On Friday, March 4, 2022, three members of the Fillmore County Journal team attended the Midwest Free Community Papers conference hosted in Ames, Iowa. This annual event attracts newspapers from all over the 10-state area throughout the Midwest, offering sessions dedicated to graphic design, sales, marketing, networking, and idea exchanges.
At the MFCP conference, the team at the Fillmore County Journal was recognized with 28 awards in the areas of design, editorial, photography, sports coverage, marketing, and specialty publications. Most notable, the newspaper staff earned second place for General Excellence, first place for best overall website, and Judge’s Choice.
First Place:
• Best Grocery Ad – Special Section
• Best Agricultural Ad – Special Section
• Best Special Section Front Page
• Newsprint Publication With Editorial – Best News/Editorial – Original Editorial
• Best Overall Website
Second Place:
• General Excellence – For Papers that Carry News
• Best Agricultural Ad – Special Section
• Best Advertising Promotion or Special Section – Appearing as a Separate Section
• Best Special Section Front Page – All Glossy Publications
• Best News/Editorial – Original Sports Story
• Best News/Editorial – Original Editorial
Third Place:
• Best Agricultural Ad – B&W or Color
• Best Agricultural Ad – Special Section
• Best Holiday Ad – Christmas Ad – Color – Spot or Process
• Best Advertising Promotion or Special Section – Distributed Separately from your paper
• Best Advertising Promotion or Special Section – Signature Page
• Best Special Section Front Page – Newsprint Publications with Editorial
• Best News/Editorial – Original Editorial
Honorable Mention:
• Best Grocery Ad – Special Section
• Best Miscellaneous Ad – Large Space – 1/4 page ad Black & White
• Best Ad Series
• Best Advertising Promotion or Special Section – Signature Page
• Best Special Section Front Page – Newsprint Publication with Editorial
• Best Self Promotion – Within your paper promoting the use of your publication
• Best News/Editorial – Original Feature Story
• Best News/Editorial – Original Editorial
• Best Digital Ad Design – Banner or Digital Ad
Judge’s Choice
According to MFCP Executive Director Lee Borokowski, there were more entries in this year’s contest than ever before. Collectively, the Fillmore County Journal team has been recognized with 159 awards over the past five years from organizations such as Minnesota Newspaper Association, Midwest Free Community Papers, and Association of Community Publications.
The Fillmore County Journal, operating with offices in Preston and Caledonia, Minn., is a family-owned newspaper employing the talents of 37 locals serving the community as reporters, photographers, advertising sales representatives, graphic designers, web designers, editors, and delivery drivers.
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