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Star Tribune Wins 2011 National Edward R. Murrow Award and the Gerald Loeb Award, Recognizing Journalistic Excellence
Awards cap transformative six months for Star Tribune
MINNEAPOLIS (July 18, 2011) — Star Tribune Media Company has been awarded the 2011 National Edward R. Murrow Award and the Gerald Loeb Award, among others (see below), for its excellence in journalism. These awards are reflective of a transformative six months for Star Tribune, which is re-engineering the way news is delivered to its consumers while remaining committed to journalistic standards and excellence.
“We are honored to receive some of the highest national honors in journalism, providing further affirmation of the impact our journalists have in the lives of Minnesotans,” said Star Tribune CEO and publisher Mike Klingensmith.
Star Tribune has recently increased its efforts to connect consumer and journalist by releasing a redesigned website in April and a new website optimized for mobile devices in July. These new offerings have played an integral part in the company’s ability to deliver content in a way that meets consumers’ preferences today.
“The way we gather, manage and deliver information has been completely remodeled,” said Klingensmith. “But we remain committed to our unwavering journalistic standards as we make strategic investments in developing new distribution channels.”
Star Tribune enters the second half of 2011 on the heels of an impressive six-month run, having made substantial gains in readership and circulation. On StarTribune.com, unique visitors and pageviews, both key measures of reach and reader engagement, are up 20% year-over-year. In print, Star Tribune is outperforming the top 25 U.S. newspapers, which collectively are experiencing losses in circulation. By comparison, Star Tribune Sunday and daily circulation is up year-over-year and shows impressive gains in Dakota and Washington counties.
To offer readers even more options, Star Tribune has plans for releasing device-specific applications later this year, including iPad, iPhone and Android. “Our goal is to showcase the award-winning work our editors, reporters and photographers produce every day in as many ways as possible,” said Klingensmith. “Seeing readers’ response to our new website and mobile site makes me even more excited about our upcoming products.”
“These investments reflect Star Tribune’s commitment to delivering Minnesotans news and information when and where they want it,” said Klingensmith. “By making these investments today, Star Tribune is positioned for success in the constantly evolving future of news and media.”
2011 Star Tribune Awards:
- National Edward R. Murrow Award in the Overall Excellence category
- Gerald Loeb Award for Distinguished Business and Financial Journalism
- American Bar Association Silver Gavel Award
- 13 total Society of Professional Journalist Awards
- Premack Award – Excellence in coverage of breaking news about public affairs
- Premack Award – Excellence in investigative or analytical reporting about public affairs
- Winner, Associated Press Sports Editors Multimedia Contest
- Garden Writers Association Silver Award
- National Features Journalism Contest
About Star Tribune Media Company
Star Tribune Media Company is a locally owned and operated media company serving Minnesota and the upper Midwest. Minnesota is the only U.S. market in the top 10 in household income, home ownership, health and fitness, literacy, spending on the arts, credit scores and online activity. With the 14th largest daily circulation newspaper in the U.S., the most-visited local website, and Twin Cities Values, Star Tribune reaches more consumers than any other Minnesota media brand. For more information visit startribune.com or startribunecompany.com.