Augusta, Ga. - The Morris-owned Savannah Morning News has won the 2002 James K. Batten Award for excellence in civic journalism. The $10,000 first-place prize was awarded for Savannah's "Vision 2010," a community-driven project dedicated to the improvement of local education.

"Vision 2010" engaged a large citizen task force in community forums, small discussion groups and visits to 15 U.S. schools. The Morning News reports on the community's journey of discovery and proposed solutions. As a result, the program has built volunteer support, efforts to start model programs and the creation of a civic foundation to raise venture capital for educational innovations in Savannah.

"We applaud our Savannah employees for their outstanding achievement. We are honored as a news organization to be recognized for both quality journalism and community service," said President Will Morris.

The Batten award is an annual cash prize for print or electronic journalists whose work supports people's involvement in the life of their communities. It is named for the late James K. Batten, a former chairman and chief executive of Knight Ridder Inc., who believed that journalism could be a major factor in revitalizing citizenship.

The 2002 runner-up was The Cincinnati Enquirer. Other honorees were the St. Paul Pioneer Press and the Wisconsin State Journal. Winners will be honored April 22 at the eighth annual James K. Batten Awards and Symposium presented by the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

The Savannah Morning News is one of 27daily newspapers owned by Morris Communications, a privately held media company with diversified holdings that include newspaper and magazine publishing, outdoor advertising, radio broadcasting, book publishing and distribution, and computer services. For more information visit www.morris.com.