A weekly newspaper editor has received an award for his enthusiasm in embracing new media.

John Elworthy, editor of the Wisbech Standard and Cambs Times, won one of five awards presented within Archant’s Herts & Cambs division.

He was named new media person of the year at a presentation ceremony on 16 December and presented with a trophy by Archant Anglia MD Johnny Hustler and Archant Herts & Cambs Commercial Director Amanda Davison-Young.

The company felt that as editor of the titles, John has totally embraced the considerable benefits of new media and has a Twitter following of over 800, some of whom regularly provide photographs of weekend events which would not normally be covered by a staff photographer.

Other awards saw the two title’s editorial content manager Tom Jackson named editorial person of the year.

Tom joined the newspapers after leaving college and passed his NCE in 2008, aged just 20. The same year he won Newcomer of the Year at the EDF Energy East of England Media Awards.

John Adams, news editor of the Herts based The Comet for 35 years, won employee of the year.

He has been with the company for 44 years and has established himself as ‘the man in the know in North Herts.’

Other awards saw Stevenage sports team win best use of new media and the Cambs Times and Wisbech Standard take innovation of the year for its micro-site coverage of Fenland District Council election which included an interactive map, profiles and demographic information for the Fenland District Council elections.

The micro-site received more than 10,000 page impressions during the election and was considered by many as one of the main reasons for a high election turnout in Fenland.