Marking a significant milestone, the 50th annual Press Club Long Island (PCLI) Media Awards dinner was held at The Fox Hollow in Woodbury.
My article, “Bike Packing: A Unique Experience on Fire Island,” published on July 8, 2023, won a third-place award in the travel narrative category. It was my pleasure to tell the story of a group of fat tire bike riders exploring Fire Island’s unique camping options through a bike ride to the inlet, and I thank PCLI for the recognition.
Takeaways from the banquet (the first time I attended one) was the opening speech by Press Club founder and first president Karl Grossman and the four inductees into the Press Club Hall of Fame.
Grossman elaborated on his first job as a reporter for The Cleveland Press in Ohio. He explained that on the entrance of the newsroom was a quote from E.W. Scripps (Scripps was the founder of the news conglomerate United Press News Service) that read, “Give Light, and the people will find their own way.” This phrase would become his code of ethics in the 60-plus years of his journalism career.
When Karl founded the PCLI in 1974, locals across Long Island were fighting Long Island Lighting Company (LILCO, current day PSEG Long Island) over the proposed construction of 11 nuclear reactors in the central Pine Barren Region in Suffolk County. His coverage gave the local dissenting community a voice suppressed by LILCO’s self-interest. The club’s founding provided local journalists protection from special interest groups, a vehicle to promote objective media, and a unified ethical standard to give local communities a voice.
Grossman has been a regular contributor to Fire Island News since 2015. He and I also co-authored the book “Cold War Long Island,” together in 2021.
The four inductees are Newsday reporter James Klurfeld, Hampton Star sportswriter Jack Graves, NBC nightly news correspondent Jennifer McLogan, and the late Gardner Pat Cowles, former owner of Sag Harbor Express. These journalists encapsulated the local spirit of the communities they represented and highlighted the most needed reform with the utmost journalistic integrity.
Long Island-based sister Schneps Media publications also took home their share of PCLI Awards. Honors for the Anton Media Group include Managing Editor Christy Hinko won the prestigious Bob Greene Public Service Award for the Long Island Veterans Bulletin, as nominated by the Museum of American Armor Museum in Old Bethpage for a column on Long Island that is making an impact in 2023. They also won the first, second, and third-place awards in the Front Page Layout category for Port Washington News and Nassau Illustrated News; second place in the Magazine Cover Design category, also for Port Washington News; and second place in the Humor Narrative Nassau County Observer. David Tayor of Dan’s Papers won second place in the Arts Narrative category for “After Death, Artist Linje Deng Lives New Life with Honesty & Pride.” Finally, Michael Malaszczyk of Long Island Press won third place in the Sports Feature category for “Nico Ali Walsh Is Carving Out
His Own Legacy Without ‘Circus Fights’” which was published during his time with The Ring magazine.
Finally, my neighbor’s son, Daniel Garcia, attending Five Towns College, won first place for Best College TV Reporter in the Student Media category. He and the many other student journalists who won awards that evening will soon be the bearer of future local media.
PCLI is a professional chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. The organization is devoted to protecting and advocating for First Amendment rights, furthering ethical standards, and providing ongoing training for members.
Visit www.pcli.org to learn more about the Press Club of Long Island.
