Oxford Free Press wins three awards from statewide journalism competition
The Oxford Free Press won three awards, including first place in Public Service / Social Issues Reporting, in the 2025 Ohio’s Best Journalism Contest. Founding Editor Sean Scott brought in the first-place award as well as two second-place awards.
The Oxford Free Press won one first-place and two second-place awards in the Ohio’s Best Journalism Contest, sponsored by the Cincinnati, Cleveland and Columbus Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ).
The contest honors print, broadcast, digital, trade, freelance and college journalists in Ohio for excellent work during the past year. The Free Press participated in the small print division for papers with circulations below 40,000.
First Place Best Public Service / Social Issues Reporting: Sean Scott
Founding Editor Sean Scott took home first place in best public service/social issues reporting for his articles on low-income housing in Oxford. The judges highlighted Scott’s ability to immerse the reader in the issue, showing he spent ample time with the community he was writing about.
“Rather than just lean on officials and advocates, he goes the extra mile to let residents of the squalid apartment complex speak, while providing management-owners with their chance to explain the situation,” one judge wrote.
Second Place Best Explanatory Journalism: Sean Scott and Stella Powers
Scott and former intern Stella Powers were awarded second place in best explanatory journalism for their shared coverage on Issue 2, Oxford’s Fire and EMS levy. Issue 2 passed with 72.9% of the vote on Nov. 5, 2024, and will raise nearly $1.3 million per year for the Oxford Fire Department. This levy will help the Fire and EMS department combat understaffing, a lack of quality equipment and a lack of funding.
Second Place Best Feature Reporting: Sean Scott
Scott also received second place for best feature reporting for his article on Kiki Harmon’s barber shop. Again, judges commented on how they felt engaged with the story and wanted to learn more about Harmon.
“This feature covered a lot of terrific territory and made me feel good (like one of her haircuts!),” one judge wrote. “I think every community should have a Kiki Harmon.”
These three awards join nine other awards that the Free Press won earlier in the year at the Ohio News Media Association’s (ONMA) 2025 Osman C. Hooper Competition on April 3.
