Type Weekly newspaper Publisher South Georgia Printing Founded 1934 | Format Broadsheet Editor Elan Waite | |
Headquarters Hopper Hall / Valdosta State University | ||
The Spectator is the independent student newspaper of Valdosta State University, published every Thursday morning during each Fall and Spring Semester. Originally known as the Campus Canopy, the paper became The Spectator in 1970. It contains latest campus news, local news, opinions, features, entertainment, and sports.
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Awards
The Spectator has won multiple awards over the years and the Georgia College and Press Association (GCPA) Better Newspaper Awards Conference held annually each February. The paper competes in the 4 year Division A category.
2004
The Valdosta State paper won five awards on Saturday, Feb. 5, 2005 at the Georgia College and Press Association (GCPA) Better Newspaper Awards Conference. Awards included first place for Matt Stubbs in the Best Sports Story, T. A. Glanton winning third in Best Editorial or Editorial Series, second Place in the Improvement Award, second place for General Photography Excellence, and third place for General Advertising Excellence.
2005, 2006, 2007
At the 2005 GCPA Conference VSU won third in the Improvement Award and second for General Advertising Excellence. The Spectator won first place in Best Campus Community Service - News at the 2006 Conference. And the paper won four awards at the 2007 GCPA Better Newspaper Awards Conference in February 2008.
2008
The Spectator brought home 10 awards at the 2008 GCPA Better Newspaper Awards Conference,the most ever received by a single publication, in 2009.
Among those awards, four Spectator writers won individual awards. Karah-Leigh Hancock, the 2008/2009 Editor-in-Chief, won first place in Best Entertainment / Feature. Ashley George, the 2008/2009 Opinions Editor, came in second for Best Column. Dustin Swedelson, a former Sports Editor, came in second for Best Sports Story. Staff writer Angel Bass came in third for Best Feature. Among the other awards that The Spectator placed in was General Excellence, Layout & Design, Best Community Service - News and a first place in Advertising.
2009
The paper captured six awards in the annual GCPA Better Newspaper Contest in 2010. Including Managing Editor Danielle Everson placing first in Best News Article Based on Investigative Reporting and Sports Editor Michael Wilson placing third for Best Sports Story. The publication also won several general awards, including second place for General Photography Excellence, General Advertising and Best Campus Community Service - Editorial Excellence, and third place for Best Community Service - Features.
2010
The Spectator received four awards in the annual GCPA Better Newspaper Contest presented on February 4 and 5, 2011 in Athens. Editor-in-Chief Amy Johnstono placed first in Best Objective News Article. The publication also won three staff awards, which include first place for General Photography, second place for General Advertising and third place for Best Website.