Winners of real estate awards named

Jamie Smith Hopkins, who writes about real estate for the Baltimore Sun, was the big winner Friday at the National Association of Real Estate Editors’ 56th Annual Journalism Awards luncheon, which was held in Charlotte.

Hopkins was the winner of the Robert F. Brennan Award for Best Overall Entry by an Individual and the winner of the James D. Carper Award for Best Entry by a Young Journalist. She also won in the Best Serial Report category.

The judges wrote, “Early in her reporting career, Hopkins exhibits mastery of both basic and advanced reporting techniques. It can be tempting to let the numbers tell a story with computer-assisted reporting, but she put the human face and consequences into her comprehensive articles. As a result, she provided riveting examples of flight from Washington to Baltimore in search of cheap housing.”

Entries fropm professional journalists were received from across the country in 21 different categories. The first place overall winner, Hopkins, received a $1,500 award. All first place winners were awarded a $250 stipend and all winners received a certificate of excellence.

The winners were selected by a panel of judges from the E. W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University.

Other category winners included:

1. Sandra Fleishman of the Washington Post for Best Newspaper Report, more than 250,000 circulation;

2. Shannon Behnken of the Tampa Tribune for Best Newspaper Report, less than 250,000 circulation;

3. Peter Robison of Bloomberg News for Best Online Report;

4. Carol Massar of Bloomberg TV for Best Broadcast Report;

5. Michele Derus of the Milwaukee-Journal Sentinel for Best Newspaper Real Estate Section, more than 250,000 circulation;

6. Bill Hartnett of the Palm Beach Post for Best Newspaper Real Estate Section, less than 250,000 circulation.

Yours truly was the luncheon speaker today, thus no posts until now.