This was a weak category overall and relatively few entries. No image stood out with peak action, no flames, no suspects, no villains, no heroes. It's understandable that most of these spot news images were taken at great distance from their subjects, but that lack of intimacy just added to our disappointment when reviewing entries. We feel it's best to withhold any award and keep standards high rather than showcase subpar photojournalism. One judge wonders if small-staffed newsrooms with fewer resources and increasing competition in the media landscape might contribute to less breaking news coverage, and thus, a week spot news category this month.
Judges:
Scott P. Yates/The Roanoke Times, Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times
Judges Comments
This was a weak category overall and relatively few entries. No image stood out with peak action, no flames, no suspects, no villains, no heroes. It's understandable that most of these spot news images were taken at great distance from their subjects, but that lack of intimacy just added to our disappointment when reviewing entries. We feel it's best to withhold any award and keep standards high rather than showcase subpar photojournalism. One judge wonders if small-staffed newsrooms with fewer resources and increasing competition in the media landscape might contribute to less breaking news coverage, and thus, a week spot news category this month.