The Good Newsroom™, the digital newsroom of the Archdiocese of New York, has been recognized for work published in 2023 by the Associated Church Press (ACP). The newsroom team swept the category of “Video – News Story or Current Event” in the ACP 2023 “Best of the Church Press” awards.

The category recognizes outstanding use of video and film, and The Good Newsroom reporters took home first place, second place, and an honorable mention. This is the second time the media outlet has dominated a single awards category, having recently earned recognition from the Catholic Media Association for its work in “Best Multimedia Package Series.” Both organizations also recognized The Good Newsroom’s website.

Launched in November 2022, The Good Newsroom was developed to replace the well-regarded, bi-weekly print publication Catholic New York. Key to the success of the new entity would be the use of video, faster publishing, and access to news through digital channels. The newsroom also creates content in Spanish and increased this effort in 2023. These changes, along with a new newsroom and digital publishing team, have produced a dynamic communications platform, which is critical for the archdiocese given its location in the media capital of the world and its mission of reaching over 2.5M Catholics in the New York area.

Success in use of video for storytelling

Videos recognized by the ACP are representative of the high caliber stories created by the newsroom team.

Mary Shovlain, Lead Content Producer, earned an Award of Excellence (first place) for “Rosary and Cannolis: A Sweet Incentive for Students to Join in School Rosary.” The video story included coverage of Iona Preparatory School’s “Rosary and Cannolis” monthly rosary program, where students are encouraged to pray the Rosary together and receive a cannoli for attending. After 65 students attended the first prayer service, the high school turned it into a monthly event.

Fernanda Pierorazio, Assistant Director, Media, earned an Award of Merit for “Miles de flores honran a Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe – Thousands of flowers honor Our Lady of Guadalupe.” This Spanish-language feature focuses on the cultural significance of the floral arrangements created to celebrate Our Lady of Guadalupe, a major Mexican Catholic cultural event in New York City.

Patrick Grady, Videographer/Content Producer, earned an Honorable Mention for “Elizabeth Seton Children’s Center Celebrates the Christmas Season with Children’s Pageant,” his video story about the annual children’s Christmas pageant at Elizabeth Seton Children’s Center.

Support from Cardinal Dolan

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, made the decision to found The Good Newsroom and uses its digital channels to promote his own videos, statements, and articles. “The Good Newsroom has been a great success, and allows us tell our stories in new and vibrant ways, and we are very proud of all it has accomplished thus far,” said the cardinal. “Thank you to the Associated Church Press for recognizing our new communications platform. The stories highlight what is important to us: the works of Catholic schools, charities, parishes, and people, and the important role we play in the lives of our communities. The Good Newsroom covers the stories that matter locally, and brings you important national and international Church news as well.”

A more comprehensive digital presence

The Good Newsroom was also awarded an Honorable Mention in the category of “Website Redesign” from ACP. With a mission of creating a welcome media environment for all audiences, the website was originally designed to demonstrate a quick publishing model showcasing stories posted throughout each day. However, after less than a year, it was clear that a new navigation design was needed to communicate the breadth of stories and content. In 2023, the initial simple website design was updated to ensure any visitor to the homepage could easily access all the content categories on The Good Newsroom.

Rachel Sheehan, Executive Editor of The Good Newsroom said, “To keep current with the mission of our brand and the needs of our users, it is important to revisit the website strategy and experience frequently. Any digital platform is consistently evolving to stay current and relevant. I’m grateful to the Associated Church Press for recognizing our efforts.” The news entity also publishes through an app, social media channels, and a weekly e-newsletter. Thousands of people interact with these channels each month.