Stockton Record wins awards for in-depth reporting

The Readership Institute, a division of the Media Management Center at Northwestern University, has recognized the success of the Pocono Mountains Media Group in holding onto print circulation and vastly increasing web traffic by revolutionizing the way it gathers, processes and distributes news. The Pocono effort is representative of the approach taken by others in the Local Media Group as part of their News Next effort. As the Institute said, “One of the small news companies we've been watching is the Pocono Mountains Media Group, whose story demonstrates, once again, that good things often come in small packages.”

“Not One More” is a huge project that Ottaway’s Hudson Valley Media Group developed and has taken to high schools around the circulation area in an attempt to stop the rising number of teen fatalities in driving accidents. The newsroom sponsored 11 public forums, attended by thousands of parents, teenagers, school administrators and law enforcement officials. The Not One More initiative may also be extended to local Kiwanis civic groups, who have expressed interest in bringing the program to other localities.

Two Ottaway newspapers have won top honors in the 2007 Newspaper of the Year/General Excellence contest sponsored by Suburban Newspapers of America. In the largest circulation category, daily papers over 30,000, the Cape Cod Times of Hyannis, Ma., won first place and the Stockton Record of California won second. Judges said that the Times had strong and varied writing, “meshing style with substance. There is good enterprise, engaging coverage of features and sports ... This is a beautifully designed newspaper, yet the content drives the design. … The Cape Cod Times is one of the country’s elite newspapers. It covers community with energy, imagination and distinction. Its commitment to strong editorial and Op/Ed pages, including an ombudsman, is exemplary.” Judges deemed The Record “a well-written newspaper with strong headlines and dynamic design … The Record is doing things right, incorporating new design and navigation approaches with strong local content.”

Ottaway’s San Joaquin Media Group has launched a new magazine, “Elegant Lifestyles”, which has a local/regional focus and connects directly with readers’ lives. More than 15,000 copies of the magazine are mailed to San Joaquin County households with incomes in excess of $140,000. Copies are also for sale at local outlets for $4.95 per issue. Elegant Lifestyles joins several other quality Ottaway magazines.

The Times Herald-Record of Middletown, N.Y., won 22 awards in the 2006-2007 writing and photo contest sponsored by the New York State Associated Press Association. The Record competes in the 50,000-125,000 circulation category. The paper won first, second and third place for feature stories as well as first place awards for arts/entertainment criticism, business/finance stories and editorials. In addition, the paper won awards for spot news reporting, sports reporting, sports columns, depth reporting, beat reporting, headline writing, online content and arts/entertainment writing.

Contact:

Ottaway Newspapers, Inc.
97 Route 416
PO Box 401
Campbell Hall, NY 10916

Ken Hall, Corporate Communications
845-346-3182