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NJ Advance Media won two 2026 Online Journalism Awards for separate projects: “The Cranford Killings” took the Medium Newsroom award for Excellence in Social Media Engagement, and “Prey to Play” won Excellence in Sports Reporting in the Small/Medium Newsroom division. The awards recognize different kinds of reporting, announced at different stages.

Which awards did NJ Advance Media win?

Project Category and division Announcement
“The Cranford Killings” Excellence in Social Media Engagement, Medium Newsroom Listed as a winner in the ONA’s October 2, 2026 final-winners announcement. Online Journalism Association
“Prey to Play” Excellence in Sports Reporting, Small/Medium Newsroom Announced as a winner on September 3, 2026. Online News Association

The award listings credit NJ Advance Media, the organization behind the consumer-facing NJ.com brand.

What were the projects about?

“The Cranford Killings”

The award recognized the project in social media engagement. Advance Local had described it as a finalist in that category in a September 9, 2026 update, before the remaining winners were announced. The available award announcements establish the category and result, but do not detail the project’s individual social posts or their reach. Advance Local’s September 9 report

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“Prey to Play”

Matt Stanmyre and Keith Sargeant reported “Prey to Play,” an investigation into sexual abuse in youth sports that Advance Local characterized as widespread and largely unchecked. The ONA recognized it for sports reporting, not social media engagement. Advance Local’s report

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Advance Local also reproduced the judges’ assessment: they praised the reporting’s attention to an underreported issue, the work invested in addressing a difficult subject, and its public-service value to a vulnerable population. Advance Local’s report

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Why did the Cranford result come later?

The ONA announced its 2026 awards in stages. Its September 3 announcement covered 16 of 28 categories; the remaining 12 were announced at the October 1 celebration, with the final winners list posted October 2. That explains why Advance Local’s September 9 story accurately called the Cranford project a finalist: its category’s winner had not yet been announced. September 3 announcement · October 2 winners list

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