The best of British regional and local newspaper journalism is to be celebrated at an Oscars-style lunchtime awards ceremony in London in May with entries set to open next week.
For the third successive year since they were revived in 2010, the Society of Editors is to stage the Regional Press Awards in conjunction with the Newspaper Society.
This year’s ceremony will take place at Savoy Place, London on Friday 17 May, the same day as the Newspaper Society AGM, and will be followed by a celebratory lunch.
Entries for the awards will open on Monday 4 February at www.theregionalpressawards.org.uk and close on 4 March. Would-be entrants can register with the site from today and the £25 entry fee has been frozen at last year’s level.
The Society of Editors Regional Press Awards are made possible by the lead sponsorship of UK Power Networks. They are supported by Asda and Foot Anstey solicitors and held in association with HoldtheFrontPage and the Press Association.
Newspaper Society members have undertaken to participate in and support the awards and to avoid taking part in any competing UK-wide events.
The awards will aim to showcase the best journalism that appeared in any format or delivery platform related to a UK local or regional paper during 2012.
This year will see some changes to the awards categories recognising online and other digital journalism, with a new category of website of the year alongside the Digital Award.
Once again HoldtheFrontPage will be sponsoring the Young Journalist of the Year category open to journalists under 26 on 31 December last year who made a significant impact during 2012.
Publisher Paul Linford said: “These awards recognise the very best in regional journalism and HoldtheFrontPage is delighted to be able to continue its association with them.”
Chairing the judges for the second year running will be former Manchester Evening News editor Paul Horrocks, now director of independent media and communications consultancy, Essential Communications and Media.
Shortlists will be published in April and revenue generated by entry fees, table sales and sponsorship will pay for the not-for-profit awards programme as well as helping support the Journalists’ Charity.
SoE executive director Bob Satchwell said: “We are glad to help celebrate the quality of the journalism that serves local and regional communities across the UK so well.
“The British local and regional press is adapting to new opportunities and challenges and remains the best in the world.”
Lynne Anderson, communications and marketing director of the Newspaper Society added: “The regional press is the most trusted of all media. In print and online, it is the second biggest investor, after the national press, on news in the UK.
“These awards give us an opportunity to pay tribute to the industry’s unique editorial content and journalistic excellence.”
The awards categories and essential criteria for entrants are listed below. Full details of the awards are available at www.theregionalpressawards.org.uk which also includes guidance on how to register and enter the awards.
YOUNG JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Open to journalists aged 26 or under on 31 December 2012 who have not previously been shortlisted for this award. Entries may include work from any journalistic discipline. Judges will be looking for the individual who has made significant impact over the year. The award is sponsored by HoldtheFrontPage.
BUSINESS AND FINANCE JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
For reporters and commentators covering all aspects of business and personal finance. Judges will be looking for the ability to break stories and explain issues to a general audience.
SPECIALIST WRITER OF THE YEAR
For journalists with specialism’s not covered by any other category such as science, education, health, motoring, the environment and politics. The judges will look for journalists who break stories, analyse and explain their subject for a wider audience.
FEATURE WRITER OF THE YEAR
Quality of writing is paramount. Judges will be looking for journalists who demonstrate a compelling style in news reportage, colour writing, analysis and backgrounders.
COLUMNIST OF THE YEAR
Entrants should have a regular bylined column. The winner will be a journalist with special style and the ability to provoke debate that may annoy as much as delight.
WEEKLY SPORTS JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Open to sports news writers, match reporters, feature writers and columnists on weekly newspapers. Entries may be from a variety of sports.
DAILY/SUNDAY SPORTS JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Open to sports news writers, match reporters, feature writers and columnists on daily newspapers. Entries may be from a variety of sports or one specialist area. Judges will be looking for good writing and agenda setting reporting.
WEEKLY REPORTER OF THE YEAR
The category for weekly newspaper reporters who provide the heart and soul of any newspaper. The judges will be looking for well-researched exclusives brilliantly told. Tenacity, flair, investigative skill and an ability to handle difficult subjects carefully will score highly. In the case of long-running investigations entrants may include up to three items to count as one story.
DAILY/SUNDAY REPORTER OF THE YEAR
The category for daily newspaper reporters who provide the heart and soul of any newspaper. The judges will be looking for well-researched exclusives brilliantly told. Tenacity, flair, investigative skill and an ability to handle difficult subjects carefully will score highly. In the case of long-running investigations entrants may include up to three items to count as one story.
WEEKLY PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
News, sports and features pictures used in a weekly newspaper are eligible. Judges will look for versatility, technical skill and the ability to capture the picture that matters. The mood of an interview, subject or feature needs to come across strongly.
DAILY/SUNDAY PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
News, sports and features pictures used in a daily newspaper are eligible. Judges will look for versatility, technical skill and the ability to capture the picture that matters. The mood of an interview, subject or feature needs to come across strongly.
DESIGNER OF THE YEAR
An award for designers and graphic artists. Judges will look at finished pages that demonstrate innovative and skilled design and layout.
SUPPLEMENT OF THE YEAR
Entries will be judged on outstanding content, design, use of photography and readability of a supplement that is published at regular intervals or to mark a special event or achievement, either with the newspaper or clearly linked to a local or regional paper.
The judges will need to see one hard copy of a special supplement or three different editions of a regular supplement .
FRONT PAGE OF THE YEAR
Judges will be looking for the outstanding and most memorable front page published in a regional or local newspaper during the year.
SCOOP OF THE YEAR
The story or series of stories that everyone else wished they had broken. This can be a team or individual award.
CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR
Judges will be looking for campaigns that made waves, struck a chord with readers and simply made a difference. This can be a team or individual award.
WEBSITE OF THE YEAR
The judges will look for excellent reporting, writing or flair and innovation in content, design and delivery and interaction with readers and will seek to recognise journalistic achievement online.
THE DIGITAL AWARD
The judges will look for the newspaper that produces the best journalism and service to readers on a range of platforms whether print, website, mobile, tablet or any other means. Special attention will be paid to innovation.
WEEKLY NEWSPAPER (BELOW 20,000)/WEEKLY NEWSPAPER (ABOVE 20,000)
Weekly Newspaper of the Year categories will be judged by panels of experienced senior journalists or former journalists from all parts of the media. They will consider the achievements of each of the entries across all platforms set out in submissions by editors. The judges will look for service to the local community, great exclusives and successful campaigns, editorial achievements and other outstanding journalism. Editors will be required to send in three different editions of their newspaper.
DAILY/SUNDAY NEWSPAPER (BELOW 25,000)/DAILY/SUNDAY NEWSPAPER (ABOVE 25,000)
Daily/Sunday Newspaper of the Year categories will be judged by panels of experienced senior journalists or former journalists from all parts of the media. They will consider the achievements of each of the entries across all platforms set out in submissions by editors. The judges will look for service to the local community, great exclusives and successful campaigns, editorial achievements and other outstanding journalism. Editors will need to provide three different editions of their newspaper.
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Yest again, nothing for the hyperlocal journalists who are forging the path to profitability and more rewards for the big playeers who have run the industry into the ground.
With HTFP involvement I don’t expect this comment will be used.
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Hyperlocal “forging the path the profitability”
Haha!
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“Forging the path to profitability”?
Or, in English, “not making any money”.
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News to sink the hearts of a set of hard-pressed deputies as the usual suspects rub their hands with glee at another chance to inflate their own egos. They will be producing editions not designed to serve the reader but to win meaningless baubles, to impress their MDs and to divert attention from shameful things like falsified sales figures. I can tell you who the winners will be now.
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Dunno about “fresh corinader”, sounds more like sour grapes.
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Hyperlocals round here just slap council and police press releases on the site with the minimal re-nosing.
Even more frustrating when the release is a response to a journalist’s q who has worked a story, and has the FULL story, and not just the pr nonsense version that gets stuck on the hyperlocal.
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There are independent publishers all over the place producing news magazines stuffed with ads and turning nice profits, mainly in print and a few online.
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Not sure what Simon is complaining about.
He could enter “Scoop of the Year” and “Campaign of the Year” if he runs a print publication and anyone with a hyperlocal website could also enter “Website of the Year” and “Digital Award”.
I have to say though, that some of the hyperlocal websites I look at reflect LOL’s comments, police and council press releases with very little, if any, original news content.
As for Fresh Coriander’s jaded view of the contestants, why shouldn’t they be recognised for bringing in exclusives, writing excellent columns and designing classy pages? My ex-colleagues on the YEP won awards in bucketfuls, and very richly deserved they were too.
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You are so right Bluestringer. Cumbria’s second biggest award ceremony 1987. Nib headline of the year award entry with my brilliant “Bishop makes diagonal move”. Didn’t even get short listed. Utter disgrace. What a shower.
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The Folkestone Herald ran some outstanding campaigns last year. Expect them to feature.
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I agree with Mr McJannet that the Folkestone Herald – under its young editor Simon Finlay – is a strong contender to sweep the board. Its “1950s Follkestone In Pictures” article is odds on for Supplement of the Year while its shocking “Paul McMullan Exposed” exclusive should win Front Page of the Year.
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Thank you, Mark. I think the Folkestone Herald is an object lesson in how a small paper sees the big picture. I hope it gets the recognition it deserves in May. By the way, how is the treatment going?
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If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere . . . Folkestone, Folkestone! as the old Frank Sinatra song goes. Treatment is going well, thanks for asking. I was allowed out unaccompanied on Tuesday.
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