McLaughlin snagged first place in the environmental reporting category for her coverage of Concord’s drinking water. She and Charlotte Matherly, our state house reporter, won in government reporting for their story examing new state housing laws and whether they will make a difference.
Matherly also took home awards in the education and breaking news categories for her work on open enrollment and a three-alarm house fire in Loudon.
News editor Rebeca Pereira was named Rookie of the Year for all her reporting accomplishments during her first year as a professional journalist.
Community Editor Rachel Wachman placed first in Arts & Entertaiment reporting for her stories on funding cuts to the State Council on the Arts. She also finished first for feature story for her work following two families who lost their homes in apartment fires last summer.
Jeremy Margolis’s innovative investigative reporting through the video “I Didn’t Touch Your Chief”: An Investigation of Assault Charges Against Two UNH Student Protesters earned him the Best Use of Video award.
Finally, Monitor freelance photographer Jay Heath took home the prize for Breaking News Photo for capturing a house fire in Boscawen that left one person dead.
The Monitor took home multiple second- and third-place prizes, totalling 25 awards in total.
“I am impressed on a daily basis by the Monitor staff’s dedication, talent and hard work,” Monitor Editor Jonathan Van Fleet said. “I want to congratulate them, our readers and all the other journalists in New Hampshire who continue to pursue truth, accountability and stories about the human spirit.”