Contacts:
Abbi Martzall, SPJ Awards Coordinator, (317) 920-4791, amartzall@spj.org
Maggie LaMar, SPJ Communications Coordinator, (317) 920-4785, mlamar@spj.org

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Society of Professional Journalists presented New York City News Service of City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism as the first winner of the MOEy Award at Excellence in Journalism 2015 during the Student Union Saturday, Sept. 19. The MOEy is a best in show from among more than 4,100 entries in SPJ's 2014 Mark of Excellence Awards competition.

Each year, student journalists across the United States compete in about 40 print, TV, radio and online categories. Winners are chosen in each category at the regional and national levels. This is the first time SPJ has combined all of the national winners to select five overall finalists and one best in show.

New York City News Service of City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism is the national winner for Best Independent Online Student Publication. Staff members won the Mark of Excellence Award for their work covering local neighborhoods and using multimedia reports to focus on housing, public safety, land use and other issues. The website describes NY City News Service as a multi-media, Web-based outlet that feeds New York neighborhood stories to news organizations – including newspapers, broadcast stations, wire services and Internet service providers – throughout the world.
Judges say that “the New York City News Service is an impressive publication that rivals professional publications.”

“They have a good mix of in-depth and daily stories and discuss issues that not every other news organization is covering.”

Thank you to this year's judges: Hagit Limor, Amy Cherry, Michael Koretzky, April Bethea, Andrew Seaman, Lynn Walsh, Andy Schotz, Sarah Sampson, Irwin Gratz and George Lettis.

Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. For more information on SPJ, please visit www.spj.org.

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