Video journalism innovations have been recognised at a regional publisher’s annual awards.
The Archant Awards 2020 have been held, with prizes being given out to the company’s employees across 14 categories.
Innovation of the Year was won by the Herts Advertiser for ‘Newshound’ – a regular video-led roundup of stories aimed at making local news accessible to school children and enabling them to contribute content of their own.
The One To Watch award, which celebrates a recent newcomer to the business, was shared between Sophie Barnett and Rosie Blamey.
The winners at the 2020 Archant Awards
East Anglian Daily Times reporter Sophie was recognised for her live video reporting during the Suffolk coastal storm surge, while Rosie, from the company’s People function, was honoured for her work in creating online learning opportunities across the business.
Archant executive chairman Simon Bax said: “Archant is pioneering an exciting, creative and innovative future for local media. This is only possible due to the talent, passion and energy of our people.
“The quality of this year’s entries was exceptionally high and all our winners and finalists should be proud of their truly outstanding achievements.”
Dee Willmott, chief people and transformation officer at the company, said: “Archant’s purpose is to build communities, which it’s why it’s so important our own communities of brilliant people can come together to celebrate their unique and varied successes.”
The full list of winners is as follows:
Innovation of the Year: Herts Advertiser Newshounds
Content creator of the Year: Victoria Purcell, London Resident
Designer of the Year: Nicola Preston, Dialogue
People’s Hero: Chris Amos
Engagement Award: Surrey Life
Actions Speak Louder: Hannah Mock and James Parfitt
Client Champion: Ashley Day
Content of the Year: Harley Davidson, Dialogue
Commercial campaign: Innovate East
One to Watch: Rosie Blamey and Sophie Barnett
Manager of the Year: Richard Spratt
Team of the Year: Data & Insight
The Star award: Vicki Smith
The Archie: Alison Rich
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And the award for this year’s ‘Job title decided by a committee’ goes to…..
“chief people and transformation officer”
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Good to see Archant are at last reducing the excessive number of commercial managers that have been around the business for far too long, certainly a step in the right direction towards streamlining the business
Congrats to all winners
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“Archant is pioneering an exciting, creative and innovative future for local media”
Going by the current output there must be some radical plans and sweeping changes, particularly to the newspaper side of the business,due to be announced very soon then,ideally,I would suggest, ahead of the upcoming shareholders meeting
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@Taverham you will see all companies pulling out new products just weeks and months ahead of shareholder meetings. It is meant to reassure the shareholders that they are an innovative digital company and that they shouldn’t worry about falling print sales and advertising.
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@PercyHoskins
Likewise reducing the number of non essential and non productive FTEs in the form of ‘Best Before Date’ ad managers and the substantial cost savings they are then able to announce to the long suffering shareholders as a result.
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Good to congratulate the winners but let’s not forget those priceless staff who do their jobs quietly conscientiously and without seeking attention or praise, in my view they are the real key employees and stars of any business, well done to those priceless people
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Genuine question: What was the reasoning behind the People’s Hero Award? It’s gone to the head of the well-behind-schedule Local Recall project, but he must have won the accolade for something else, I’m guessing.
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