The results are in for the Regional Press Awards 2020, organised by the Society of Editors. From a field of almost 700 entries, the winners and highly commended were announced today in a special online event.
The awards are supported by Facebook Journalism Project, Camelot, Google News Initiative, Amazon, HoldTheFrontPage and the Journalists’ Charity and recognise excellence throughout the regional and local press during the unprecedented times posed by COVID-19.
The newspaper of the year titles for 2020 were won by:
Daily Newspaper of the Year above 400,000 monthly reach: Liverpool Echo
Daily Newspaper of the Year Below 400,000 monthly reach: Jersey Evening Post
Paid for Weekly/Sunday Newspaper of the Year Above 50,000 Monthly Reach: Warrington Guardian
Paid for weekly/Sunday Newspaper of the Year Below 50,000 Monthly Reach: The Hexham Courant
Free Weekly Newspapers of the Year: Jewish News and Camden New Journal
Website of the Year award to: Manchester Evening News: https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Essex Live won Campaign of the Year for their ‘Death in care’ campaign which highlighted families fighting for justice for their loved ones. The judges also commended the BrumWish campaign by, Birmingham Mail/Birmingham Live, which aimed to give every homeless child in the city a Christmas gift. Cambridgeshire News’ Coronavirus Fund campaign also received high commendation.
A full list of award winners can be found below and by visiting the Society of Editors’
Website: https://www.societyofeditors.org/events/regional-press-awards-for-2020/gallery-of-winners/
where there is full coverage of all of the entries in all categories.
Sarah Brown, Facebook’s Head of Northern Europe News Partnerships, said:
“It has been a remarkable 18 months by any standards and the courage, bravery and incredible work all the journalists and teams nominated have done has been truly inspiring. Please keep up your extraordinary work reporting on communities across the country, helping them keep informed in times of crisis. It is remarkable work and I’m glad it is being rewarded.”
Dawn Alford, Executive Director of the Society of Editors commented: “The work done by the journalists, photographers, designers and editors showcased in these awards is inspiring. In such a difficult period of time, their work has been essential in keeping the public informed, campaigning on issues, making us laugh and making us cry.”
Regional Press Awards for 2020
Winners and highly commended
Young Journalist of the Year sponsored by:
Winner: Andra Maciuca, Saffron Walden Reporter and Dunmow Broadcast
Winner: Conor Matchett, The Scotsman/Edinburgh Evening News
Highly commended: Jack Aitchison, Glasgow Times
Business & Finance Journalist of the Year
Winner: Martin Williams, The Herald and Herald on Sunday
Highly commended: Coreena Ford, The Journal
Highly commended: Hannah Baker, Bristol Post/BusinessLive South West
Specialist Writer/Impact Journalist of the Year
Winner: Liam Thorp, Liverpool Echo
Highly commended: Dale Haslam, DC Thomson Media
Feature Writer/Long Form Journalist of the Year
Winner: Teddy Jamieson, The Herald (Scotland)
Highly commended: David Owens, Western Mail
Columnist of the Year
Winner: Paul Kirkley, Cambridge Independent
Highly commended: Neil Mackay, The Herald and Herald on Sunday (Scotland)
Social Media Journalist of the Year – sponsored by:
Winner: Samantha Yarwood, Manchester Evening News
Highly commended: John Wilson, Hereford Times
Sports Journalist of the Year – Weekly Papers
Winner: Jon Colman, The Cumberland News
Highly commended: Mark Taylor, Cambridge Independent
Sports Journalist of the Year – Daily/Sunday Papers
Winner: Matt Maher, Express & Star
Highly commended: Paul Ferguson, Sunday Life
Reporting Communities Award
Winner: Abbie Wightwick, WalesOnline
Winner: Thomas Kingsley, MyLondon
Highly commended: Conor Gogarty, Bristol Live
Highly commended: Catriona Stewart, Glasgow Times and The Herald
Data Journalist of the Year
Winner: Will Hayward, WalesOnline/Western Mail
Highly commended: Lesley-Anne Kelly, DC Thomson Media
Digital Live News Reporter of the Year
Winner: Neil Docking, Liverpool Echo
Highly commended: Jonathan Macpherson, Lancs Live
Weekly Reporter of the Year
Winner: Charles Thomson, Archant Investigations Unit
Highly commended: Bronwen Weatherby, Camden New Journal
Daily/Sunday Reporter of the Year
Winner: Emily Townsend, East Anglian Daily Times and Ipswich Star
Highly commended: Ciaran Barnes, Sunday Life
The Cathryn Nicoll Award – in association with:
Winner: Sian Bayley, MyLondon
Weekly Photographer of the Year
Winner: John McVitty, Impartial Reporter
Highly commended: Mark Williamson, Stratford-upon-Avon Herald
Daily/Sunday Photographer of the Year
Winner: Kevin Scott, Belfast Telegraph
Highly commended: Colm O’Reilly, Sunday Life
Designer of the Year: Newspapers
Winner: Georgia Robinson, Eastern Daily Press
Highly commended: Gary Beckwith, Newcastle Chronicle
Highly commended: Nancy Fallows, Eastern Daily Press
High commended: Ian Bond, Hull Daily Mail
Designer of the Year: Magazines/Supplements
Winner: Georgia Robinson, Eastern Daily Press
Highly commended: Nancy Fallows, Eastern Daily Press
Supplement/Section of the Year
Winner: The Business, Eastern Daily Press
Highly commended: Weekend, Belfast Telegraph
Special Supplement of the Year
Winner: Glastonbury 50, County Gazette
Highly commended: Cumberland & Westmorland Herald: 160 years
Magazine of the Year
Winner: Cumbria Life
Highly commended: The Herald Magazine,Scotland
Front Page of the Year – Weekly Papers – sponsored by:
Winner: We didn’t get to say goodbye, Impartial Reporter
Highly commended: ‘Be safe, be careful and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do’, WokinghamToday
Front Page of the Year – Daily/Sunday Papers – sponsored by:
Winner: Middlesbrough needs… Intensive Care, The Gazette
Highly commended: Our Life in Lockdown, Hull Daily Mail
Scoop of the Year
Winner: Coronavirus in Welsh care homes – the disaster that didn’t have to happen, WalesOnline
Highly commended: Safe House sting sinks new IRA, Sunday Life
Highly commended: The arrest of Joe Anderson, Liverpool Echo
Campaign of the Year
Winner: Death in care: Families fighting for justice for their failed loved ones, Essex Live
Highly commended: BrumWish, Birmingham Mail/Birmingham Live
Highly commended: Cambridgeshire Coronavirus Fund, Cambridge News
Website of the Year – sponsored by:
Winner: Manchester Evening News
Highly commended: Plymouth Live
Social Media Team of the Year – sponsored by Facebook Journalism Project
Winner: Yorkshire Live
Highly commended: Glasgow Times Digital Team
Digital Initiative of the Year – sponsored by Facebook Journalism Project
Winner: The Mill newsletter, Manchester
Highly commended: Robot reporter updates local audiences on coronavirus infection rates, Manchester Evening News
The Overall Digital Award – sponsored by
Winner: Manchester Evening News
Highly commended: Wales Online
Special 2020 Award
Winner: Aberdeen Journals Home Delivery Team, The Press & Journal
Highly commended: Newsquest Regional ACE network (Team RACE)
The following awards are sponsored by
Paid for Weekly Newspaper of the Year (below 50,000 total monthly reach)
Winner: The Hexham Courant
Highly commended: Cumberland & Westmorland Herald
Highly commended: The Ulster Herald
Paid For Weekly Newspaper of the Year (above 50,000 total monthly reach)
Winner: Warrington Guardian
Highly commended: Kent Messenger
Highly commended: Kentish Gazette
Daily Newspaper of the Year (below 400,000 monthly reach)
Winner: Jersey Evening Post
Highly commended: The Argus (Brighton)
Daily Newspaper of the Year (above 400,000 monthly reach)
Winner: Liverpool Echo
Highly commended: The Courier(Scotland)
Highly commended: Belfast Telegraph
Sunday Newspaper of the Year
Winner: The Herald on Sunday (Scotland)
Highly commended: Sunday Life (Northern Ireland)
Free Weekly Newspaper of the Year
Winner: Jewish News
Winner: Camden New Journal
Highly commended: Islington Tribune
This link to the virtual gallery to view the winners will be live from midday today.
Don’t forget to use the hashtags #RegionalPressAwards and and tag @EditorsUK @RegPressAwards your posts.
The Society of Editors organises the awards on behalf of the industry and is supported by:
