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Quadruple triumph for Post in new media awards

The Yorkshire Post was last night named newspaper of the year as it picked up four prizes in a new regional media awards scheme.

Judges praised the Johnston Press daily for retaining “so many of the values that newspapers were built on – it is hard to find an equal”.

Three reporters from the Post also took home individual awards at the first O2 Media Awards for Yorkshire and The Humber, held in Leeds last night.

Greg Wright won business journalist of the year, David Behrens was named top digital journalist and Tom Richmond was crowned feature writer of the year for “his ability to grace any section of the newspaper from news backgrounders to beautifully constructed personality features”.

The Worksop Guardian won the award for best editorial team for its coverage of the region’s top stories, including the Neil Entwistle murder case in America.

Scoop of the year went to Richard Marsden of Sheffield daily The Star for his reporting of a family who had been driven out of their home by the credit crunch and forced to live in their Vauxhall Vectra.

Judges said the story had left every national “chomping for more”.

Sophie Hazan, of the Yorkshire Evening Post, was named reporter of the year for her “constant digging away at issues affecting her readers which created reaction and debate”.

“She is also fearless in her pursuit of those up to mischief and as such a jewel in the Evening Post’s crown,” judges said.

The judging panel included Warrington Guardian editor Nicola Priest, Society of Editors chairman Richard Catlow, Radio City’s news and sports editor Steve Hothersall and Mike Boden, former UK photographer of the year.

The winners and finalists were:

Newspaper of the Year
Winner: Yorkshire Post
Highly commended: Worksop Guardian, Whitby Gazette, Hull Daily Mail

Reporter of the Year
Winner: Sophie Hazan, Yorkshire Evening Post
Highly Commended: Kevin Shoesmith, Hull Daily Mail, Charles Heslett, Yorkshire Evening Post, Deborah Wain, Doncaster Free Press

Editorial Team of the Year
Winner: Worksop Guardian
Highly Commended: The Community Newsletter, BBC Radio York Drive, the Halifax Evening Courier and Yorkshire Life teams

Digital Journalist of the Year
Winner: David Behrens, Yorkshire Post
Highly Commended: Joanna Hunter, Hull Daily Mail, David Parkin, The Business Desk.com

Feature Writer of the Year
Winner: Tom Richmond, Yorkshire Post
Highly Commended: Barry Gibson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner, Nick Ahad, Yorkshire Post, Jo Davison, The Star, Sheffield

Photographer of the Year
Winner: Lucy Ray, Telegraph and Argus, Bradford
Highly Commended: Jon Corken, Grimsby Telegraph, Simon Hulme, Yorkshire Post, Garry Atkinson, The Press, York

Sports Journalist of the Year
Winner: James Smailes, Hull Daily Mail
Highly Commended: Tom Richmond and Nick Westby, Yorkshire Post

Young Journalist of the Year – Dailies
Winner: Adam Lovell, Hull Daily Mail
Highly Commended: Joe Shute, Halifax Evening Courier, Selina Maycock, Scunthorpe Telegraph

Young Journalist of the Year – Weeklies
Winner: Cherry Wilson, Rotherham Advertiser
Highly Commended: Kate Liptrot, Doncaster Free Press, Ashley Marshall, Harrogate Advertiser

Business Journalist of the Year
Winner: Greg Wright, Yorkshire Post
Highly Commended: Anastasia Weiner, TheBusinessDesk.com.

Broadcast Journalist of the Year
Winner: Mick Lunney, BBC Radio Sheffield
Highly Commended: Richard White, BBC Radio York, Maddii Lown, Minster FM

Scoop of the Year
Winner: Richard Marsden, The Star, Sheffield

  • Reporter of the Year
    Sophie Hazan, of the Yorkshire Evening Post (right), with 02’s Jane Read
  • Photographer of the Year
    Lucy Ray, of the Telegraph and Argus, with 02’s Mike Barber
  • Young Journalist of the Year – Weeklies
    Cherry Wilson, of the Rotheram Advertiser, with 02’s Bob Dunn
  • Editorial Team of the Year
    Worksop Guardian
  • The winners from last night’s O2 Yorkshire and Humber Media Awards