The Chestnut Hill Local was awarded second place in its category in the 2023 Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association Foundation's News Organization of the Year Awards. This prestigious recognition is bestowed upon the top-performing newspapers in Pennsylvania across all departments, including news coverage, photography, advertising, and community service. Recognition is given to the top two news organizations in the Multi-day Publication and Weekly Publication categories. 

The first-place winner in the Weekly Publication category was TheBurg, a monthly magazine distributed in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, making the Local the top weekly newspaper in the Commonwealth. 

In the Multi-day category, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Scranton Times-Tribune placed first and second, respectively. 

“This award is an immense source of pride for our entire team,” said John Derr, publisher of the Local. “It reflects the talent and dedication of our reporters, editors, designers, advertising sales staff, and operations team who work tirelessly to deliver exceptional news content to you, our loyal readers, each week, in paper and online.”

The Chestnut Hill Local was among nearly 120 news organizations across Pennsylvania that competed for the News Organization of the Year awards throughout the year. Newspapers were judged on multiple aspects of their operations, including the quality of journalism and writing, depth of reporting, excellence in photography and visuals, digital innovation, advertising strategy and community service impact. Points were tallied across these areas to determine the top performing newspapers statewide.

As the only weekly news publication honored in the News Organization of the Year Awards, the Chestnut Hill Local accumulated the highest points across all judging criteria among its peers, demonstrating its consistent commitment to the values of outstanding journalism, community relevance, and business innovation.

“This award is a testament to our staff, who strive every day to inform our readers about our stories. The Local ensures that our small, but vibrant and diverse community is not ignored or marginalized. I am proud to live in a community with such a rich history of local journalism. And I am not surprised others have taken notice of the quality of our weekly paper,” remarked Joel Barras, president of the Chestnut Hill Local Board of Directors.

"I am so incredibly proud of our entire team,” said Carla Robinson, editor of The Local. “For a paper of our size to earn this honor is truly amazing. I think it also reflects well on the community that we cover – a vibrant place with no shortage of interesting people and stories to write about."

According to Derr, the award validates the Local’s mission to provide Chestnut Hill and surrounding neighborhoods with a reliable and engaging source of local news and information. 

“Our dedicated editorial staff works tirelessly to uncover stories that impact your lives – from zoning changes and development plans to new businesses opening, and profiling inspiring residents who make a difference. We take pride in delivering news that's hyper-local, meaningful and actionable for our readers.”

The people who run the advertising and marketing desks also stand out, Derr said. 

“Our advertising and marketing team aims to support local businesses and organizations by offering customized marketing and advertising solutions that engage our loyal readership and drive results,” Derr said. “As a 65-year-old newspaper, supporting local commerce has always been central to our purpose. This award recognizes our advertising department's creativity and partnership with businesses across Northwest Philadelphia.”

Derr said that everyone, including the community, has a share in this award.  

“We could not fulfill our mission without you, our readers. Thank you for supporting local journalism by reading the Local each week, and for your subscriptions, contributions, suggestions, and engagement with our editorial and advertising staff over the years. We aim to continually earn your trust and deliver a news product that informs, entertains, advocates, and connects this community we share.”