1. Communications - Mackie Awards
What are they?
The Donald M. Mackie Awards are presented annually at the National Convention for newsletters and websites. Judges are selected on the basis of their expertise in the field of journalism, newsletter and web publishing or a related field.
Your judges this year were:
■ Amy L. Wittman, editor in chief of SEAPOWER magazine and staff VP of Communications. Nearly 30 years in journalism and communications.
■ Peter Atkinson, SEAPOWER deputy editor and freelance journalist. Nearly 30 years in journalism and communications.
■ Senior Chief Dean O. Lohmeyer, MCCS(SW/AW), Navy Office of Information. Areas of expertise include public affairs, reporting, editing, photography, websites and newsletters, project management.
Navy League of the United States
Citizens in Support of the Sea Services

2. Communications - Mackie Awards
Award-Winning Newsletters
Twenty-five councils submitted newsletters from 2015 that met the criteria for judging. The highest possible score: 35 X 3 = 105
Large Councils (1 entry)
San Diego - 74
Medium Councils (17 entries)
Pensacola – 99
Sarasota-Manatee - 94
New Mexico - 90
Small Councils (6 entries)
Yuma - 85
Colorado Springs - 80
Sacramento - 74
Citizens in Support of the Sea Services

3. Communications - Mackie Awards
Award-Winning Newsletters
Criteria for judging the newletters, on a scale of 1 (least effective) to 5 (most effective), were:
■ Quality of Writing – Do you have the five Ws? Is it grammatically correct and free from typos?
■ Readability & Layout – Is it easy to read or did someone have fun with fonts and colors?
■ Timeliness – Is content current for the frequency of the publication?
■ Subject Matter – Do you reflect the mission/programs of your council/NLUS?
■ Visibility in the Community – Do your photos/articles reflect active engagement with your community, outside of your own council?
■ Good Use of Photographs – Are they in focus, in an appealing arrangement and appropriately captioned/identified?
■ Distribution – Did your accompanying materials list to whom the publication is sent?
Citizens in Support of the Sea Services

4. Communications - Mackie Awards
Award-Winning Websites
Eighteen council websites were deemed by the IT Committee to be eligible for judging. The highest possible score: 60 X 3 = 180
Bremerton-Olympic Peninsula - 148
Offers local content, relevant sea service and HQ links, easy-to-find contact information and an opportunity to engage.
Sarasota-Manatee - 135
Offers local content, calendar of events, relevant links and links to other social media platforms.
Corona Riverside - 132
Simple, easy to navigate, relevant links and contact information, nice photo galleries.
Citizens in Support of the Sea Services

5. Communications - Mackie Awards
Award-Winning Websites
Criteria for judging websites, on a scale of 1 (least effective) to 10 (most effective), were:
■ Authenticity – Is the domain name/URL a reasonable descriptor for the council?
■ Appearance – Did someone have too much fun with fonts and colors? Are the images and graphics sharp, are the layouts balanced?
■ Design & Navigation – Is content logically organized and the site easy to navigate? Is the purpose of each page easily identified?
■ Website Content – Can content be easily found? Is it well written and true to brand? Is a search function available?
■ Functionality – Does the site work for a number of browsers or platforms? Are all components/links/forms functional? Are the skills required to navigate the site appropriate for the audience?
■ Security – If online ordering is offered, is it secure? Are there addresses or a “Contact Us” page? Does it have a comprehensive Privacy
Policy?
Citizens in Support of the Sea Services