| General News Reporting | ||||
| 1st | Jennifer Preyss | The Daily Advance | Elizabeth City | Skynard rocks EC |
| 2nd | W. Terry Smith | The Daily Southerner | Tarboro | Council gives itself raise |
| 3rd | Kimberly Bellamy | The Daily Southerner | Tarboro | Dental clinic |
| Spot News Reporting | ||||
| 1st | Staff | The Sanford Herald | Sanford | Sanford hails a former chief |
| 2nd | Brian Faini & Mark Locklear | The Robesonian | Lumberton | Dogs killed, tortured |
| 3rd | Richelle Bailey | The McDowell News | Marion | Search is over |
| Feature Writing | ||||
| 1st | Mike Hixenbaugh | Rocky Mount Telegram | Rocky Mount | The long road home |
| 2nd | Heather J. Smith and Steve Lawson | The Reidsville Review | Reidsville | One day in March |
| 3rd | Robert Kelly-Goss | The Daily Advance | Elizabeth City | Celebrating Black history |
| Profile Feature | ||||
| 1st | Mike Hixenbaugh | Rocky Mount Telegram | Rocky Mount | In the line of fire |
| 2nd | Carolyn Casey | Rocky Mount Telegram | Rocky Mount | Advocacy taps Lamar's bucket list |
| 3rd | Heather J. Smith | The Reidsville Review | Reidsville | Another chance |
| News Enterprise And Investigative Reporting | ||||
| 1st | Staff | Statesville Record & Landmark | Statesville | Iredell in transition |
| 2nd | David Hall | Kinston Free Press | Kinston | Internal audit halts aid |
| 3rd | Drew Brooks | The Star | Shelby | Losing the American Dream |
| Business Writing | ||||
| 1st | John Henderson | Rocky Mount Telegram | Rocky Mount | The high price of ElectriCities |
| 2nd | David Anderson, Chris Lavender, Patrick Holmes, |
Kinston Free Press | Kinston | GTP getting spirit; Hallelujah |
| 3rd | J.D. Walker | The Courier-Tribune | Asheboro | No match: A maze for business |
| Sports News Reporting | ||||
| 1st | Mac Heffner | The Mount Airy News | Mount Airy | Four thoughts; East takes; East five |
| 2nd | Marty Queen | The McDowell News | Marion | Speed buggy |
| 3rd | Gabe Whisnant | The Star | Shelby | Racing to Beijing |
| Sports Feature Writing | ||||
| 1st | Brad Norman | Statesville Record & Landmark | Statesville | Twists of fate |
| 2nd | David Hall | Kinston Free Press | Kinston | Passing through |
| 3rd | Bryan C. Hanks | Kinston Free Press | Kinston | His own man |
| General News Photography | ||||
| 1st | David Prewitt
 |
News-Topic | Lenoir | 321 construction death |
| 2nd | Joel Hodges
 |
Rocky Mount Telegram | Rocky Mount | Keeping heritage alive |
| 3rd | Jennifer Frew
 |
News The Herald | Morganton | 3500 greet Clinton |
| Feature Photography | ||||
| 1st | David Prewitt | News-Topic | Lenoir | Amber's story |
| 2nd | Janet Sutton
 |
Kinston Free Press | Kinston | Destination Lenoir County July 13 |
| 3rd | Ashley Steven Ayscue | The Daily Dispatch | Henderson | Heat can't beat NVHS grads |
| Sports Photography | ||||
| 1st | Donnie Roberts | The Dispatch | Lexington | Out at home |
| 2nd | Ashley Steven Ayscue | The Daily Dispatch | Henderson | Vikings take victory |
| 3rd | Justin Falls | The Daily Advance | Elizabeth City | Over the last hurdle |
| Photo Page | ||||
| 1st | Janet Sutton | Kinston Free Press | Kinston | Nicky's day |
| 2nd | Alan Campbell | Rocky Mount Telegram | Rocky Mount | Gryphons championship game |
| 3rd | Justin Falls | The Daily Advance | Elizabeth City | Start of a season |
| Illustration/Photo Illustration | ||||
| 1st | Billy Liggett | The Sanford Herald | Sanford | What's next? |
| 2nd | Neil Brown
 |
The Messenger | Mount Airy | The chicken has landed |
| 3rd | Justin Falls, Jenny Covault & Brett Clark | The Daily Advance | Elizabeth City | Coast Guard boat types |
| Best Use Of An Interactive Feature | ||||
| 1st | Jessica Norman | Statesville Record & Landmark | Statesville | Iredell in transition |
| 2nd | Jessica Norman | Statesville Record & Landmark | Statesville | Your vote 2008 |
| 3rd | David Allen | The Star | Shelby | Storm damage map |
| Best Multimedia Project | ||||
| 1st | Erin Kestner & Cheryl Moose | News The Herald | Morganton | Summer '98 |
| 2nd | Allison Flynn | The Star | Shelby | PSI |
| 3rd | Jessica Norman & Brad Norman | Statesville Record & Landmark | Statesville | Twists of fate |
| Editorials | ||||
| 1st | Skip Foster | The Star | Shelby | DCC; A cry; No admission |
| 2nd | Donnie Douglas | The Robesonian | Lumberton | Hawaiian punch; Discounting; Conspiracy |
| 3rd | Mike Fuhrman & Kate Meier | Statesville Record & Landmark | Statesville | A waste; A family; Four years |
| Lighter Columns | ||||
| 1st | Tom Joyce | The Mount Airy News | Mount Airy | It's time; How are you; I was never |
| 2nd | Billy Liggett | The Sanford Herald | Sanford | The puppy diaries |
| 3rd | Graham Cawthon | The Star | Shelby | When Michael ruled; Why 70s rocks; Old songs |
| Serious Columns | ||||
| 1st | Edward Terry | News-Topic | Lenoir | $18B; Education; Tragic case |
| 2nd | Billy Liggett | The Sanford Herald | Sanford | Pay green |
| 3rd | John Charles Robbins | The Robesonian | Lumberton | Every picture; Nature's call; Sharks circle |
| Sports Columns | ||||
| 1st | Kevin Travis | Washington Daily News | Washington | A salute; A perfect ending; Whooo! |
| 2nd | Alan Ford | The Star | Shelby | Never; Southern; Real |
| 3rd | Alex Podlogar | The Sanford Herald | Sanford | The goal; A cubs fan; Cavs' run |
| Criticism | ||||
| 1st | Jon Dawson | Kinston Free Press | Kinston | CD reviews |
| 2nd | Neil Morris | The Sanford Herald | Sanford | There will be; Wall-E; The Dark Knight |
| 3rd | Kammeron Polverari | The Robesonian | Lumberton | Horton; Zohan; Thunder |
| Headline Writing | ||||
| 1st | Ross Chandler | Rocky Mount Telegram | Rocky Mount | What the; A bite; Tread |
| 2nd | Glenn Craven | The Daily Dispatch | Henderson | A bug; Trail; Repeat |
| 3rd | Emily Killian | The Star | Shelby | Keep your wits; Fast and Furious; Sweet snackteen |
| Graphics | ||||
| 1st | Richard Clark | Kinston Free Press | Kinston | Not a gas; Your money; Still the king |
| 2nd | Ross Chandler | Rocky Mount Telegram | Rocky Mount | Kids having kids; 200 years; Tough love |
| 3rd | Brian Petty
 |
The Star | Shelby | Star car; Locals; Crime map |
| General Excellence Web Site | ||||
| 1st | Staff | The Daily Advance | Elizabeth City | website |
| 2nd | Staff | Rocky Mount Telegram | Rocky Mount | website |
| 3rd | Staff | Kinston Free Press | Kinston | website |
| Appearance And Design | ||||
| 1st | Staff
 |
The Sanford Herald | Sanford | Sept 27 & 28 |
| 2nd | Staff
 |
The McDowell News | Marion | Nov 27 & 28 |
| 3rd | Staff | The Star | Shelby | Nov 8 & 9 |
| Sports Coverage | ||||
| 1st | Staff | Rocky Mount Telegram | Rocky Mount | Mar 1 & 2 |
| 2nd | Staff | Kinston Free Press | Kinston | Mar 15 & 16 |
| 3rd | Staff | The Daily Advance | Elizabeth City | March 28 & 29 |
| News Section Design | ||||
| 1st | Staff | The Star | Shelby | Jan 6 & 7 |
| 2nd | Staff | News The Herald | Morganton | Jan 17; Jan 18 |
| 3rd | Staff | The Daily Advance | Elizabeth City | Jan 25 & 26 |
| Feature Section Design | ||||
| 1st | Jenny Covault and Toby Tate
 |
The Daily Advance | Elizabeth City | Albemarle sound |
| 2nd | Staff
 |
The Dispatch | Lexington | July 4 & 5 |
| 3rd | Ross Chandler | Rocky Mount Telegram | Rocky Mount | RMC food |
| Special Section | ||||
| 1st | Staff | The Enquirer-Journal | Monroe | Farewell Jesse Helms |
| 2nd | R.V. Hight, William "Chip" Pate & Brooke Wolfe | The Sanford Herald | Sanford | FACES of Central Carolina Industry |
| 3rd | R.V. Hight, William "Chip" Pate & Brooke Wolfe | The Sanford Herald | Sanford | Lee County Living |
