The Smoky Mountain News won more awards in the large circulation, non-daily newspaper category than all but one newspaper in the state during the recent N.C. Press Association Advertising and Editorial Contest.
SMN’s staff won 17 advertising awards (including five first-places) and 15 news awards (including six first-places).
Among the awards were two for magazines SMN produces for local organizations: the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce’s magazine, Experience Haywood, and Beverly Hanks Real Estate’s magazine, Welcome to Western North Carolina, were both winners in the niche publication category.
Also of note, SMN won an investigative reporting award in 2015 for its coverage of a bear poaching sting in Swain and Graham counties, making this the 12th straight year going back to 2004 that the newspaper has won an award in the investigative reporting category.
The newspaper’s website, www.smokymountainews.com, also won an award in the general excellence for websites category.
This year’s awards from the N.C. Press Association include:
Advertising
First place
• Best Black and White Institutional Ad — Amanda Bradley, Emily Kepley Moss.
• Best Use of Color — Whitey Burton, Emily Kepley Moss.
• Best Innovative Concept/Wild Card — Whitney Burton, Emily Kepley Moss.
• Best Retail Ad in a Niche Publication — Hylah Birenbaum, Travis Bumgardner.
• Best Shared Page in a Niche Publication — Staff.
Second Place
• Best Motor Vehicle Ad — Hylah Birenbaum, Emily Kepley Moss.
• Best Innovative Concept/Wild Card — Whitney Burton, Emily Kepley Moss.
• Best Small Ad — Whitney Burton, Emily Kepley Moss.
• Best Real Estate Ad in a Niche Publication — Hylah Birenbaum, Emily Kepley Moss.
• Best Restaurant/Entertainment Ad in a Niche Publication — Whitney Burton, Emily Kepley Moss.
Third place
• Best Food Ad — Whitney Burton, Emily Kepley Moss.
• Best Home Furnishings/Appliances Ad — Whitney Burton, Emily Kepley Moss.
• Best Black and White Institutional Ad — Amanda Bradley, Emily Kepley Moss.
• Best Newspaper Promotion — Travis Bumgardner.
• Best Small Ad — Amanda Bradley, Emily Kepley Moss.
• Best Niche Publication — Staff
• Best Real Estate Ad in a Niche Publication — Hylah Birenbaum, Emily Kepley Moss
Editorial and News
First Place
• Arts and Entertainment Reporting — Garret K. Woodward
• Education Reporting — Becky Johnson
• Election/Political Reporting — Holly Kays
• City/County Government Reporting — Holly Kays
• Best Lede — Holly Kays
Second Place
• General News Reporting — Holly Kays
• News Enterprise Reporting — Becky Johnson
• Lighter Columns — Garret K. Woodward
• General Excellence for Newspaper Websites — Travis Bumgardner
• Best Niche Publication — Staff
• City/County Government Reporting — Jessi Stone
Third Place
• General Excellence — Staff
• Investigative Reporting — Katie Reeder (intern)
• Beat News Reporting — Becky Johnson
• Beat Feature Reporting — Becky Johnson