‘If you’re not trying to improve, you are trying to fail’
BY OBSERVER STAFF
OPELIKA — Constantly striving to find ways to improve its products is one of Michelle Key’s, owner of Key Media LLC, goals. Key Media is the publisher of The Observer, LIVE Lee Magazine, NeighborhoodTour Real Estate products and The LaFayette Sun newspaper.
“During the past eight years, I have tried to find ways we can continuously improve the services and products we offer our community,” Key said. “The first few years we worked to improve our coverage. Then we turned our focus to the quality of content, our photos, our design and layout and so on. I try to ask a lot of questions and find out what the community wants from us.”
That work has paid off. For the seventh year in a row Key Media has won a “Most Improved” award in the annual Alabama Press Association Media Awards competition — with the last four years earning first place in the category.
“We make mistakes, sometimes big ones, but at the end of the day, all we can do is just keep learning from those mistakes and striving not to repeat them,” Key said. “If each week, each newspaper, we can do one thing better than we did the week before, then we will continue to grow and thrive. If we ever stop trying to improve, then we are effectively trying to fail.”
The APA’s annual Better Newspaper Contest recognizes achievement in three categories: editorial, magazine and advertising. Newspapers are classified by circulation size into five divisions, of which The Observer is Division D.
EDITORIAL
This year, 53 publications submitted 1,725 entries in the editorial category. The Michigan Press Association membership judged the entries. In addition to winning the top spot as Most Improved, The Observer’s other first place editorial wins included:
- Best Spot News Story for “Hotel residents ordered to leave facility” by Anita Stiefel
- Best In-Depth News Coverage for “The Springwood” by The Observer staff
- Best Spot News Photo for “Displaced” by Anita Stiefel
- Best Sports Photo for “I’ll Wait” by Robert Noles
- Best Use of Graphics or Illustrations for “Let Freedom Ring” by Robert Noles & Michelle Key
- Best Use of Photographs/Editorial Content
- Best Production and Printing
- Best Newspaper Website
The Observer won four second place editorial awards: - Best Sports Single Event Story for “OT times 4: AU Wins” by Brandon Hughes
- Best Sports Feature Story for “’Small & mighty’ Trinity basketball finds itself in midst of improbable run” by Noah Griffith
- Best Spot News Photo for “Student plane crash” by Jerry Ballas
- Best Special Section-Newsprint for “Under the Lights Sports Preview” by staff.
The Observer also added five third place editorial awards: - General Excellence
- Best Feature Story for “Churmell Mitchell brings H-O-P-E to the community” by Nicholas Young
- Best Editorial/Commentary by the late Greg Markley
- Best Feature Photo for “Black History Showcase” by John Hillsman
- Best Use of Graphics or Illustrations for “Spring Blooms” by Robert Noles and Michelle Key
MAGAZINE
This year, 21 publications submitted 381 entries in the Magazine contest. The Michigan Press Association membership judged the entries.
LIVE Lee won first place in the Best Single Ad contest for “Love is Intoxicating – Celebrate Responsibly” by Jessica Henderson.
ADVERTISING
This year, 22 publications submitted 406 entries in the Advertising contest. The Michigan Press Association membership judged the entries.
The Observer won the first-place award for Best One Time Special Section for “Under the Lights,” the 2024 area football preview publication.
The Observer also won a second place Advertising Sweepstakes award and second place for Best Niche Publication (“Class of 2024”), along with a third-place award for Best Single Ad for “Vote for Kris Patton” by Michelle Key.
