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Journal named best newspaper for second year running

Newcastle’s morning daily The Journal has been named Newspaper of the Year for the second year running at the 27th Tom Cordner North East Press Awards.

The 176-year-old newspaper retained the title and became the first paper to do so since the awards were created in 1990.

The Journal’s success didn’t end there – as the Trinity Mirror paper also won six other prizes.

Editor Brian Aitken said it was a tremendous boost for the paper and he was proud of the entire staff.

In another slice of history-making the Durham Times, only launched in April last year, was named North East Weekly Newspaper in its debut year.

The paper is edited by Malcolm Warne and is modelled on its veteran stable-mate, the Darlington and Stockton Times, complete with gothic masthead.

But the judges praised the new title, saying “it has taken an age-old local paper recipe and given it a taste of the 21st century”.

This year’s scheme also welcomed a new award of News Website of the Year which was won by the Northern Echo.

Judges said their choice reflected an advanced level of content and performance in northernecho.co.uk.

The Tom Cordner awards cover newspapers, magazines and their associated websites from North Yorkshire to the Scottish border.

They were launched as a tribute by fellow journalists to Tom Cordner, news editor of the Hartlepool Mail when he died in 1976 aged only 38.

Darlington College, which sponsors the Best Website award, announced a new prize for next year for online Newspaper Video Journalism.

Kevin Maguire, associate editor of the Daily Mirror, presented the awards and was guest speaker.

The winners are:

North East Newspaper of the Year
The Journal

Lifetime Contribution to Journalism in the North East
Janis Blower, Shields Gazette

North East Journalist of the Year
Chris Lloyd, Northern Echo

Young Journalist of the Year
Kerry Wood, Evening Chronicle

North East Weekly Newspaper of the Year
Durham Times

Weekly Newspaper Journalist of the Year
Helen Compson, Hexham Courant

North East News Website of the Year
northernecho.co.uk

Magazine of the Year
Culture (The Journal)

North East Business Reporter of the Year
Nick Whitten, Evening Chronicle (Newcastle)

North East Health Reporter of the Year
Barry Nelson, Northern Echo

Arts Reportage
David Whetstone, The Journal

North East Columnist of the Year
Brian Tilley, Hexham Courant

Community Journalism
Winners – Brian Aitken and reporters, The Journal

Scoop of the Year
Chris Lloyd, Northern Echo
Interview with Tony Blair on his final day as Prime Minister

Overall Newspaper Page Design
Babette Decker, The Journal/Culture

Front and/or Back Page Design
Colin Patterson, Sunday Sun

Feature Writing
Lindsay Jennings, Northern Echo

Hard News Reporting
Paul James, The Journal

North East Sports Journalism
Scott Wilson, Northern Echo

Picture of the Year
Tim McGuinness, The Journal

Photographer of the Year
Mike Urwin, Evening Chronicle

Trainee with highest NCTJ exam marks in 2007
Mark Tallentire, Durham Times and Northern Echo

Comments

Ginger (27/05/2008 10:22:42)
Well done Durham !