By Managing Editor Noah Worton
THE ORANGE BEACHAt the Alabama Press Association’s Media Awards ceremony on Saturday, June 28 at the Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach, the Shelby County Reporter won the organization’s highest honor for the 19th consecutive year.
SCR battled against some of the state’s biggest weekly magazines in Division C, and in 2024, they won General Excellence, which honors the collaborative work of several departments in journalism.
Along with the success of its publication, Shelby County Newsmedia Inc. was recognized with a number of additional honors, such as winning the Magazine of the Year category and taking first place in the Advertising Sweepstakes category for the fourth consecutive year with Mountain Brook Magazine.
With 41 top-three finishes in the editorial contest, 28 in the advertising contest, and 12 in the magazine contest, SCNI ranked in the top three in each contest and category, for a total of 81 top-three finishes.
With an astounding 41 finishes inside the top three, the Shelby County Reporter’s editorial team won 16 first place awards in the Editorial Contest.
This year’s tournament saw the advertising team secure 12 victories, 10 second-place prizes, and six third-place results.
In the magazine category, which had four victories this year, three second-place results, and five third-place finishes, Mountain Brook Magazine was named the winner of Magazine of the Year.
53 publications submitted 1,725 entries for the editorial contest, 22 submitted 406 entries for the advertising contest, and 21 submitted 381 entries for the magazine contest at this year’s Alabama Press Association Awards. This year, the winners in each category were chosen by the Michigan Press Association membership, who judged the entries.
The following was awarded to Shelby County Newsmedia Inc. in this year’s competition:
Contest for Editorials (16 first, 13 second, 12 third: 41 total)
- First place in General Excellence
- First Place in Most Improved
- First Place in Best Editorial Page or Section
- First place for Best Lifestyles/Family Pages
- First place for Best Local News Coverage
- First place in FOI-First Amendment Award for Battle of Breakaway Pointe by Noah Wortham
- First Place for Best Use of Photographs/Editorial Content by Connor Bucy, Rowan Futrell, Jamie Dawkins
- First place in Best Human Interest Column for Reading between the lines by Donald Mottern
- First place in Best Editorial Column or Commentary for Noah s columns by Noah Wortham
- First place in Best Feature photo for Romello Cooper on the bench by Dawn Harrison
- First place in Best Photo Essay for Along for the ride by Jeremy Raines
- First place in Best Niche Publication Newsprint or Glossy for Football by Andrew Simonson
- First place in Creative Use of Multimedia for Shelby County Hall of Fame by Alec Etheredge
- First place in Best Use of Social Media for YouTube Shorts by Alec Etheredge
- First place in Best Use of Video (Shorter than 2 minutes) for Gracie Bradford gets surprise announcement about trip to Disney World by Alec Etheredge
- First place in Best Use of Video (Longer than 2 minutes) for Thompson back on top after 7A title by Alec Etheredge
- Second place for Best Local Education Coverage
- Second place in FOI-First Amendment Award for Helena TAG discrepancy leads to more open government by Don Mottern, Mackenzee Simms
- Second place in Best Sports Single Event Story for Heardmont heroics by Alec Etheredge
- Second place in Best Sports Feature Story for Frankie Perez s journey to success with THS by Andrew Simonson
- Second place in Best News Photo for Man kicked from horse in midair by Jeremy Raines
- Second place in Best Spot News photo for Teacher hugs former students ahead of graduation by Rachel Raiford
- Second place in Best Photo Essay for Dazzling display by Jason Homan
- Second place in Best Headline for Red Hot Chili Preppers by staff
- Second place in Best Special Section Newsprint for Election Guide by staff
- Second place for Best Niche Publication Newsprint or Glossy for Profile by staff
- Second place in Best Use of Social Media for Facebook videos by Alec Etheredge
- Second place in Best Podcast Series for Live Football Pregame Show by Alec Etheredge, Andrew Simonson
- Second place in Best Use of Video (Longer than 2 minutes) for Oak Mountain claims state soccer championship by Alec Etheredge
- Third place in Best Sports Coverage by Andrew Simonson
- Third place in Best Production and Printing
- Third place in Best Spot News Story for Columbiana remembers Charity Snow by Noah Wortham
- Third place in Best Local Sports Column for Let s work as a team to create a common-sense policy for NIL by Andrew Simonson
- Third place in Best Feature photo for Shelby County Showcase of Bands by Jason Homan
- Third place in Best Spot News Photo for Won t be forgotten by Jeremy Raines
- Third place in Best Sports Photo for Joseph King flies high by Dawn Harrison
- Third place in Best Use of Graphics or Illustrations for Battle of Breakaway Pointe by Connor Bucy
- Third place in Online Breaking News Coverage for Oak Mountain Amphitheatre closing after 39 years by staff
- Third place in Best Use of Social Media for Live Shelby County Football Pregame Show by Alec Etheredge, Andrew Simonson
- Third place in Best Use of Video (Longer than 2 minutes) for Oak Mountain beats rival Chelsea by Alec Etheredge
- Third place in Best Community Event for Shelby County Hall of Fame
Contest for Advertising (12 winners, 10 runners-up, 6 third: 28 total)
- First place in Advertising Sweepstakes Award
- First place in Best Classified Page or Section
- First place in Best Single Ad 1/2 page and under, B/W for Buck Creek by Rhett McCreight
- First place in Best Single Ad 1/2 page and under, Color for Vulcan Termite and Pest by Rhett McCreight
- First place for Best Regularly Scheduled Special Section Newsprint or Glossy for Football by staff
- First place in Best One Time Special Section Newsprint or Glossy for Letters to Santa
- First place in Best Advertising Campaign for Athlete of the Week by staff
- First place in Best Original/Creative Idea for Vulcan: Wanted Dead Not Alive by Rhett McCreight
- First place in Best Classified Display Ad for Steward Machine by Octavia Campbell
- First place in Best Use of Humor for Vulcan: Wanted Dead not Alive by Rhett McCreight
- First place in Best Presentation of Online Advertising for www.shelbycountyreporter.com by staff
- First place in Best Innovative Online Advertising Single Ad for Football Show by Alec Etheredge
- Second place in Best Single Ad 1/2 page and under, B/W for Oak View Animal Hospital by staff
- Second place in Best Single Ad over 1/2 page, B/W for Small Business Celebration by Rhett McCreight
- Second place in Best Single Ad over 1/2 page, Color for Buck Creek by Rhett McCreight
- Second place in Best One Time Special Section Newsprint or Glossy for Thompson Championship
- Second place in Best Original/Creative Idea for Law Mower for Sale by Vee Romero
- Second place in Best Classified Display Ad for TNT Fireworks Superstore by Octavia Campbell
- Second place in Best Signature Page for Horseshoe Bend High School by staff
- Second place in Best Niche Publication for Visitor s Guide
- Second place in Best Innovative Online Advertising Single Ad for Buck Creek Family Dental by Rachel Henderson
- Second in Online Revenue Builder for Online Football Coverage by Connor Bucy, Alec Etheredge
- Third place in Best Single Ad 1/2 page and under, Color for Buck Creek by Rhett McCreight
- Third place in Best One Time Special Section Newsprint or Glossy for Metro Football
- Third place in Best Classified Display Ad for Lawn Mower for Sale by Vee Romero
- Third place in Best Niche Publication for Football
- Third place in Best Innovative Online Advertising Single Ad for Oak View Animal Hospital by Rhett McCreight
- Third place in Online Revenue Builder for Gain Access by staff
Magazine Contest (total of 12: 4 first, 3 second, 5 third)
- First place in Magazine of the Year for Mountain Brook Magazine
- First place in Best Advertising Campaign or Series for The Cooke Store in Mountain Brook Magazine by staff
- First place in Best Overall Design for Mountain Brook Magazine
- First place in Best Community Event for Shelby County Hall of Fame in Shelby Living by Anna Grace Moore, Alec Etheredge
- Second place in Best Culinary Feature for Veal and Valor in Mountain Brook Magazine by Anna Grace Moore, Taylor Hager
- Second place in Best Photo Essay for The Western Frontier in Hoover s Magazine by Rowan Futrell
- Second place in Best Individual Website for Mountain Brook Magazine at www.mountainbrookmagazine.com
- Third place in Best Single Feature Story for The American Dream in Vestavia Hills Magazine by Anna Grace Moore, Blair Ramsey
- Third place in Best Business Feature for The American Dream in Vestavia Hills Magazine by Anna Grace Moore, Blair Ramsey
- Third place in Best Photo Essay for Veal and Valor in Mountain Brooks Magazine by Taylor Hager, Jamie Dawkins
- Third place in Best Advertising Campaign or Series for Fringe in Mountain Brook Magazine by staff
- Third place in Best House Ad or Self-Promotion for Subscribe Now in Mountain Brook Magazine by staff
