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For immediate release
5/3/02

Ten Journalists to Receive Awards of Excellence

McLEAN, VA – Ten Gannett journalists were recognized today for their outstanding achievements during 25 years of Best of Gannett contests.

Special Outstanding Achievement Awards of Excellence were announced “to salute the legacy of outstanding journalism in 25 years of Best of Gannett,” said Phil Currie, senior vice president/News, Newspaper Division, Gannett Co. Inc. (NYSE:GCI).

The 10 journalists are:

— Jim Borgman, editorial cartoonist, The Cincinnati Enquirer.

— Melvin Claxton, reporter, The Detroit News. He is recognized for work at Detroit and The Virgin Islands Daily News (a former Gannett newspaper).

— Laura Frank, reporter, The Tennessean, Nashville. She is recognized for work at Nashville; The Herald-Dispatch, Huntington, W.Va.; and the Commercial-News, Danville, Ill. (a former Gannett newspaper).

— Ken Fuson, reporter, The Des Moines Register.

— John Hanchette, national correspondent (retired), Gannett News Service, Washington, D.C.

— Mike Lopresti, national sports reporter/columnist, Gannett News Service, Washington, D.C.

— Jerry Mitchell, reporter, The Clarion-Ledger, Jackson, Miss.

— Tammy Kingery Pearson, assistant managing editor, Chronicle-Tribune, Marion, Ind.

— Bill Ringle, reporter (retired), Gannett News Service, Washington, D.C.

— Steve Young, reporter, Argus Leader, Sioux Falls. S.D.

Each Outstanding Achievement Award of Excellence winner was chosen after careful review of 25 years of awards. The selections were made by Gary Watson, president of Gannett’s Newspaper Division, and Currie.

“Our company has a rich heritage of journalistic service to our readers. These individuals represent the best of the Best of Gannett over the past quarter century,” said Watson.

The Best of Gannett is an annual contest that recognizes exceptional work produced by individuals and staffs at Gannett newspapers.

Winners will receive special silver anniversary Best of Gannett medallions and will be invited to attend a special recognition at the Gannett Newspaper Division Management Conference in McLean, Va., in August.

Gannett Co., Inc. is an international news and information company that publishes 95 daily newspapers in the USA, including USA TODAY, the nation’s largest-selling daily newspaper. The company also owns in excess of 300 non-daily publications in the USA and USA WEEKEND, a weekly newspaper magazine. In the United Kingdom, Gannett subsidiary Newsquest plc publishes more than 300 titles, including 15 daily newspapers. Gannett also operates 22 television stations in the United States and is an Internet leader with sites sponsored by most of its TV stations and newspapers including USATODAY.com, one of the most popular news sites on the web.