State Press Contests

*Access to publishers only.

Directory information for TPA member newspapers may be found under "Newspapers Online" or by calling to order your copy of the 2009 Tennessee Newspaper Directory today. ($40 cover price waived for members and clients.)

2010 State Press Contests entries must be postmarked by Feb. 8, 2010
2010 State Press Contests entry packet
Changes will be implemented in the University of Tennessee-Tennessee Press Association State Press Contests for 2010. The TPA Board of Directors acted on the proposed changes recommended by the Contests Committee during their Dec. 16 teleconference. Some of the changes are the result of improvements suggested by contest entrants. 2010 Entry Packet

New this year is a contest for Best Web Site. Another significant change is to allow online content to be submitted along with print in the category of Best Spot News Coverage, which was previously named Best Spot News Story. After this year’s test period, the board will consider allowing online content in other categories.

Additional changes include an increase of the number of stories in the Investigative Reporting entry from three to five, and the contest for Headline Writing now will allow the entry to include headlines written by more than one person.

The divisions for the contests will continue to be calculated on a newspaper’s total weekly paid circulation. Figures used in the 2010 Tennessee Newspaper Directory will be used to determine a newspaper’s division.

The divisions are:
Division One: Paid combined weekly circulation of 5,000 or less
Division Two: Paid combined weekly circulation of 5,001 to 15,000
Division Three: Paid combined weekly circulation of 15,001 to 50,000
Division Four: Paid combined weekly circulation of 50,001 to 200,000
Division Five: Paid combined weekly circulation of 200,001 and above.

Entry fees remain $9 per entry. The entry packet will be mailed to every member newspaper’s publisher or editor next week and posted to www.tnpress.com.

The deadline for entries is Monday, Feb. 8, 2010. Entries must be postmarked by the deadline, not arrive at TPA by the date.

UT has partnered with TPA to co-sponsor the contests since 1940. UT will provide the winner’s plaques and certificates and coordinate the awards presentation.

TPA will need judges on Feb. 25 and 26 to meet obligations to Illinois Press Association, its 2010 reciprocal judging partner. Details about the judging will be mailed, e-mailed and publicized on tnpress.com.

If you feel like TPA just judged a contest, you are correct. TPA members judged the Kentucky Press Association’s contest in mid-November. However, that was for TPA’s 2009 judging obligation. TPA asks all members who enter the contest to supply a judge for Illinois in February.

2009 UT-TPA State Press Contests Awards Presented June 19
Winners of the 2009 UT-TPA State Press Contests Awards were announced at a luncheon on Friday, June 19 at the Sheraton Read House Hotel in Chattanooga.

The Commercial Appeal (Memphis), The Daily Herald (Columbia), the Southern Standard (McMinnville), The Standard Banner (Jefferson City) and The Erwin Record won the top general excellence awards

General excellence honors are based on total points accumulated for all award categories. This marks the seventh consecutive year the Erwin Record has won the top award for its category. The Southern Standard has received eight General Excellence awards out of the 11 since the points-based award was established in 1999.

Contest awards are given in five categories based on average weekly circulation, including small and large daily and non-daily papers. The Kentucky Press Association judged a total of 1,477 contest entries from 84 association papers.

UT has co-sponsored the annual contest since 1940.

Winners List 2009 Press Release 2009

Winners' Logo

General Excellence 1999-2009 and winners lists 2000-09

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University of Tennessee - Tennessee Press Association
Tennessee State Press Contests

General Excellence / Sweepstakes Award winners 1999-2009

2009

Winners List

Press Release

2008

Winners List

Press Release

2007

Winners List