SUCCESS IN PRESS February 28, 2020 Stamford Grand, Glenelg 2 | Success in Press 2019 CPSA Awards Stamford Grand, Glenelg The 109th Annual gathering of Past President, Ian Osterman ensured Another successful event was Country Press SA commenced on that all guests were comfortably achieved and a lot of this can be Friday, February 28 with a Google entertained as he is quickly becoming attributed to the work that Trevor Workshop. a favourite MC of the Association. McAuliffe has managed. Saffron Howden, Teaching Guests were treated to a beautiful This annual gathering is the glue that connects the members, staff Fellow, Australia & New Zealand, sunset whilst being transported back in time to reflect on the State’s history and guests in the most unique and Google News Lab delighted the through a musical performance by special way. This connection is participating delegates with her Adelaide Songs. Paul Roberts and his critical to the continued success of superior knowledge of the Google fellow singer-songwriters presented our industry. search products. a creative blend of music which It also presents us with a terrific In the evening, more than 120 honoured our home city. opportunity to celebrate the guests eased their way into a It was wonderful that most member success of the emerging superstars beautifully presented function newspapers were recognised for their of our industry as we again space overlooking the Glenelg efforts in some way. However, The witnessed at this year’s event. Beach, to enjoy the Awards night. Border Watch News Group certainly I wish everyone well as we continue had good reason to celebrate. The to navigate our way through the As President, it was a great Border Watch received 7 awards, ongoing challenges that we’re honour to welcome all of the The South Eastern Times received 2 currently facing. We’ve been Darren Robinson, guests and finish my address with and the Penola Pennant received 1. faced with much hardship this President a lively video that celebrates the Furthermore The Bunyip received 3, year but I am confident that our Country Press S.A. important role that we play within The Leader also received 3 and The commitments will be rewarded and our respective communities. Courier received 1. opportunities will be abundant. OUR VALUED Major SPONSORS Sponsor Peter Malinauskas MP State Member for Croydon Blue - Grey - 80% C - 100 M - 0 Y - 0 K - 10 Font - Franklin Gothic Book Success in Press | 3 BEST NEWSPAPER - CIRCULATION OVER 4,000 THE BORDER WATCH Brett Kennedy and Paul Roberts. one story/one pic front pages. Front a mixture of full-colour and mono. This treatment, plus nine pages of run-of- JUDGE’S COMMENTS pages which stood out during judging is a product of press capacity so it press coverage. JOE ITALIANO had more than one story and included should be avoided wherever possible. This paper is not afraid to break with pointers. One paper submitted for The traditional page lay-outs the norm and it has a quirky edge judging carried one seven column pic where all advertisements “touch” to it. This is good to see, although All entrants in the 2019 Best and just three paragraphs on its front copy help guide the reader through the practice of using the back page Newspaper, over 4000 circulation, page. One pic/one story should be the the publication and add value to for “Action” ads and breaking up the exception and not the rule. are commended for their continued advertisers. classified advertising pages with focus on delivering the best possible There also appears to be a tendency Entertainment and puzzles pages does Second placed Murray Pioneer publications for their communities. to be driven by press capabilities not appear to make a lot of publishing went from a bi-weekly to a weekly rather than publishing principles. Some sense. The papers submitted for judging publication mid-year –and did it well. indicate that all entrants continue papers appear to allocate sections/ OBSERVATIONS to play important roles and that pages around availability of colour, Its Tuesday and Friday editions What the judge observed: readers appreciate their on- rather than having sections/pages were replaced by a much bigger and going contributions to community where readers would expect to find better Wednesday edition. At a $2 The Bunyip: Does most things right but engagement and well-being. them. cover price, the Wednesday edition needs some glitz, particularly in the represents a $1.20 saving for those early news pages. In the final analysis, however, the These roles are more important who bought the paper twice a week. It strengths of the papers far outweighed The Leader: If it was a cake, it would today than ever, particularly with will be interesting to see its year-on- any weaknesses and a case could be have all the best ingredients, but still the “salt and pepper” dissemination year circulation trend. of information via various online made for any one of them to take the waiting to be baked. platforms. The hard copy newspaper top award. In the end the winner just News pages carry good solid leads The Courier: Very much focused on remains the most trusted carrier of shaded the others in the four judging with big bold headings. Readers are its community, providing excellent news and information in regional and areas – editorial and photographic effortlessly drawn to the page’s major coverage of events and achievements. rural communities. content, typography, advertising offering. content and placement and printing. The Border Watch: Does most things News and pictorial coverage were Front pages are well designed but right, but why is the weather page of a high standard with tight, well The 2019 winning paper is The Border could do with more shelf appeal. This wedged in between the sports pages? written stories a feature of all papers. Watch. could be done by carrying a second story. The addition of an “inside” panel The Murray Pioneer: Very well- However, there was again an absence This four-days-a-week paper is indeed presented paper with good clean should also be considered to showcase of smaller news stories – two and a classy publication and is providing lay-outs and photographs. It could, what is inside. three paragraph briefs – particularly in the people of Mt Gambier and however, improve its offering by using early general news pages. These stories surrounds with a great variety of well The Yorke Peninsula Country Times, horizontal cut off rules between ads add variety to the overall offering so all written and researched news articles. which finished third, continues to and editorial. papers would be well advised to look at evolve. Presentation is first class with double The Country Times: Well written stories this as a way of improving story count page spreads used to add impact to Coverage of the Yorketown and Price and well-presented general news. at minimal, if any, cost. major issues the paper is championing. fires was outstanding. The November However, could do more with its back Most papers could also improve shelf On occasion these spreads were less 26 wrap-around had great impact and page, perhaps with a sports lead, appeal by ensuring they do more than effective when the facing pages were was backed up with full front-page rather than lineage ads. 4 | Success in Press BEST NEWSPAPER - CIRCULATION UNDER 4,000 THE SOUTH EASTERN TIMES Bruce Morgan, Raquel Mustillo and Paul Salter. This really is the complete package in impressive local advertising, even if not newspaper. JUDGE’S COMMENTS terms of layout, general flow of news, as prolific as the proprietors would like. The journalism maintains a high level BRUCE MORGAN advertising and sport. It arguably If anything, the Producer’s weaknesses of community participation, including the best designed newspaper in the are also its strengths. You could say its a good sports section. category. messy but also it is busy. Some pages Congratulations once again to the There was some inconsistency with the So, there is a lot to like about last show poor story count, others are the use of typefaces, which last year made entries in the under-4000 category year’s winner again: its commitment to opposite. There are pages of photos for 2019. With what looks to be a it one of the best-looking entries. community involvement journalism has that are not great quality but they are However, overall it has maintained a reasonable amount of support from not abated. full of local people. local advertisers compared with last high standard. year, these mastheads have managed As a bi-weekly, it splits its coverage, The sports section, again, a little Just missing out: notably in sport, but this doesn’t deter messy from the back to a section, but to maintain paging and, importantly, The Pennant. keep the journalism to a consistent the commitment to paging; indeed, the there is plenty of it and, again, lots of level. balance between the two editions is local faces. Has maintained its content as very good. compared with last year, and it notable Again, production generally was of a Community journalism is strong, From its lovely, old-fashioned However, the Producer – given its for its strong front pages, with good high standard, with good use of colour. pointers and advertising opportunities. This in turn reflected on the standard masthead through modern layout reach and influence – could pursue a of advertising, which maintains its and a consistently impressive back more crusading community role and The Pennant has an informative local relevance despite the challenge sports page, The South Eastern Times editorials would help drive issues, not multi-station TV guide which must be presents as a positive, balanced just report on them.