The Religion Communicators Council recently granted FCNL five DeRose-Hinkhouse Awards in recognition of the excellence of its communications work in 2019. RCC is the oldest group of its kind and the DeRose-Hinkhouse is most prestigious in the field of religious communications.
“The DeRose-Hinkhouse Awards are external validations of the quality of FCNL’s work and its growing success in reaching new audiences,” said Diane Randall, FCNL general secretary. “The organization’s Forward Plan calls for expanding its media, marketing, and communications work.”
The awards were given for an op-ed, “Diplomacy is the Best Way to Achieve Peace with Iran,” published in Real Clear Religion. The Washington Newsletter and an online media kit on the poorest and hungriest U.S. states also bagged awards.
Awards were also given to two radio public service announcements (PSAs)—one on immigration and another on ending gun violence. Together, these two PSAs were aired by 3,237 stations reaching just over 24 million people. In advertising terms, the publicity generated by these PSAs was valued at $175,000.
“I am grateful to the communications team and our FCNL colleagues for helping us to always reach for the highest possible standards in religious communications,” said Adlai Amor, FCNL’s associate general secretary for communications. “This year’s awards are particularly significant since the competition was opened to more religion publishers and broadcasting networks.”
Last year, FCNL won three DeRose-Hinkhouse awards for its annual report, a book on FCNL’s history, and the Washington Newsletter.