CNNW ranked among nation's top Christian newspapers

    ORLANDO, Fla. — Christian News Northwest was honored here last month as one of the best Christian newspapers in the United States and Canada.
     At the concluding Awards of Excellence banquet at the Evangelical Press Association’s national convention, held May 7-10 at the Orlando Airport Marriott Hotel, CNNW and two other newspapers tied for the second-place “Award of Merit” in the newspaper category in EPA’s annual contest.
     In addition, CNNW received several awards in a separate contest for the Fellowship of Christian Newspapers (FCN), a subgroup of EPA.
     Taking first-place EPA honors in the newspaper category was the Charlotte (N.C.) World. Tied with CNNW for the Award of Merit were the Kansas City (Mo.) Metro Voice and the Minnesota Christian Chronicle.
     CNNW Publisher John Fortmeyer attended the Orlando conventions of both EPA and FCN and accepted the awards on behalf of the newspaper.
     Contest judge for the newspaper category was Russ Pulliam, associate editor of the daily Indianapolis (Ind.) Star. In his written comments, Pulliam praised CNNW for “providing some serious, in-depth coverage of the local news ... Clearly you have rejected the model of so many other Christian monthlies, of testimonies, first-person travel stories and sermons, in favor of real news about your circulation area.”
     Pulliam particularly noted a CNNW story from last November on controversy within Oregon’s pro-life community.
    “John Fortmeyer’s story on the rift among pro-life groups showed great depth in reporting and was likely the only story of its kind in the state,” he wrote. “I would be surprised if the daily newspapers had a reporter who could provide such coverage or be given the space for it.”.
     Pulliam also liked the “easy-to-read” Page 1 format of the newspaper, and noted its strong Opinion section. “Your substantial letters to the editor section indicates a serious kind of readership and some real substance on the opinion pages.”
     In the FCN contest, CNNW received:
    • an Honorable Mention in the Newspaper of the Year competition, also won by the Charlotte paper;
    • a second place for Best Personality Article, for Fortmeyer’s story on the 100th birthday of Portland abortion protester Marion “Dock” Hite;
    • a second place for Best Editorial, for “Court Ruling Leaves Us Incredulous,” Fortmeyer’s criticism of a Washington State Supreme Court ruling that parents cannot eavesdrop on their children’s telephone conversations.
    • a third place for Best Interview Article, for “Why Am I Not Dead?” by Mike Umlandt. This story told about David Prueitt, the first Oregonian to survive a doctor-assisted suicide attempt, and about Prueitt’s wife’s Lynda, who took on a mission to tell people that suicide is not the way to heaven. A longtime Portland-area journalist, Umlandt is a member of CNNW’s board of directors.
    • a fifth place for Best Short General Article, for “When the Spirit Fell on the Rose City,” a story by Fortmeyer that looked back at Portland’s famed 1905 revival.