New categories in sport, crime reporting and headline-writing, plus expanded judging panel for 2012 awards
This year’s NNI Journalism Awards will feature three new categories, while the success of the inaugural competition in 2011 has prompted NNI to expand its judging panel to deal with what is expected to be an increased volume of entries.
The three new categories are Sports Columnist of the Year, Crime & Security Reporter of the Year and Best Headline of the Year. Their addition brings the total number of categories to 16, including the special award for ‘Contribution to the Industry’.
Announcing the NNI Journalism Awards for 2012, NNI Chairman Matt Dempsey said the response to last year’s awards – the inaugural competition attracted a staggering 550 entries – underlined the healthy state of journalism in Ireland.
“Last year’s awards were a great success and a resounding affirmation of the fact that newspapers invest more in content than any other medium,” said Mr Dempsey. “Quality journalism is the USP of our industry, and it’s the main reason that 4 out of 5 Irish adults regularly read newspapers, with 2 out of 3 of these spending more than three hours a week reading their newspapers. (Source JNRS 2011)
“Last year’s entry also underlined the amazing diversity in journalism today, from investigative reporting in crime, finance and other areas to specialist writing across a range of topics,” Mr Dempsey went on. “We’ve tried to reflect that diversity in the format of our awards, hence the addition of three new categories for 2012.
“At a time when there’s so much news to report, with online access ensuring that more eyes and ears are tuned into newspapers than ever before, it’s fitting that we honour the writers and reporters who help us to understand what is happening in the world,” Mr Dempsey said.
The full list of categories in the 2012 NNI Journalism Awards is:
National Journalist of the Year
Regional Journalist of the Year
Feature Writer of the Year
Columnist / Commentator of the Year
Newspapers in Education Initiative / Supplement
Young Journalist of the Year
Sports Columnist of the Year (new)
Sports Reporter of the Year
Business & Economics Journalist of the Year
Political Journalist of the Year
Showbiz Journalist of the Year
Critic of the Year
Scoop of the Year
Best Design & Presentation
Best Headline of the Year (new)
Crime and Security Reporter of the Year (new)
Special Award – Contribution to Newspaper Industry
The 2012 judging panel is as follows:
Michael Brophy, Chairman – Chief Executive, Independent News & Media (Northern Ireland)
PJ Cunningham – former Deputy Editor, Sunday Tribune and Evening Herald
Noirin Hegarty – Editor, independent.ie
Michael Denieffe – Group Managing Editor, Independent Newspapers (Ireland)
Aine Hegarty – Deputy News Editor, Irish Mirror
James Laffey – Editor, Western People
Michael McNiffe – Editor, the Irish Sun and Sun in Northern Ireland
Fintan O’Toole – Assistant Editor and Columnist, The Irish Times
Brenda Power – Columnist, Irish Daily Mail and The Sunday Times
Tim Vaughan – Editor, The Irish Examiner
Michael Wolsey – Editorial Director, CNS
Danny Smyth – Senior Deputy Editor, The Star
Mairead Lavery – Editor, Irish Country Living
Articles first published in an NNI title between 1 September 2011 and 31 August 2012 are eligible for entry. Entries will open via the website on 1 May 2012 and close on 14th September 2012.
Full details on the categories and how to enter are available at www.newsbrandsireland.ie/journalismawards / Twitter: @journoawards
For further information: Ann Marie Lenihan 01 668 9099
