An independent news website has scooped two prizes at an awards celebrating regional journalism.

Local Authority, which has covered the Medway towns since 2021, has been named News Website of the Year at the Kent Press & Broadcast Awards.

Local Authority writer Steven Keevil was also named Columnist of the Year at the ceremony, held on Friday (14).

The Kentish Gazette also scored a brace of awards after Millie Bowles was named New Journalist of the Year and Jack Dyson claimed Print & Online Journalist of the Year.

Isle of Thanet News editor Kathy Bailes won Scoop of the Year.

HTFP reported last month how organiser Maxim PR has been forced to cancel this year’s Newspaper of the Year award after it failed to receive a single entry.

The full list of winners is as follows:

Broadcast Journalist of the Year
Winner – Josie Hannett, BBC South East Today
Highly commended – Joe Coshan, ITV News Meridian

Columnist of the Year
Winner – Steven Keevil, Local Authority
Highly commended – Susan McGowan, Kent Life

Design(er) of the Year
Winner – Jonathan Brewer, BBC South East
Highly Commended – Ashley Austen, KM Media Group

Feature Journalist of the Year – Broadcast
Winner – Derek Johnson, ITV News Meridian
Highly Commended – Tony Green, ITV News Meridian

Feature Journalist of the Year – Print & Online
Winner – Stuart Maisner, BBC website and BBC South East social media
Highly Commended – Chris Hunter, KentOnline/Kent Messenger series

Image of the Year
Winner – Frank Leppard, independent
Highly Commended – Rhys Griffiths, KentOnline

Magazine of the Year
Winner – ‘Cene
Highly Commended – West Kent Sport & Wellbeing

New Journalist of the Year
Winner – Millie Bowles, Thanet Extra & Kentish Gazette Series
Highly Commended – Ruth Cassidy, KentOnline and Kentish Gazette

News Website of the Year
Winner – Local Authority
Highly Commended – ITV News Meridian

Print & Online Journalist of the Year
Winner – Jack Dyson, Kentish Gazette
Highly Commended – Kathy Bailes, The Isle of Thanet News

Programme of the Year
Winner – ITV News Meridian
Highly Commended – BBC South East Today

Scoop of the Year
Winner – Kathy Bailes, The Isle of Thanet News
Highly Commended – Joe Coshan, ITV News Meridian

The Neil Bell Kent Sports Journalist of the Year
Winner – James Dunn, BBC South East Today
Highly Commended – Steve Rowley, West Kent Sport & Wellbeing

Kent Voices Award
Winner – Sofia Akin, KMTV
Highly Commended – KentLive

Golden Pen
Rhys Griffiths, KentOnline

Golden Microphone
Colin Campbell, BBC South East Today