NASHVILLE — Newspapers across Tennessee won top awards in the Tennessee Press Association’s 2007 newspaper contests, co-sponsored by the University of Tennessee.
UT has co-sponsored the annual contest since 1940.
The Commercial Appeal in Memphis, the Daily Herald in Columbia, the Standard Banner in Jefferson City and the Erwin Record won the top general excellence awards at the association’s annual luncheon held today in Nashville.
General Excellence honors are based on total points accumulated for all award categories.
Awards were given in four circulation categories — large and small daily publications and large and small non-dailies.
The Hoosier State Press Association in Indiana judged a total of 1,374 contest entries from 77 association papers.
The Commercial Appeal also earned the most first-place honors with 11. It won for make-up and appearance, community lifestyles, Sunday editions, editorials, best personal column, best personal humor column, best news reporting, investigative reporting, public service, best sports photograph and best special issue or section.
The Daily News Journal in Murfreesboro won five first-place awards, for make-up and appearance, local features, editorials, best spot news story and headline writing.
UT’s Edward J. Meeman Foundation awarded $100 prizes to eight newspapers for their accomplishments in editorial writing and public service journalism. The foundation was established in 1968 at UT to fund the contests as well as journalism scholarships.
Newspapers receiving Meeman awards were the Commercial Appeal and the Mountain Press in Sevierville, public service; Bristol Herald Courier, Memphis Business Journal, the Daily Herald, and Buffalo River Review in Linden, best single editorial; and the Herald-News in Dayton and the Courier News in Clinton, editorials.
Winners of four first-place awards:
Chattanooga Times Free Press, for best education reporting, headline writing, best feature photograph and best single advertisement;
Memphis Business Journal, for best single editorial, best personal column, best education reporting and investigative reporting; and
The Leaf-Chronicle, Clarksville, for best single feature, investigative reporting, best sports photograph and best special issue or section.
Winners of three first-place awards:
The Daily Herald, for best education reporting, best news reporting and best single editorial;
The Erwin Record, for best spot news story, headline writing and promotion of newspapers;
The Standard Banner, for make-up and appearance, best single feature and headline writing; and
The Tennessean, Nashville, for sports writing, best spot news story and best news photograph.
Other first-place award winners:
-Chester County Independent, Henderson, sports writing and best feature photograph;
-News Sentinel, Knoxville, local features and best single feature;
-Southern Standard, McMinnville, local features and sports writing;
-The Courier News, Clinton, make-up and appearance and editorials;
-The Herald-News, Dayton, editorials and best personal humor column;
-The Mountain Press, public service and best feature photograph;
-The News Examiner, Gallatin, best news reporting and best special issue or section;
-Ashland City Times, community lifestyles;
-Bristol Herald Courier, best single editorial;
-Buffalo River Review, best single editorial;
-Carroll County News-Leader, Huntingdon, best news reporting;
-Citizen Tribune, Morristown, community lifestyles;
-Crossville Chronicle, best feature photograph;
-Herald and Tribune, Jonesborough, best personal humor column;
-Livingston Enterprise, best news photograph;
-Monroe County Advocate & Democrat, Sweetwater, best single feature;
-Mt. Juliet News, public service;
-News-Herald, Lenoir City, best spot news story;
-Overton County News, Livingston, best single advertisement;
-The Cordova Beacon, best personal column;
-The Courier, Savannah, best news photograph;
-The Daily News, Memphis, promotion of newspapers;
-The Daily Post-Athenian, best news photograph;
-The Daily Times, Maryville, sports writing;
-The Elk Valley Times, Fayetteville, community lifestyles;
-The Humboldt Chronicle, best special issue or section;
-The Leader, Covington, public service;
-The Milan Mirror-Exchange, best education reporting;
-The Millington Star, best sports photograph;
-The Oak Ridger, best personal column;
-The Portland Leader, local features;
-The Wilson Post, Lebanon, best sports photograph;
-Union City Daily Messenger, best personal humor column; and
-Weakley County Press, Martin, investigative reporting.
A complete list of winners is available by visiting http://www.utk.edu/news/tpa2007.pdf
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Contact:
Charles Primm, UT Media Relations (865-974-5180)
Robyn Gentile, Tennessee Press Association (865-584-5761)
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