FROM STAFF REPORTS

COLUMBIANA – Shelby County Newspapers Inc. earned the Alabama Press Association’s top editorial award for the ninth-straight year during the association’s annual awards banquet on June 20.

Shelby County Newspapers also won the APA’s top advertising award, bringing the company’s total number of APA awards to 48 this year.

Seventy newspapers submitted 2,888 entries in the editorial contest, and 44 newspapers submitted 1,032 entries in the advertising contest. The entries were judged by the Tennessee Press Association.

Shelby County Newspapers Inc. publishes the Shelby County Reporter, Alabaster Reporter, Pelham Reporter, Helena Reporter, 280 Reporter, Shelby Living and Hoover’s Magazine.

The Shelby County Reporter competes in category C against other large weekly newspapers.

This year marks the ninth-consecutive year the Shelby County Reporter has won the General Excellence award, which is the top editorial award given in the APA’s Better Newspaper Contest.

Shelby County Newspapers Inc. received the following awards in this year’s contest:

 

Editorial awards

General Excellence

Most Improved

Best Lifestyles Page: First place

Best Local News Coverage: First place

Best Special Section: First place for Profile

Best Photo Essay: First place for “Winner take all” by Jon Goering

Best News Feature Story: First Place for “A City’s Love” by Neal Wagner

Best Sports Feature Story: First place for “One-Wheeled Warriors” by Neal Wagner

Best Newspaper Website: Second place

Best Sports Page: Second place

Best Local Economic Coverage: Second place

Best Local Education Coverage: Second place

Best Use of Photographs: Second place

Best Layout and Design: Second place

Best In-Depth News Coverage: Second place for 2014 winter storm coverage by staff

Best Feature Story: Second place for “One-Wheeled Warriors” by Neal Wagner

Best Sports News In-Depth Coverage: Second place for “Sullivan cycling record” by Drew Granthum

Best News Photo: Second place for “Purple versus Gold” and third place “Students cheer” by Jon Goering

Best Sports Photo: Second place for “Rider on bucking bronco” by Jon Goering

Best Use of Graphics and Illustrations: Third place for “In your neighborhood” by Jamie Dawkins and Amanda Porter

Best Presswork: Third place

Best Editorial Page or Section: Third place

Best Headline: Third place for “Building character”

Best Niche Publication: Second place for Shelby Living

Creative Use of Multimedia: Third place for interactive special sections

Best Online Breaking News: Second place for 2014 winter storm coverage by staff and third place for “Missing diver” by Molly Davidson

Best Use of Social Media: Second place for “Trending” and third place for “Spotted”

 

Advertising awards

Advertising Sweepstakes

Best Classified Section: Second Place

Best Single Ad over 1/2 Page Color: First and third place for Rhett McCreight’s Vulcan Termite ads

Best Regularly Scheduled Special Section: First place for Profile, second place for Football magazine and third place for Buck Creek Festival Guide

Best One-Time Special Section: First Place for Election Guide, second place for Pelhambration Guide

Best Advertising Campaign: Second Place for Rhett McCreight’s Vulcan Termite campaign

Best Original/Creative Idea: Second Place for Rhett McCreight’s Vulcan Termite campaign

Best Classified Display Ad: Second place for Kim McCulla’s USA Tax Service ad

Best Niche Publication: Second place for Hoover’s Magazine

Best Presentation for Online Advertising: First place

Best Innovative Online Advertising: First place for Meagan Mims’ Coolbox ad, second place for Rhett McCreight’s Re/Max ad, third place for Ashley Duckett’s Heart of Dixie Railroad ad

Best Online Revenue Builder: Second place for daily emails