UK campaigning and investigative journalism was celebrated at The Press Awards for national newspapers organised by the Society of Editors this week.
The Times took the main accolades of the evening, winning eight awards including the newspaper of the year title, news reporter of the year award and the Cudlipp Award in recognition of its investigation into the Rotherham child abuse scandal.
Chairman of the judges, Society of Editors executive director, Bob Satchwell, pictured above, said: “The awards demonstrate the importance and quality of the British Press. They are the answer to the critics who seek to silence our newspapers. This is the best of UK newspaper journalism, which is the best in the world.”
Andrew Norfolk, The Times journalist instrumental in breaking the Rotherham scandal was honoured as news reporter of the Year and in the Cudlipp award.
The Daily Mirror took home five awards with Andrew Gregory winning the science and health journalist of the year, Halina Watts winning showbiz reporter of the year, Tom Parry feature writer of the year for popular papers, Rowan Griffiths winning photographer of the year and the paper was awarded the digital award in recognition of its innovation and vast use of social media platforms.
The Daily Mail collected four awards in recognition of its first-class team of journalists.Peter Campbell won the young journalist of the year title, Matthew Lawton was named sports journalist of the year, Rebecca Hardy, interviewer of the year for popular papers and Quentin Letts columnist of the year in the popular category.
The Mail on Sunday won the scoop of the year award for Ben Ellery’s investigation into the slave labour used to make the feminist t-shirts worn by prominent politicians.
The Independent on Sunday was awarded the front page of the year prize for its sensitive cover on the death of Alan Henning which the judges praised for delivering the news while depriving the terrorists of the propaganda they craved.
The Independent and i saw reporters Patrick Cockburn and Mark Steel honoured in the foreign reporter of the year and columnist of the year for broadsheet paper categories while sister paper the London Evening Standard’s David Sexton took home the award for critic of the year.
The Daily Record won the overall award for sports team of the year in recognition of a magnificent effort on a tight budget in a year in which both the Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup were held in Scotland.
The Financial Times’ environmental correspondent Pilita Clark was named the specialist journalist of the year and its business team was recognised for its overall business coverage.
The news team of the year award went to The Sunday Times as did the interviewer of the year in the broadsheet category to Bryan Appleyard.
The Times’ other awards of the evening went to political journalist Matthew Parris, The Times Magazine, cartoonist Peter Brookes and sports photographer Marc Aspland. Feature writer Anthony Loyd was also honoured in the Feature Broadsheet category for what the judges said was “a compelling and memorable account of his own kidnap in Syria.”
The Daily Telegraph’s cartoonist Matt Pritchett was awarded the Journalists’ Charity award for using his craft to benefit the charity and the new Georgina Henry women in journalism prize for innovation went to Everyday Sexism founder Laura Bates for a proposal for an extension of Everyday Sexism called Shouting Back, which would put not only the tales of women who fought back and what happened, but would also be a one-stop supportive resource for anyone who has been the victim of harassment.
The evening also saw emeritus editor of the Press Association and twice past President of the Society of Editors, Jonathan Grun, awarded the chairman’s award in recognition of his service to the industry.
