First place: unRavel staff, The Herald-Tribune

About this entry: “Unravel.us is a Sarasota Herald-Tribune site dedicated to reaching out and engaging young professionals by giving them information and news how they want it, when they want it and on the device they want it on.

We aim to do what Buzzfeed, Vox, and other startups do, but on a local, personal level, backed by knowledgeable journalists.

The site unravels the Sarasota area in a way that fits their lifestyle. It features fun, new, complex and intriguing subjects in a quick-to-read format. Our readers are on the go and want news that is easily digested. Our content fits their browsing habits.” — Scott Carroll


Check it out: UnRavel.Us

Follow unRavel on Twitter @unravel_us

UnRavel.Us, by definition, is an innovation built to drive new readers to important content. Engaging readers by providing them with an online community is not only smart, it keeps with the longstanding tradition of new organizations helping to mesh communities.

Second place: Staff, The Columbus Dispatch

About this entry: The Columbus Dispatch’s multi-part “Silent Suffering” took a long hard look at the often neglected topics of suicide and mental illness and engaged with the community through public forums.


Read online: Silent Suffering

Follow The Columbus Dispatch on Twitter @DispatchAlerts

Getting people to talk about difficult issues isn’t new to our business. But being at the center of the discussion through relentless coverage and a community forum led by staff is innovative and forces the Dispatch to be relevant in the community.

Third place: Frank Fernandez, The Daytona Beach News Journal

About this entry: Frank Fernandez’s “Shots Fired” piece not only looks at situations where police have used deadly force, but also exposes just how difficult it can be for members of the public, or even the press, to obtain information about them.

Check it out online: Shots Fired

Follow Frank on Twitter @frankfff

Fantastic reporting, excellent web design and a solid online, searchable database earn the staff of the Daytona Beach News-Journal an award for their series, Shots Fired.