Sa's Top Newspaper Proprietors Are
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
SuccessCOUNTRY PRESS SAin NEWSPAPER PRESS AWARDS ADELAIDE, 2017 SA’S TOP NEWSPAPER PROPRIETORS ARE ... Michael Ellis, left, from the Yorke Peninsula Country Times and Andrew Manuel from the Plains Producer were set to team BROTHERS up for a double celebration after their neighbouring papers took out the top prizes at the Country Press SA awards in the Convention Centre in Adelaide. Both proprietors were especially delighted as their papers had won the ultimate accolade for the second year in a row. The Plains Producer also took home the award for best Community Profi le and best Priced Product Advertisement while the Yorke Peninsula Country Times also won the best Front Page award as well as a host of minor placings. The subsequent party lived up to expectations with Mr Manuel heard to exclaim “Blimey, the moon’s bright” as he IN ARMS emerged from a popular city watering hole at about 8 o’clock the following morning. Country Press SA 2 Success in PRESS NEWSPAPER AWARDS 2017 BEST NEW SPAPER (OVER 4000) Yorke Peninsula Country Times Team from the Times the best in SA JUDGE’S COMMENTS Bruce Morgan Celebrating the achievement are Yorke Peninsula Country Times staff members Justin Price, left, Nick Perry, Lindsay Rover, Cynthia Jericho, Salomae Haselgrove, Rod Penna, Leonie O'L eary, Bernice Williams, Wayne Rivers, Rhiannon Koc h, Jodee Cavenett, Marcia Guerrero, Sonny Coombs, Sheila Cranwell, Jess Liddy, Jo Elsworthy, Judith Gordon, Ian "B odgie" S haw and Michael Ellis. J udging the Best Newspaper, over 4000 circulation, There is strong local advertising content, despite presentations and excellent classifi es ( although why for 2017 was the most diffi cult to date. The six entries tougher times, and has maintained a high quality the key back page is given over to free ads remains a were all a very high standard. classifi ed and trades section. mystery but it must be popular) . This became more obvious with the withdrawal of the The Courier comes off its press looking good and uses Its printing standard was equal best and layouts and Fairfax newspapers, which in recent years had shown its types well. types, clean and easily navigated. clearly the effects of cutbacks. SECOND: And the rest ( not necessarily in order) : What these six best represent is committed community The Border Watch • Murray Pioneer: its mid-year move to a more engagement. A very worthy second place for this multi-award traditional tabloid form was successful and this It is heartening to see independent publishers who winner. 2015 winner remains a strong, balanced community understand that their communities “own” them, that With the look and feel of a daily newspaper, The newspaper. they are truly the journal of record. Border Watch remains strong on breaking news and Some excellent features, such as the Wedding and This is borne out by the positive way in which these community activism. V ocational guides, and R eal Estate on higher GSM papers lobby and rally and give their communities a It isn’t the only entry to embrace online, but this one stock lifted the advertising standard. voice. does it well and incorporates it into the pages through As a bi-weekly, it seems to stretch its sport a little but It is a pity in some respects that there had to be a Social Feed. maintains excellent editorial and letters engagement. winner. For such a community-engaged newspaper, it is • The Bunyip: Maintains a consistent standard and In judging over the categories of editorial, advertising, surprising that there are so few letters ( over one week/ good local content. printing and typography there was just nine points four editions, there were just three) . It presents on quality stock but the wide leading separating the winner and the last three. Another good example of classifi ed presentation, and makes the stories more diffi cult to read. The fact that the 2015 winner, the Murray Pioneer, the stronger stock for real estate is a stand-out. It also creates a story count issue often. did not make the top three this year – and it has hardly Features were also strong, such as the regular O n The Nevertheless, The Bunyip has excellent community slipped in its endeavours – just goes to show what a Land. Equal on points in printing and typography. engagement, imaginative local advertising and a tight contest it was. FIRST: strong real estate guide on higher-grade stock. O f course, judging is subjective but I have tried to give Yorke Peninsula Country Times • The Leader: With some very good car and real estate each newspaper points on as level a playing fi eld as By a solitary point, the Times has won for successive ads, The Leader almost comes across as a newspaper possible. years and it looks to be a great team effort. from better days gone by. THIRD: The Times is a complete package with excellent Together with strong classifi eds and business The Courier community focus. directory, it has plenty to offer the Barossa community. There are many strengths in The Courier. It has strong editorial/ letters and engagement with I loved the V alentine’s Day “Have your K issed your It simply is a fi ne community newspaper and clearly its readers that is second to none. Paper” promotion. proud to serve. It is consistent in news and sport The sports section is detailed and clearly open to all- The Leader also is strong on sport ( a lift-out) , People presentation and places emphasis on editorial opinion comers. pictures and a notable police news section. and encouraging letters. It is obviously a busy advertising team with thoughtful Country Press SA NEWSPAPER AWARDS 2017 Success in PRESS 3 BEST NEW SPAPER (UNDER 4000) Plains Producer The Producer team at Balaklava includes (back, from left) Ethan Allen, Les Pearson, Andrew Manuel, David Newsome, James Manuel, (front) Lee- anne McCracken, Louise Michael, Leanne Salvemini, Lisa Schulz and Tania Allen. ABSENT: Bec O ’Brien and Natalie Centenera and Andrew Parker. PL AINS PRODUCER H AS . SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE The Producer team at Clare includes (from left) Renee Bennett, Jenny Wainwright, Clancy Toholke, Gabrielle Hall and K ylie Murphy. ABSENT: Dennis Green, Terry Bevan, Yana Z anette and Michelle O sborn. Without exception, all publications are • Penola Pennant serving their communities well with a The Pennant, like stablemate the wide range of grass roots issues as well JUDGE’S COMMENTS Joe Italiano South Eastern Times, is an attractive as major news featuring prominently. newspaper doing a great service for its U nlike last year there were no sub-par Plains Producer. Large photos on the supported by well written captions are community. publications. front page and well written lead stories also a feature of this publication. The paper goes out on a limb for its Good country newspapers lead debate draw the reader into the publication. There is a lot for the staff at the readers and local causes, such as was and inform their communities. However, it could do more in this Times to feel proud. The judge, however, the case on December 6 when it called The Penola Pennant, Plains Producer, respect by adding a smaller secondary found the use of an “index” somewhat on its readers to “Give locals a go” when River News, Loxt on News and South story rather than the usual big picture perplexing in the bi-weekly publication. doing their Christmas shopping. Eastern Times do this and are all great and lead. The Page 2 index on Tuesdays is fi ne, Television guides were once a staple of servants of their respective communities. Pointers to some of the good reading but having the index back on page 6 in regional newspapers and the Pennant All publications are well presented material inside the publication would a 20-page paper on Thursdays seemed is maintaining this tradition with an with strong front pages and good also not go astray. Talking about what to be fi lling space rather than drawing excellent seven-day guide which covers attention to stories in the later pages. coverage of local events, ranging from is inside, it would be hard to fi nd 18 stations. a newspaper anywhere in regional • Loxton News government and shire council news to • The River News Australia which does sport better. The Loxt on News provided four very social and sporting activities. A mid-year reduction in page size from In an industry where quality has The four editions submitted for judging good editions for judging. Sport was a 4 1-centimetre image area page depth suffered in pursuit of reduced costs, it is included between 16 and 24 pages of a feature with the back page of the to 38 cms has given The River News a pleasing to see that SA country papers sport which could be lifted-out of the papers submitted for judging being well- in this category continue to do what main book. presented with good use of colour photos much newsier look. their readers expect of them – to inform, The paper also showed its “soft” side and a sports strap which also promoted It also provides more prominence for stimulate debate and entertain. in well presented social pages covering sport stories inside the publication. advertising. A strong letters section is Although all papers entered are a variety of activities such as Australia Its front page is generally a one and generally a good guide as to how readers “winners” the judge had to come up with Day celebrations, in the February 1 one ( one big picture and one story) .