The Southern Standard represented Warren County well at Friday's Tennessee Press Association (TPA) Newspaper Contest awards held in Franklin at the Embassy Suites Hotel. The contest is co-sponsored by the University of Tennessee System and celebrates excellence in all areas of journalism.
The Standard came away with 12 top-five finishes and four first-place plaques in the annual competition which fielded 1,060 entries from 71 newspapers across the state. The Standard's first-place wins in Circulation Group III came in the categories of Best Graphics and/or Illustrations, Make-Up and Appearance, Best News Photograph and Best Sports Writing.
Judges from the New York Press Association provided comments concerning the winning entries. Of the Standard's award-winning graphics, the judges remarked, "really excellent variety and use of graphic elements to enhance the stories."
Standard Sports Editor Jeffery Simmons took the Best Sports Writing category with what the judges declared, "Best of a solid bunch."
Standard Managing Editor Seth Wright's November, 2022 redesign of the paper earned praise from the judges in bestowing the Make-Up and Appearance award.
"Really great front pages put this paper on top. Creative but clean layouts, energetic photos and a distinct look all combine for a powerful look. The gray gradient is unique, at least to the contest, and is used smartly. That and the consistency in the headline font keep the paper tied together. Every page is recognizable immediately as a Southern Standard page. Headline size is appropriately adjusted depending on the story. Photos are high-quality. Now imagine color on every page! Very well done; I was glad to make this my No. 1," the judges said.
Former Standard News Editor Bethany Porter won her second consecutive Best News Photograph title with a photo published on Sept. 3, 2023 of a structure fire on Tom Grissom Road.
Judges commented, "The perfect snapshot in time, showcasing the horrors of a family losing everything, while reminding us of the ferocity of fire and how powerful it truly is. This is what readers look for in their local newspaper."
In addition to the four first-place awards, Wright's Business Pulse placed third in Business Coverage, the Standard website placed fifth in Digital Presentation, J.L. Jacobs' photo of a goat visiting a nursing home placed fourth in Feature Photo, Porter's photo of a heated confrontation at a public meeting earned fifth in News Photo, the reporting of Porter and Jacobs on the McNeilus Steel controversy placed fifth in News Reporting, Wright's column about a run-in with a skunk placed fourth in Personal Humor Column, Simmons' story of Leela Beaty's recovery from a horrific traffic accident took fifth in Single Feature, and a combination of stories from the entire editorial staff took second in Local Features.
Standard Publisher Patricia Zechman expressed her pride in the staff and their continued drive to better serve their readers.
"It was a great showing. We feel these awards are an encouraging recognition from our peers of the work we do to better inform and serve our community," Zechman said.
