Press awards issue call for entries

THE Scottish Press Awards – recognising the best in newspaper journalism and arguably the biggest night in the Scottish media calendar – is seeking entries for its next competition, culminating in April.

Run by the Scottish Daily Newspaper Society, the awards comprise 21 categories, including ‘Scoop of the year’, ‘Journalist team of the year’ and ‘Multimedia journalist of the year’.

The awards are open to journalists and photographers working for newspapers, magazines and news websites based in Scotland, plus Scottish-based journalists and photographers writing exclusively on Scottish affairs for non-Scottish titles.

Award entries must have been published between January 1 and the 31st of this month and the closing date for submissions is the 20th of next month.

The 2009 awards received 343 entries, with winners included Bill Jamieson of The Scotsman, who was named ‘Journalist of the year’, and Doug Gillon of The Herald who was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award.

The SDNS chair is Herald editor-in-chief, Donald Martin, who says, in a statement: “The standard of reporting in news, features and business has been exemplary during 2009.

“In the new digital age, we are providing compelling content in print and online with stories of global significance, such as the release of the man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing and the financial crisis, providing a world-wide audience for the finest Scottish journalism. “

The awards ceremony is being held at the Radisson SAS Hotel on April 22.

The categories are:

* Newspaper of the year

* Journalist of the year

* Scoop of the year

* Reporter of the year

* Financial/business journalist of the year

* Newspaper feature writer of the year

* Magazine writer of the year

* Columnist of the year

* Campaign of the year

* Front page of the year

* Journalist team of the year

* Weekly newspaper of the year

* Political journalist of the year

* Sports feature writer of the year

* Sports news writer of the year

* Arts/entertainment journalist of the year

* Cartoonist of the year

* Young journalist of the year

* News photographer of the year

* Sports photographer of the year

* Multi-media Journalist of the Year