The Morning Journal was named the best newspaper in Ohio on Friday in the Ohio Excellence in Journalism competition sponsored by the Cleveland Press Club. The award came in the category for newspapers of 100,000 or less circulation.
The judges commented, "The Journal wears proudly its commitment to news of local government and crime, with flashes of enterprise. The work of busy reporters competes for space on active section fronts, putting the local news front and center. Sports sections are ample and bright. Big, multi-layer headlines and good photo display are inviting." 
The Morning Journal's sports staff won second place in the best section competition. The judges noted, "From high school to the pros, an excellent effort that has everything a local sports fan could want."
The awards were presented in a ceremony held in downtown Cleveland.
The Morning Journal's sister paper in Lake County, The News-Herald, won first and second place for online features in the new media competition, as well as taking second-place awards in the daily newspaper photography competition for spot news and general news photos. Both newspapers are published by Journal Register Company.