We’re champions of the North again
May 26 2008 by Chris Robinson, The Journal
THE Journal has been named North East Newspaper of the Year for the second year in a row – the first time any paper has won it in successive years.
In an impressive night for The Journal, a total of seven awards were handed out to our reporters, photographers and designers at the annual Tom Cordner North East Press Awards, on Saturday night.
As well as the overall accolade, five of our staff won individual prizes and both editor Brian Aitken and our reporters were awarded the community journalism prize for our coverage of the Northern Rock crisis in September last year.
Chief Reporter Paul James was handed the Hard News award for a portfolio which showed “the skill to dig and tell a story,” while photographer Tim McGuinness won Picture of the Year for capturing the Red Arrows’ flypast at Sunderland International Airshow.
Arts and Entertainment editor David Whetstone was named North East Arts reporter of the year and Culture awarded North East Magazine of the Year.
Designer Babette Decker won the Overall Page Design award for her work.
Meanwhile features writer Alastair Gilmour was given a special mention for his work. The awards were handed out by Kevin Maguire, associate editor of the Daily Mirror. The Journal’s Editor Brian Aitken said: “I was really pleased to win last year but to become the first title to retain the North East Newspaper of the Year award is fantastic – and a testament to the quality of the journalists we have here. We picked up seven awards in all – across a wide spread of disciplines – and I was particularly pleased that our coverage of the Northern Rock crisis received such a glowing tribute from the judges.
“The Journal is a champion for the North East – and we will continue to be one for a long time to come.”
Our sister paper the Evening Chronicle took the Trainee Journalist of the Year, won by Kerry Wood, Business (Nick Whitten) and Photographer of the Year (Mike Urwin) and Colin Patterson, Editor of the Sunday Sun, scooped the Splash award for front page design.
