MURRAY, Ky. — The Murray State News earned first place in general excellence in advertising and first place in general excellence in news at the 2020 Kentucky Press Association (KPA) annual conference held in Lexington, Kentucky, on Jan. 23 and 24.
The student newspaper staff garnered 16 first-place wins, 17 second-place honors and 12 third-place mentions in various news and advertising categories in the student publications class 1 category.
First issued in 1927, The News is entirely student-produced, written and edited. The paper is issued weekly, with updates posted on thenews.org and social media. Students also sell and design advertisements as well as design the print publication.
“I am incredibly proud of all the student journalists at The Murray State News for their esteemed accomplishments at this year’s conference,” said Murray State assistant professor Stephanie Anderson, the paper’s faculty advisor. “Our students are among the top not just in Kentucky but in the country. Their hard work to produce a quality newspaper, online content and an online newscast while also maintaining a high level of academic success is impressive.
“The students take pride in their work and their responsibility to bring the students, faculty and staff the news on campus. This is service learning at its best. I can’t think of a more practical hands-on option for journalism students than to work for The Murray State News. I am grateful to have the opportunity to advise this group of award-winning student journalists and provide them with a real-world experience while completing their degree.”
“KPA is a phenomenal experience for anyone who goes,” said Megan Reynolds, editor-in-chief of The Murray State News. “It‘s full of teaching moments, academia, shared passion and pride in your fellow peers and journalists. Seeing my staff get the recognition they so deserve was amazing, and I am so proud of them. I know that they have even more greatness ahead of them.”
Additionally, Anderson was recently elected chair of the Kentucky Intercollegiate Press Association (KIPA) for 2020-21. Murray State University will host the annual KIPA conference in August. Associate professor of journalism and mass communications Dr. Melony Shemberger also presented a session at the KPA conference on investigative reporting.
The comprehensive list of awards includes:
First place:
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General Excellence in News
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General Excellence in Advertising
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Best Breaking News Coverage
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Best General News Story
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Best Feature Story
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Best Sports Feature Story
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Best Video
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Best General News Picture
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Best Picture Essay
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Best Graphic
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Best Front Page
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Best Financial Ad
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Best Use of Color in an Ad
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Best Sports Story
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Best Business/Agribusiness Story
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Best Special Section
Second place:
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Best General News Story
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Best Feature Story
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Best Columnist
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Best Sports Feature Story
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Best Enterprise or Analytical Story
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Best Investigative Story or Series
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Best On-Going/Extended Coverage Story
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Best Use of Social Media or multimedia
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Best Use of Video
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Best Picture Essay
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Best Graphic
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Best Front Page
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Best Use of Color in an Ad
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Best Special Events Ad
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Best Sports Story
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Best Business/Agribusiness Story
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Best Editorial Writer
Third place:
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Best General News Story
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Best Features Story
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Best Sports Feature Story
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Best On-Going/Extended Coverage Story
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Best Use of Social Media or Multimedia
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Best Video
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Best Feature Picture
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Best Picture Essay
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Best Front Page
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Best Headline Writer
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Best Editorial Writer
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Best Special Section