Over the years, New Brunswick Today has been honored with over a dozen awards from the New Jersey Society of Professional Journalists.
Awbrey Award for Community-Oriented Local Journalism
“The Awbrey honors the weekly or local online publication that goes beyond standard reporting of local events, instead seeking to inspire communities to better themselves,” according to the New Jersey Society of Professional Journalists (NJ-SPJ).
Editor Charlie Kratovil won the prestigious award in 2016 for his work in 2015 covering the embattled New Brunswick Water Utility during a tumultuous time for the city.
“New Brunswick Today is being honored for a series of stories it called Watergate — except unlike the original Watergate, this one involves actual water. The mainly web-based independent news operation (it publishes a monthly print edition) engaged in a relentless inquiry into the operations of New Brunswick’s water treatment plant, ofttimes putting itself at odds with city officials. Kratovil’s dogged efforts helped raise the profile of an important local issue and helped New Brunswick residents get and stay involved in the matter.”
“NJ-SPJ contest winners, announced!”
New Jersey Society of Professional Journalists
Wilson Barto Rookie of The Year Award
Carlos Ramirez started reporting at New Brunswick Today when he was just 14 years old. In his first year as a local reporter, Carlos shined a light on many important issues that were of great interest to New Brunswick’s Latino community and the general public.
“Carlos tackled serious issues ranging from the hot button immigration issue to a fight at a local school,” wrote the judges, who gave Carlos the third-place Barto Award in 2017. “Carlos is a strong writer and captured everyone’s views in his stories.”
Tim O’Brien Award for Open Public Records Act Reporting
New Brunswick Today is known for its use of the important Open Public Records Act, also known as “OPRA.” In 2016, Daniel Muñoz was the first-place winner of the prestigious NJ-SPJ award for local reporting that made use of this law.
Daniel’s coverage of privacy concerns surrounding the controversial “anti-cheating software” rolled out by Rutgers University in 2015 led to the award, as well as coverage in the New York Times and many other national news organizations.
Local Enterprise Series Investigative Reporting Award
Editor Charlie Kratovil’s series of articles about the New Brunswick Housing Authority were awarded the NJ-SPJ’s first-place award in the local enterprise/investigative/series category in 2016. The judges stated that “these articles reflect effort and guts in holding an important local agency accountable.”
The following year, Charlie once again took home the first-place award in this category, this time for his coverage of the New Brunswick Water Utility.
Best Arts & Entertainment Coverage
Music reporter Bennett Kelly won consecutive first place Best Arts & Entertainment Coverage awards from the NJ-SPJ in 2022 and 2023.
In 2022, he won for a series of 2021 articles filed as “Chronicling the New Brunswick, NJ Music Scene.” In 2023, he won for his 2022 article “New Brunswick’s Number One Hit “Brandy” Turns 50,” which looks back at the city’s 1960’s and 1970’s music scene through the Looking Glass song “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl).”
All Journalism Awards
2023 NJ-SPJ
Best Arts & Entertainment Coverage, First Place – Bennett Kelly (“New Brunswick’s Number One Hit “Brandy” Turns 50”)
2022 NJ-SPJ
Best Arts & Entertainment Coverage, First Place – Bennett Kelly (“Chronicling the New Brunswick, NJ Music Scene”)
2021 NJ Press Association
Online Breaking News, Third Place – Charlie Kratovil (“Homeless Left Out in Bitter Cold as City Abruptly Closes “Code Blue” Warming Center”)
2017 NJ-SPJ
Best Public Service Local Journalism, First Place – Sarah Beth Kaye, Charles Kratovil, Silvana Escobar, Carlos Ramirez, Hernan Guarderas, Jennifer Goldberg, and Chris Roberts (“Immigration Issue Takes Center Stage in New Brunswick”)
Best Local News, First Place – Charlie Kratovil (“Christie Judge Nominee Stripped of Pension by Fraud & Abuse Unit”). Judges Comment: “This entry rose to the top with original and exclusive coverage of an important topic.”
Best Enterprise/Series/Investigative Reporting, First Place – Charlie Kratovil (“Watergate: Corruption Continues at the New Brunswick Water Utility”)
Best Health-Science-Technology-Environmental Reporting, First Place – Danielle Bruno (“Scientists Question Use of Biosolids, Citing Potential For Heavy Metal Contamination”). Judges Comment: “Thorough, well-sourced and reported.”
Best Headline Writing, First Place – Charlie Kratovil and Matthew Wozniak (“Growing Concerns About Police Credibility in County Where Culture of Retaliation Dominates”). Judges Comment: “The headline of the winning entry is strong, local and newsy. There are overall strong ties between the story and the headline.“
Best Business Reporting, Second Place – Dave Schatz (“Latest Risperdal Verdict: J&J Hit With $70 Million in Compensatory Damages”). Judges Comment: “Thorough, in-depth court reporting.”
Best State or Regional News, Second Place – Charlie Kratovil (“Meet RWJ Barnabas Healths Secret Board of Trustees”)
Wilson Barto Rookie of the Year, Third Place – Carlos Ramirez (“Showdown Over New School Transportation Policy Set For BOE Meeting”). Judges Comment: “Carlos tackled serious issues ranging from the hot button immigration issue to a fight at a local school. Carlos is a strong writer and captured everyone’s views in his stories.”
2016 NJ-SPJ
Stuart and Beverly Awbrey Award, First Place – CHARLES KRATOVIL of the hyperlocal website New Brunswick Today is the winner of the Stuart and Beverley Awbrey Award for community service by a local publication. The Awbrey honors the weekly or local online publication that goes beyond standard reporting of local events, instead seeking to inspire communities to better themselves.
Tim O’Brien Award, First Place – DANIEL MUÑOZ of New Brunswick Today was the first-place winner of the Tim O’Brien Award, local division, for a series of stories about the use of anti-cheating software at Rutgers University. The software costs Rutgers students $32 a class, and uses facial and knuckle recognition technology.
Best Local Investigative Reporting, First Place – Charlie Kratovil for series of articles on the New Brunswick Housing Authority, one of which resulted in the resignation of that agency’s chairman in August 2015. NJ-SPJ Comment: “These articles reflect effort and guts in holding an important local agency accountable”
Best Business Reporting, Second Place – Dave Schatz (“J&J is Largest Contributor to Pharma Lobbying Group Opposing California Ballot Question”)
Best Headline Writing, Third Place – Richard Rabinowitz, Charlie Kratovil, Michael Benavides, and David Bedford (“Concerns About Corruption, Parking, and Urban Design Come Together in 17 Mine Street Hearings”)
Best Cartoon, First Place – Sam Romero (“Rutgers Football Under Arrest”)
