The Cooper Review proudly announces the receipt of a duo of honors from the Texas Press Association’s 2015 Better Newspaper Contest. The weekly hometown newspaper garnered a third place award for News Photo – Division 9 and fourth place certificate in Advertising design – Division 9.
These certificates of achievements are citations for honors won in the 2015 contest which is presented at the TPA’s 136th Summer Meeting on June 20, 2015 in Austin, Texas. It was judged by Maryland/Delaware/DC Press Association. The Texas Better Newspaper Contest is an annual competition sponsored by the Texas Press Association to recognize and reward Texas newspapers for excellence in journalism and outstanding service to their communities.
“We strive to bring a better newspaper to our readers each and every year,” said Cooper Review Owner/Publisher Jim Butler. “We are very passionate about accuracy and design in our work.”
The Review has continuously received honors in this contest four years in a row under the direction of owner/publisher Jim Butler and his wife Sally along with Editor Cindy Roller. Butler purchased the newspaper, located on the East Side of the Square in Cooper, in 2006. It has been serving Delta County and the surrounding communities since 1880.
“Each year this is a tough competition spanning to newspapers of all readerships across Texas,” said Cooper Review Editor Cindy Roller. “We never know which Press Association will be judging our entries in the contest exchange. However attending the TPA’s Leadership retreat and being a part of the Winner’s Circle publication helps give us new innovative ways to design our newspaper to make it more interesting – as well – informative to readers. These awards are proof print really isn’t dead. There are journalists and page designers with a mutual love for this art. We are humbled to be apart of this association. Newspapers are a very viable way to advertise and establish a record history. We appreciate all of our supporters and readers.”
This year’s submissions included a set of hard-earned news coverage photos by Roller. The first included the Dec. 18, 2014 printed color photo of the first responders to an evening fire located down a clay mud County Road 4917 in the fog and mist. The second entry was the printed color photo on July 31, 2014 of the straight line wind roof damage to the neighboring Professional Land Title office.
This was the first year Roller has received acknowledgement for her advertising creations. She entered a trio of ads as one single entry. Those included a Valentine’s ad for The Flower Patch, a February fabric sale ad for Everything Unique in same Feb. 6 edition and the full page color ad for Enloe State Bank in the December 18, 2014 publication with a holiday theme as the final printing of the year.
The entire regular staff of the Review includes the Butlers, Roller and staff (summer) part timer Kalynn McKee.
The Cooper Review office can be reached 903-395-2175 or by e-mailing news@cooperreview.com.