GMN takes 12 awards in national SNA contest

Above: Greater Media Newspapers staff photographer Chris Kelly won third place for Best Sports Photo in the Suburban Newspapers of America national competition.

Greater Media Newspapers, Freehold Township, received 12 awards in the 2006 Suburban Newspapers of America contest, including a first place for sports writing, a second place for community service, and eight advertising and promotion awards. The contest is a highly competitive annual competition between suburban newspapers in the United States and Canada. SNA is a nonprofit, professional trade association specifically serving the suburban newspaper industry with approximately 2,000 member publications.

Sports Editor Doug McKenzie won a first-place award for Sports Writing for his comprehensive package of stories looking at the debate in New Jersey to outlaw metal bats in all youth baseball in favor of traditional wooden bats. The issue was a hot topic of conversation during the summer months, and our series was used as evidence as state legislators began considering the subject.

Below: Eclectic won honorable mention for Best New Special Advertising Section.

Christine Varno, a reporter for the Atlanticville, took second place for her yearlong coverage of the eminent domain battle in Long Branch. The battle has now become a national issue, and was even featured in Parade magazine, but the Atlanticville and Varno have been on the story from the beginning. Even the New Jersey Public Advocate, who recently released a court brief opposing taking the Long Branch properties by eminent domain, has praised the Atlanticville's coverage as the most complete and balanced coverage of this explosive issue.

Karl Vilacoba, managing editor of the Independent and the North/South Brunswick Sentinel, won a second-place award for editorial writing in the Sentinel. Vilacoba's editorials are known for their clear reasoning, strong writing and for his willingness to take a stand on controversial issues.

Staff photographer Chris Kelly won a third-place award in the Best Sports Photo category for his wonderful action shot of two lifeguards diving for a goal in the annual Monmouth Beach lifeguard tournament. Kelly's strong suit is sports photography. Not only is he a regular winner in SNA competition, he is a consistent award winner in the New Jersey Press Association contest and the monthly in-house contest sponsored by the newspaper group.

In the Advertising and Promotion awards competition, Greater Media Newspapers won five third-place awards. Those awards came in the Best Signature Page (This Way for Halloween Fun), Best Single ROP Ad (Affordable Elegance), Best New Special Advertising Section (Home Makeover), Best Single Classified (Curialle Tree Service), and Best Signature Page (Make Your House a Home).

The company won Honorable Mention awards for Best Single Classified Ad (Paint Works), Best New Special Advertising Section (Eclectic), and Best Cover Design (Spring Home & Garden).

Gregory Bean, executive editor of Greater Media Newspapers, said he was pleased by the showing, particularly since it came in the face of such strong competition.

"According to the SNA, this contest has been growing by leaps and bounds, and this year there were 18 percent more entries than last. That means that the competition from around this country and Canada for each award is intense," he said. "The fact that our work in such important community news categories as sports and public service was recognized by our peers and by the SNA judges says a great deal about the fine work our reporters and editors are doing.

"We are honored by the awards, and we know that these awards only come to the newspapers that serve their communities, and their readers, best."