Journal-World Web sites were nominated Tuesday in all four categories of the 2003 “Edgies,” a national award that honors excellence in online journalism.

The Journal-World was the only newspaper in the nation to be nominated in all categories.

“These awards are equivalent to an online Pulitzer,” World Online General Manager Rob Curley said.

“To receive these sorts of nominations from our peers across the country is truly an honor,” he said. “But our goal isn’t to win awards. It’s to serve Lawrence.”

The top three entrants in each category were nominated for the “Digital Edge” awards, as the honors from the Newspaper Association of America are formally known.

World Online was nominated in the following categories, for newspapers with circulation less than 75,000:

⢠Most Innovative Use of Digital Media: News Event Coverage, for the Journal-World’s Kansas University news section.

⢠Most Innovative Use of Digital Media: Features/Enterprise, for “Parched Prairie,” senior editor Bill Snead’s series on the effects of drought in Kansas.

⢠Best Sports Site: KUSports.com.

⢠Best Advertising Program, for KU Bookstore’s sponsorship of KUsports.com.

Curley said KUSports.com received a “massive overhaul” in August. The Journal-World’s KU news section was revamped in November.

Award winners will be announced during a National Association of Newspapers convention Jan. 27 in Orlando, Fla.