Jeff Sigmund
Communications Manager
(571) 366-1088
Jeff.Sigmund@naa.org

May 19, 2008

Awards presented during Young Reader Seminar in Phoenix

Phoenix – The Newspaper Association of America Foundation has recognized Newspaper In Education and Youth Content programs for general excellence during the Foundation’s Young Reader Seminar in Phoenix.

“As the newspaper industry strives to reach young readers, NIE programs and teen sections have proven themselves to be critical tools,” said Margaret Vassilikos, senior vice president and treasurer of the NAA Foundation. “The winners of the Foundation’s General Excellence Awards represent the best newspapers have to offer, developing the positive habit of newspaper readership at an early age.”

The awards come after the release of “Lifelong Readers: Driving Civic Engagement,” Foundation research indicating that young people who use newspapers in school and read newspaper teen content are significantly more likely to volunteer, vote and engage in civic expression as adults than those without early newspaper experience. Other Foundation research is available at www.naafoundation.org.

The General Excellence Awards are divided into circulation categories. Winners of the 2008 NAA Foundation General Excellence Awards are as follows:

Newspapers in Education Awards

Hall of Fame
The Record, Hackensack, N.J.

General Excellence, State or Regional NIE Programs
First: Missouri Press Association, Columbia
Second (tie): New Jersey Press Foundation, West Trenton
New York Newspaper Publishers Association, Albany

General Excellence, Non-daily and Community Newspapers
Sylvania (Ga.) Telephone

General Excellence, Under 15,000 Circulation
Daily American, Somerset, Pa.

General Excellence, 15,001 to 74,999 Circulation
First: Times-Call, Longmont, Colo.
Second: Bucks County Courier Times, Levittown, Pa.
Third: Kalamazoo (Mich.) Gazette

General Excellence, 75,000 to 150,000 Circulation
First: The Patriot-News, Harrisburg, Pa.
Second: The Post-Standard, Syracuse

General Excellence, 150,001 to 249,999 Circulation
Honorable Mention: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

General Excellence, Above 250,000 Circulation
First: Los Angeles Times
Second: The Seattle Times Co.
Third: Daily News, New York

Youth Content Awards

Teen Sections Under 60,000 Circulation
First: Unleashed, Yakima (Wash.) Herald-Republic

Teen Sections 60,001 to 150,000 Circulation
First: TX., Standard-Examiner, Ogden, Utah
Honorable Mention: Today’s Teen, The Palm Beach Post, West Palm Beach, Fla.

Children’s Sections 60,001 to 150,000 Circulation
First: KidsPost, The Palm Beach Post, West Palm Beach, Fla.

Children’s Sections Above 150,001 Circulation
First: YourHub.com/NextGen, Denver Newspaper Agency
Second: NOW!, The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch

Rookie of the Year
First: Teenlink South Florida, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Fort Lauderdale
Honorable Mention: The VOX, The Spokesman-Review, Spokane

Newspaper In Education is a cooperative effort between schools, newspapers and civic-minded sponsors that promotes the use of newspapers as an educational resource and curriculum tool. The Youth Editorial Alliance is an advocate for youth voices in the news media committed to high quality newspaper content which addresses their concerns.

Sponsors of the 2008 NAA Foundation Young Reader Seminar are: Feld Entertainment, Hot Topics Hot Serials Hot Apple PIE, Parade Magazine, Publishing Group of America and Universal Press Syndicate.

The NAA Foundation strives to develop engaged and literate citizens in our diverse society through investment in and support of programs designed to enhance student achievement through newspaper readership and appreciation of the First Amendment. Information about the Foundation and its programs may be found at www.naafoundation.org.