Awards

2022 Sweetwater Award

Sweetwater
 

The Lansing Journal was announced as the winner of the inaugural Sweetwater Award on May 13, 2022, by Broadstreet, a digital advertising company that works with independent local news, magazine, and niche media. The award recognizes publishers who “go above and beyond in planning, running, and executing an ad campaign. Many publishing awards focus on the journalism side of things — this honors excellence in advertising.” Read the full story: The Lansing Journal Wins Sweetwater Award (published May 16, 2022)

2020 AFCP Awards

The Lansing Journal was judged alongside print publications from across North America as part of the “Best of the Best” awards competition by the Association of Free Community Publications (AFCP). Nearly 1,500 entries were submitted in over 100 different publishing categories to be recognized for outstanding achievement in design, advertising, editorial, and publishing. Newspapers and magazines published between January 1 and December 31, 2019, were eligible, and the judges represented a variety of publishing, graphics, printing, and journalism backgrounds from across the country.

The Lansing Journal won six awards in five categories.

General Excellence: Second Place

Submissions included June 2019, October 2019, and March 2019 print issues

Feature Article Layout: Honorable Mention

Lessons from the Pinewood Derby,” print layout, February 2019

Best Original Editorial Photography, Sports Article: Third Place

“Coolidge’s Torrence Tate (22) drives to the basket,” photo by Ashlee De Wit, February 2019 (appearing in Roundball Classic championship celebrates community)

Best Original Editorial Photography, News Article: Third Place

International dance tour includes Lansing,” photo by Melanie Jongsma, September 2019

Best Original Photography Used in an Ad: Honorable Mention

Advertiser: Village of Lansing, Community Clean-up Day; Photographer: Melanie Jongsma, April 2019

Best Original Photography Used in an Ad: Honorable Mention

Advertiser: Village of Lansing, 2019 Santa House Schedule; Photographer: Melanie Jongsma, December 2019

Images of the winning entries and details about the award qualifications are included in the editorial published June 28, 2020:



2019 IFPA Awards

The Independent Free Papers of America is now known as ACP (Association of Community Publishers) and is still in the business of providing publishers with opportunities for growth. In 2019, The Lansing Journal won IFPA awards in these categories:

Local Business Coverage: Second Place

Submissions included May 2, 2018, and April 3, 2019, print issues

Editorial Original Writing: Second Place

A newspaper for all of Lansing,” editorial by Melanie Jongsma, September 2018

Self Promotion: Third Place

The Lansing Journal Journeys, ongoing feature of photo submissions by community members

Images of the winning entries and details about the award qualifications are included in the October 12, 2019, article by Jennifer Pallay:



2019 AFCP Best of the Best Awards

Best Front Page, Newsprint: Third Place

Submission: July 4, 2018, print issue, “Looking for a swift solution”

Images of the winning entry and details about the award qualifications are included in the article published May 9, 2019:



2018 AFCP Best of the Best Awards

Most Improved, Minimum 26% Editorial Content: Second Place

awards
Submission: A comparison of an April 2017 Lansing Shopper and the inaugural issue of The Lansing Journal, which published on September 13, 2017.

Best Original Writing, News: Second Place

Lansing gets a dog park,” by Melanie Jongsma, November 2017

Images of the winning entries and details about the award qualifications are included in the May 2018 article:



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