On October 11, 2002, National Coming Out Project - Dallas/Fort Worth ran an 8 page full color special section in the Dallas Morning News celebrating National Coming Out Day. At the center of the section was the 9th annual National Coming Out Day signature ad. The section also included relevant news stories and included ads from supportive organizations and businesses.
In 2003, the National Coming Out Day special section in the Dallas Morning News was honored with a First Place award in the 2003 Special Section Idea Competition. See the press release below.
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DFW NCOP SPECIAL SECTION IN DALLAS MORNING NEWS RECEIVES FIRST PLACE IN NATIONAL NEWSPAPER COMPETITION National Coming Out Day Tab in Dallas Morning News
Awarded First Place DALLAS, TX, July 28, 2003. The Dallas-Fort Worth National Coming Out Project (NCOP) announced today that last year's National Coming Out Day special section in the Dallas Morning News has been honored with a First Place award in the 2003 Special Section Idea Competition. The National Coming Out Day special section was given the first-place award in the Family category for newspapers in the "Over 100,000" circulation class. The 2003 Special Section Idea Competition is co-sponsored by the Inland Press Association and the Newspaper Special Sections Network. This year's competition included 808 entries from 116 newspapers. Awards were given in 12 categories across each of three circulation classes: Under 25,000, 25,001 to 100,000 and Over 100,000. The award for the National Coming Out Day special section was one of two awards and the only first-place award the Dallas Morning News received. "This award is extremely gratifying and a wonderful recognition of our partnership with the Dallas Morning News," said Gregory Pynes, co-chair of the DFW National Coming Out Project. "2003 has become a banner year for the GLBT community. It is apt that this award comes on the heels of the Dallas Morning News decision to print same-sex partnership announcements." The DFW NCOP has been organizing an annual National Coming Out Day ad in the Dallas Morning News since 1994. 2002 marked the first time the ad format moved to a stand-alone special section in the newspaper. The cost of the special section is paid for by a combination of individual donations and the sale of ad space to business and organizations. Individuals contribute a nominal $10 to have their name included in the center spread, banner ad. Businesses and organizations can purchase full-color ad space at discounted rates from full page to sixteenth page sizes. Rates also include complimentary creative services. The special supplement is non-partisan and non-sectarian. "The 2002 National Coming Out Day special section could not have been possible without the tireless work and dedication of everyone involved," said Raffaele Mautone, co-chair of the DFW NCOP. "Work is well underway for our 2003 special section and we are excited by the level of interest we have received from both national and local advertisers so far." Businesses and organizations interested in advertising in the 2003 National Coming Out Day special section should contact Catherine Willis at the Dallas Morning News at 972-418-9999 ext 3004. The publication date is scheduled for Friday, October 10, 2003. Space reservations and artwork are due by September 19, 2003. About NCOP-DFW The Dallas-Forth Worth National Coming Out Project is a non-profit educational and awareness project that encourages gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered persons and supportive others to take their next step in the life-long process of coming out. NCOP-DFW is also an education resource to the non-GLBT community in North Texas through its Equality Talks speakers bureau program. NCOP-DFW is a local affiliate of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's National Coming Out Project based in Washington, D.C. For more information about NCOP-DFW, Equality Talks, and its many other activities, visit www.comeout.org or call (214) 521-5342 Ext. 1725. |