University of Tennessee -  Tennessee Press Association
Tennessee State Press Contests
Sweepstakes Award Winners 1999-2005
General Excellence Award 2006-2011

A Sweepstakes Award was established in 1999.  It is a points-based award.  Points are assigned as follows:  first place (6 points), second place (5 points), third place (4 points), fourth place (3 points), fifth place (2 points), sixth place (1 point).  The newspaper in each of the four contests divisions (Group One, Group Two, Group Three and Group Four) with the highest total points in its group receives the Sweepstakes Award.

In 2006, the category of General Excellence became a points-based award and replaced the Sweepstakes Award.

1999 Sweepstakes Award winners:

Group One:	Chester County Independent, Henderson
Group Two: 	The Review Appeal, Franklin
Group Three:	The Daily News Journal, Murfreesboro
Group Four:	The Tennessean, Nashville

2000 Sweepstakes Award winners:

Group One:	Chester County Independent, Henderson
Group Two:	Southern Standard, McMinnville
Group Three:	The Daily News Journal, Murfreesboro
Group Four: 	The Tennessean, Nashville

2001 Sweepstakes Award winners:

Group One:	The Rutherford Courier, Smyrna
Group Two: 	Southern Standard, McMinnville
Group Three: 	The Leaf-Chronicle, Clarksville
Group Four: 	The Tennessean, Nashville

2002 Sweepstakes Award winners:

Group One:	Chester County Independent, Henderson
Group Two: 	Southern Standard, McMinnville 
Group Three: 	The Daily News Journal, Murfreesboro
Group Four: 	Chattanooga Times Free Press

2003 Sweepstakes Award winners:

Group One:	The Erwin Record
Group Two: 	Southern Standard, McMinnville
Group Three: 	The Daily News Journal, Murfreesboro
Group Four: 	The Tennessean, Nashville

2004 Sweepstakes Award winners:

Group One:	The Erwin Record				
Group Two:	Southern Standard, McMinnville		
Group Three:	The Daily News Journal, Murfreesboro	
Group Four:	The Tennessean, Nashville		
	
2005 Sweepstakes Award winners:

Group One:	The Erwin Record				
Group Two:	Southern Standard, McMinnville		
Group Three:	The Daily News Journal, Murfreesboro	
Group Four:	The Commercial Appeal, Memphis	

2006 General Excellence Award winners:

Group One:	The Erwin Record				
Group Two:	LaFollette Press		
Group Three:	The Leaf-Chronicle, Clarksville	
Group Four:	The Tennessean, Nashville

2007 General Excellence Award winners

Group One:  The Erwin Record
Group Two:  The Standard Banner, Jefferson City
Group Three:  The Daily Herald, Columbia
Group Four:  The Commercial Appeal, Memphis

2008 General Excellence Awards winners
Note:  a fifth division was added to the State Press Contests for 2008.  All divisions are based upon total weekly paid circulation, which meant some dailies and non-dailies competed in the same division.  The divisions are as follows:
Group OneŃ-Combined weekly circulation of 5,000 or less;
Group TwoŃ-Combined weekly circulation of 5,001-15,000;
Group Three--Combined weekly circulation of 15,001-50,000;
Group Four--Combined weekly circulation of 50,001-200,000;
Group Five--Combined weekly circulation of 200,001 and above


Group One:  The Erwin Record
Group Two:  Memphis Business Journal
Group Three:  Southern Standard, McMinnville
Group Four:  The Leaf-Chronicle, Clarksville
Group Five:  The Tennessean, Nashville


2009 General Excellence Awards winners
Group One:  The Erwin Record
Group Two:  The Standard Banner, Jefferson City
Group Three:  Southern Standard, McMinnville
Group Four:  The Daily Herald, Columbia
Group Five:  The Commercial Appeal, Memphis	


2010 General Excellence Awards winners
Group One:  The Erwin Record
Group Two:  The Standard Banner, Jefferson City
Group Three:  Shelbyville Times-Gazette
Group Four:  The Jackson Sun
Group Five:  The Commercial Appeal, Memphis	


2011 General Excellence Awards winners
Group One:  The Erwin Record
Group Two:  The Standard Banner, Jefferson City
Group Three:  Southern Standard, McMinnville
Group Four:  The Jackson Sun
Group Five:  The Tennessean, Nashville