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Forsyth County News staff leads Georgia in AP contest finalists
Entries span 17 stories, photos in Associated Press Media Editors annual contest
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Finalists for the 2016 Georgia Associated Press Media Editors contest have been announced, and the Forsyth County News leads the state with 17 submissions being named.

A total of 20 newspapers, television and radio stations submitted 495 entries in the annual contest, which this year featured news and sports stories and photos from 2016.

“I couldn’t be more proud of our staff. Everyone at the FCN knows Forsyth County expects excellence, and we’re just trying to do our part,” said Vince Johnson, publisher.

Up to three finalists were named in 18 categories. Which entries were chosen as first, second and third place will be announced on Saturday, June 24 in Atlanta.

Seven staff writers or photographers have entries named as finalists, including a sweep in the multiplatform coverage of a single story category and two entries in spot news photo, sports writing and photo illustration.

“Video is a large part of the future of the Forsyth County News, and the media in general,” Johnson said. “Today, we’re practically the local news station for our local audience.

“We’re always looking for business partners to help us move Forsyth County forward. We have the largest local audience in Forsyth, and we think that has tremendous value.”

Other entries were named finalists in public service, feature writing, feature photo, non-deadline reporting, beat reporting, picture story and portfolio, as well as ForsythNews.com being named a finalist for best website.

Any media outlet that is a member of the Associated Press can submit entries to the contest. The AP is a nonprofit news cooperative that represents 1,400 newspapers and 5,000 broadcast stations throughout the United States.

The FCN is in Division I, which includes newspapers with a circulation of less than 20,000, competing against outlets such as the Marietta Daily Journal and the Cherokee Tribune.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, which competes in Division II, received the second-most finalist entries of newspapers, at 13.