The Greenville Advocate has been named Alabama’s best small weekly newspaper for the third consecutive year.
The Advocate took top honors in the Alabama Press Association’s Better Newspaper Contest, winning the General Excellence Award for Division D.
Seventy-six newspapers submitted 2,657 entries in the annual contest. Mississippi Press Association judged the entries.
In addition to General Excellence, the Advocate also won the APA’s annual advertising contest, claiming its second consecutive Sweepstakes Award. Forty-three newspapers submitted 844 entries in this year’s advertising contest.
The awards were presented June 11 at APA’s 140th summer convention at Caribe Resort in Orange Beach.

The Greenville Advocate won the following awards:

Better Newspaper Contest [General Excellence Award]
-Best presswork, first place
-Best sports page, first place
-Best layout and design, second place
-Best local economic coverage, first place
-Best local education coverage, second place
-Best use of photographs/editorial content, first place
-Best editorial, third place for “Gravel not a good option for county” by Kevin Pearcey
-Best editorial column or commentary, third place for “The oil shed is on our hands” by Austin Nelson
-Best sports news in-depth coverage, second place for Butler County Magnet School coaching search coverage by Kevin Pearcey and Austin Nelson
-Best single event story, first place for “Clutch shooter” by Kevin Pearcey
-Best local sports column, third place for “Applauding the ‘misses’ in the world” by Kevin Pearcey
-Best feature photo, second place for “Heavenly plunge” by Kevin Pearcey
-Best news photo, third place for “Cleaning up the coast” by Ashley Vansant
-Best special section, first place for Profile 2010 by staff
-Best special section, third place for Football 2010 by staff
-Best niche publication, second place for Camellia Magazine by staff

Advertising Contest [Sweepstakes Award]
-Best regularly scheduled special section, second place for Profile 2010 by staff
-Best one-time special section, second place for “When I Grow Up” by staff
-Best in-paper promotion of newspaper, first place for “Coming soon … Camellia Magazine” by Ashley Vansant
-Best advertising campaign, second place for Fort Dale Academy campaign by Tracy Salter
-Best classified display ad, second place
-Best classified display ad, third place
-Best signature page, third place for “Education is empowerment” by staff
-Best niche publication, first place for Camellia Magazine by staff
-Best use of humor, second place for Budget Smart Pawn Shop ad by Susan Braden
-Best presentation of online advertising, first place