New categories in sport, crime reporting and headline-writing, plus expanded judging panel for 2012 awards

The success of the inaugural NNI Journalism Awards has prompted NNI to feature three new categories in the 2012 competition and 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 a special award for ‘Contribution to the Industry’.

Announcing the NNI Journalism Awards 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.

“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.

See the full list of categories in the 2012 NNI Journalism Awards here. 

See 2012 judging panel here.

Articles first published in an NNI title between 1 September 2011 and 31 August 2012 are eligible for entry. 

Read full details about each category and how to enter here. 

For further information email Ann Marie Lenihan E: amlenihan@cullencommunications.ie