Newspapers owned by the Journal Register Co. snared five awards, including top honors, at this year’s Print Quality Contest sponsored by the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association. Winners were recognized at the America East Newspaper Operations and Technology Conference in Hershey, Pa.

More than 80 newspapers participated, submitting six copies of their newspapers (without inserts) for the week of Nov. 18-22, 2002. Entrants did not know in advance which day’s issue would be selected for judging.

Three independent judges evaluated newspaper entries.

First, second and third place awards were given in six categories representing offset, flexo and letterpress printing and one Best of Show award was given.

Pa. paper recognized

Journal Register unit The Daily Local News in West Chester, Pa., captured Best of Show and the first place award for offset printing in the 25,000-50,000 circulation category.

Other Journal Register newspapers also fared well in the contest, with three additional properties picking up awards. The Times Herald in Norristown, Pa., and The Reporter in Lansdale, Pa., took second and third place honors, respectively, in the under-25,000 circulation category for offset printing. The final Journal Register unit to win an award was the News-Herald of Willoughby, Ohio, which took second place in the 50,000-100,000 offset category.

Journal Register’s Exton, Pa., commercial plant prints three of the four winning papers. The News-Herald is printed at its Willoughby facility.

The Exton production facility is built around a 42-couple shaftless GeoMAN press manufactured by MAN Roland Inc. The plant employs computer-to-plate technology and uses Agfa unit Autologic’s 3850 CTP platesetters.

In Willoughby, The News-Herald is produced using Bitco filmsetters and a Goss Metroliner press.

Offset printing awards

The Villages (Fla.) Daily Sun took first place in the offset printing category for circulation under 25,000. The Sun is produced with a Panther Pro 36 filmsetter and printed on a Goss Community press.

Placing second and third after the Daily Local News in the 25,000-50,000-circulation category were the Herald News in West Paterson, N.J, and The Berkshire Eagle of Pittsfield, Mass..

Capital Gazette Newspapers in Annapolis, Md., placed first in the 50,000-100,000 circulation category. Capital Gazette Newspapers operates three Monotype Express Master 3850 filmsetters and a five-unit Goss Headliner press. The Scranton (Pa.) Times captured third place in the 50,000-100,000 category, behind The News-Herald in Willoughby.

The Rochester (N.Y.) Democrat and Chronicle, meanwhile, took first place honors in offset printing for newspapers with circulation of more than 100,000. The newspaper is produced on three GeoMAN presses from MAN Roland and two CX News Futura filmsetters from KFM.

Second place in the over-100,000 category went to The Post-Standard in Syracuse, N.Y., which has been in full production on its WIFAG offset press for just about one year. The Record in Hackensack, N.J., placed third in the over-100,000 category.

Additional award recipients

First place in the flexo printing category was awarded to the Concord (N.H.) Monitor. The Monitor is printed on a converted Hoe Colormatic flexographic press serviced by KBA and MotterStitch Co. Film is prepared on two Panther filmsetters.

In the letterpress category, The Saginaw (Mich.) News took first place. The paper uses one Napp C70 filmsetter and runs an eight-unit Goss Mark I double-wide press.

The award appropriately marks the 1959 press’ last year in service at The News. The newspaper is replacing it with a new four-tower, two-folder RegioMAN from MAN Roland this year. The new press will print The News and one additional paper at a remote print site.