State Press Contests

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

2013 UT-TPA State Press Contests
Deadline: February 22, 2013

New for 2013, State Press Contests entries must be made online. The entry window opens Jan. 14, 2013. The deadline is Feb. 22, 2013.

Entry Rules and information

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2012 State Press Contests Awards presented July 13

First place winners in the 2012 UT-TPA State Press Contests. Photo by Donn Jones, Donn Jones Photography

Master List of Winners by Category 2012
Excel File with list of winners, captions and contributors 2012
Press Release 2012 Logo for 2012 winners
Lists of winners in previous years

Newspaper editors, writers, designers and publishers won top awards in the University of Tennessee - Tennessee Press Association's 2012 Tennessee State Press Contests.

The Tennessean (Nashville), The Jackson Sun, Southern Standard (McMinnville), Grainger Today (Bean Station), Gallatin News Examiner and Herald and Tribune (Jonesborough) won the top General Excellence Awards presented at the Awards Luncheon on Friday, July 13 in Nashville.

This marks the fourth time in five years that Southern Standard has won the general excellence award. The Southern Standard has won 10 total General Excellence Awards since the award became a points-based award in 1999.

This also marks the third year in a row that The Jackson Sun has won in its division. This year's results also produced a rare tie, with Grainger Today and the Gallatin News Examiner sharing the General Excellence Award in Division Two. The Tennessean has won a total of nine General Excellence Awards.

The Texas Press Association judged a total of 1,401 entries from 73 of the association's 122 member newspapers. UT has co-sponsored the annual contest since 1940.

Other highlights:
The Tennessean received nine first-place honors in its circulation category, for best single feature, sports writing, editorials, best spot news coverage, best news reporting, best education reporting, investigative reporting, best special issue or section and best website.

The Shelbyville Times-Gazette and Southern Standard each received six first-place awards. The Times-Gazette won for make-up and appearance, best personal column, investigative reporting, headline writing, public service and best special issue or section. Southern Standard won for best single feature, editorials, best personal humor column, best spot news coverage, best news reporting and promotion of newspapers.

UT’s Edward J. Meeman Foundation honored newspapers for their accomplishments in editorial writing and public service journalism with $250 awards in the categories of editorials, best single editorial and public service.

Newspapers receiving Meeman awards:
The Tennessean, The Leaf-Chronicle (Clarksville), Southern Standard, Memphis Business Journal and The Portland Leader, editorials;

News Sentinel (Knoxville), The Daily Herald (Columbia), The Mountain Press (Sevierville), Grainger Today and Herald and Tribune, best single editorial; and

News Sentinel, The Leaf-Chronicle, Shelbyville Times-Gazette, Gallatin News Examiner and Chester County Independent (Henderson), public service.

The Edward J. Meeman Foundation was established in 1968 at UT to fund the contests, provide professional critiques of journalists' work and support journalism students and faculty.

Additional top winners in the overall contest include:
Chattanooga Times Free Press, for local features, best personal column, best news photograph, best sports photograph and promotion of newspapers;

Gallatin News Examiner, for best personal column, best news reporting, investigative reporting, public service and best special issue or section; and

News Sentinel, for make-up and appearance, Sunday editions, best graphics and/or illustrations, best single editorial and public service.

University of Tennessee - Tennessee Press Association
Tennessee State Press Contests

General Excellence / Sweepstakes Award winners 1999-2012

2012

Winners List 2012

Press Release 2012

2011

Winners List & Press Release

2010

Winners List

Press Release

2009

Winners List

Press Release

2008