BJ’s Bob Dyer, my former Blue Room lunch partner for decades, has been named best newspaper columnist in Ohio for the zillionth time.

They might as well change the name to the Bob Dyer Award.

This time the honor was bestowed by the Ohio Associated Press Media Editors. Other annual choices came from the Cleveland Press.

 

Check out Bob's other awards (and this was only by 2013 before Bob was named Best Columnist in Ohio for the 7th consecutive year in the 2014 Ohio’s Best Journalism contest sponsored by the Society of Professional Journalists chapters in Cincinnati, Cleveland and Columbus; he repeated in 2017):

 

In 2008, he was voted Best Columnist in the Nation and in 2013 he was voted Best Humor Columnist in the nation by the National Society of Professional Journalists.

Best Columnist in the Nation, National Society of Professional Journalists, 2008.

One of lead writers, Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, 1994.

            Contributor, Pulitzer Prize for General News Reporting, 1987.

            Nominated for Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing, 1993 and 2004.

Finalist, Distinguished Writing Award for Commentary/Column Writing,   American Society of News Editors, 2012

Third place, General Commentary, Society for Features Journalism, 2011

Third place, Herb Caen Award, National ociety of Newspaper Columnists, 2010.

Third place, Multiple-Topic Columns, National ociety of Newspaper             Columnists, 2009.

Third place, General-Interest Columns, National Society of Newspaper   Columnists, 2008.

Fourth place, Multiple-Topic Columns, National Society of Newspaper

 Columnists, 1996.

           

REGIONAL HONORS

            Best Columnist in Ohio, Associated Press, 2012.

            Best Columnist in Ohio, Press Club of Cleveland, 2012.

            Best Columnist in Ohio, Associated Press, 2011.

            Best Essayist in Ohio, Press Club of Cleveland, 2011.

            Best Columnist in Ohio, Ohio Society of Professional Journalists, 2010.

            Best Columnist in Ohio, Press Club of Cleveland, 2010.

            Best Columnist in Ohio, Ohio Society of Professional Journalists, 2009.

            First place, Political Commentary, Ohio Society of Professional Journalists, 2012.

            First place, Consumer Reporting, Ohio Society of Professional Journalists, 2012.

            First place, General-Interest Column, Press Club of Cleveland, 2011.

            First place, Newsmaker Profile, Ohio Society of Professional Journalists, 2011.

            First place, General-Interest Column, Press Club of Cleveland, 2010.

            First place, Personality Profile, Press Club of Cleveland, 2005.

            First place, Feature Writing, Ohio Associated Press, 2001.

First place, Feature Writing, Press Club of Cleveland, 1993.

            First place, Arts/Entertainment Writing, Press Club of Cleveland, 1987.

            First place, Arts/Entertainment Writing, Press Club of Cleveland, 1986.

            First place, Investigative Reporting, Women in Communications, 1986.

            First place, Newspaper Series, Women in Communication, 1986.

           

            Second place, Best Columnist in Ohio, Ohio Society of Professional Journalists, 2012.

            Second place, Media Criticism, Ohio Society of Professional Journalists, 2012.

            Second place, General-Interest Column, Press Club of Cleveland, 2012.

            Second place, Essay, Press Club of Cleveland, 2012.

            Second place, Column Writing, Ohio Associated Press, 2008

            Second place, Newsmaker Profile, Ohio Society of Professional Journalists, 2005.

            Second place, Personality Profile, Ohio SPJ, 2000.

            Second place, Public Service Journalism, Ohio SPJ, 1998.

            Second place, Sunday Magazine Human Interest Story, Press Club of Cleveland, 1995.

            Second place, Arts/Entertainment Writing, Press Club of Cleveland, 1990.

 

            Third place, Best Columnist in Ohio, Associated Press, 2010.

 

            Third place, Feature Reporting, Ohio Associated Press, 1993.

 

The BJ’s Marla Ridenour was named best sports feature writer, the Beacon's sports pages were named best daily sports section among Ohio's largest newspapers (circulations of 60,000 or more) and the BJ’s high school football preview was named best special section.

All the judges were from outside Ohio.

Canton Repository executive editor Rich Desrosiers was elected the AP group’s president.

Other Beacon Journal winners included:

Phil Masturzo was second for best photographer and third for a best sports photo.

Mark J. Price was third for best headline writer.

Ridenour was third for best sport enterprise reporting for her story 1971-1972 Zips Formed a Bond that Will Never be Ripped Apart article.

Former BJ education writer Theresa Cottom-Bennett wa third for best explanatory writing for 'Mother-to-be Seeks New Life After Battling with Addiction.'

The Beacon Journal's Ohio.com was named third best online presence in the state. Its sister paper, The Columbus Dispatch, placed first.