NASHVILLE — Newspapers across Tennessee won top awards in the Tennessee Press Association’s 2008 newspaper contests, co-sponsored by the University of Tennessee.
The Tennessean in Nashville, the Leaf-Chronicle in Clarksville, the Southern Standard in McMinnville, the Memphis Business Journal 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 five categories based on average weekly circulation, including small and large daily and non-daily papers.
The Nebraska Press Association judged a total of 1,394 contest entries from 77 association papers.
The Leaf-Chronicle also earned the most first-place honors with eight. It won for make-up and appearance, local features, best personal humor column, best spot news story, best education reporting, investigative reporting, public service and best sports photograph.
The Tennessean won six first-place awards, for sports writing, Sunday editions, editorials, best spot news story, best feature photograph and best sports photograph.
The Memphis Business Journal won six first-place awards, for make-up and appearance, editorials, best single editorial, best news reporting, best education reporting and investigative reporting.
The Oak Ridger won five first-place awards, for make-up and appearance, local features, best single feature, best personal humor column and best feature photograph.
UT has co-sponsored the annual contest since 1940.
The university’s Edward J. Meeman Foundation honored nine newspapers for their accomplishments in editorial writing and public service journalism with $200 awards in the categories of best single editorial, editorials and public service.
The foundation was established in 1968 at UT to fund the contests as well as journalism scholarships and faculty fellowships. One newspaper, the Memphis Business Journal, won two awards for best single editorial and editorials.
Other newspapers receiving Meeman awards were the News Sentinel in Knoxville, the Leaf-Chronicle and the Newport Plain Talk, public service; the Kingsport Times-News, the Daily News Journal in Murfreesboro, the Wilson Post in Lebanon, and the Milan Mirror-Exchange, best single editorial; and Grainger Today in Bean Station, editorials.
Winners of four first-place awards:
• The LaFollette Press, for best single feature, sports writing, best feature photograph and best sports photograph;
• The News Sentinel, for best single feature, best news reporting, headline writing and public service;
• The Commercial Appeal in Memphis, for local features, best personal column, best education reporting and investigative reporting; and
• The Erwin Record, for local features, community lifestyles, sports writing and best news reporting.
Winners of three first-place awards:
• The Chattanooga Times Free Press, for make-up and appearance, community lifestyles and best news photograph;
• The Herald-Citizen in Cookeville, for sports writing, best news reporting and best special issue or section;
• Shelbyville Times-Gazette, for sports writing, best spot news story and best special issue or section;
• Southern Standard in McMinnville, for best news reporting, headline writing and promotion of newspapers;
• The Humboldt Chronicle, for make-up and appearance, public service and best special issue or section;
• The Mountain Press in Sevierville, for community lifestyles, editorials and best feature photograph; and
• The Wilson Post in Lebanon, for community lifestyles, best single editorial and investigative reporting.
Other first-place award winners:
-Chester County Independent, Henderson, best personal humor column and best feature photograph;
-Grainger Today, Bean Station, editorials and best personal column;
-Kingsport Times-News, best single editorial and best single advertisement;
-Mt. Juliet News, best education reporting and investigative reporting;
-The Daily News Journal, Murfreesboro, best single editorial and best news photograph;
-The Leader, Covington, best spot news story and headline writing;
-The Milan Mirror-Exchange, best single editorial and best sports photograph;
-The Newport Plain Talk, best education reporting and public service;
-Bristol Herald Courier, best special issue or section;
-Carroll County News-Leader, best single feature;
-Citizen Tribune, Morristown, headline writing;
-Herald and Tribune, Jonesborough, best news photograph;
-Hickman County Times, Centerville, best personal humor column;
-Johnson City Press, best personal humor column;
-Macon County Chronicle, Red Boiling Springs, community lifestyles;
-Monroe County Advocate & Democrat, Sweetwater, best news photograph;
-Overton County News, Livingston, best single advertisement;
-Roane County News, Kingston, best news photograph;
-Robertson County Times, Springfield, best personal column;
-The Daily Herald, Columbia, promotion of newspapers;
-The Daily News, Memphis, local features;
-The Daily Times, Maryville, best single feature;
-The Greeneville Sun, best personal column;
-The Lebanon Democrat, editorials;
-The Millington Star, headline writing;
-The Paris Post-Intelligencer, best personal column;
-The Portland Leader, best spot news story;
-The Rogersville Review, best special issue or section;
-The Standard Banner, Jefferson City, public service; and
-Union City Daily Messenger, best sports photograph.
A complete list of winners is available by visiting http://www.utk.edu/news/docs/tpa2008.pdf.
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Contacts:
Charles Primm, UT Media Relations (865-974-5180)
Robyn Gentile, Tennessee Press Association (865-584-5761)
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