D&G title takes ‘Scottish mag of the year’ award

A MAGAZINE covering news and features in Dumfries and Galloway has taken the top prize at the Scottish Magazine of the Year Awards.

Dumfries and Galloway Life beat off the challenge from the likes of The List and Holyrood to take the title, after firstly securing the Consumer Mag of the Year title.

Boasting sales of 5,000, over 1,000 subscribers and a readership of 40,000, Dumfries and Galloway Life has only recently gone monthly, after having previously been bi-monthly. What’s more, it has narrowed its editorial focus having previously covered neighbouring Scottish Borders.

The magazine, published by CN Group Magazines, Carlisle, was presented with the award at a gala evening held last night in Edinburgh and hosted by the Scottish division of the Periodical Publishers Association. Its editor is Andrea Thompson.

The evening was hosted by BBC Scotland’s, Cathy MacDonald, and was attended by a sell-out audience of almost 400 leading figures from the Scottish magazine industry.

One of the highlights of the event was the presentation of the inaugural Murray Cochran Award, a new accolade which recognises the outstanding services of one individual to the Scottish magazine industry. The award, which takes its name from two Edinburgh printers involved in the launch of the world’s oldest surviving periodical, The Scots Magazine, was presented to Robin Hodge, publisher of The List.

Said Fraser Allen, chair of PPA Scotland and managing director of White Light Media: “Robin has done more than just encourage and nurture the careers of a generation of Scottish journalists, writers and publishing professionals. Thanks to The List’s long-term championing of Scottish artists, musicians and authors, he has ensured that the Scottish magazine industry played its part in developing a cultural self-confidence which, in turn, contributed to Scotland’s political devolution.”

The judging panel was chaired by Mike Soutar, managing director of Shortlist Media. The shortlist coomprised 98 entries.

Scottish Magazine Awards 2009 – The Winners:

Murray Cochran Award

Robin Hodge, Publisher and Managing Director, The List Ltd, Edinburgh

Best online presence

The List / The List, Edinburgh

Best magazine design: business & professional

Unfiltered / Scotch Malt Whisky Society, Edinburgh

Best magazine design: consumer

The Big Issue Scotland / The Big Issue Scotland, Glasgow

Best small publishing company magazine

Scotland Outdoors / Big Bend Publishing, Peebles

Brand development

The Larder / The List, Edinburgh

Business & professional magazine of the year

The Scottish Farmer / Herald & Times Group Magazines, Glasgow

Columnist of the year

Jim Perrin / The Great Outdoors / Herald & Times Group Magazines, Glasgow

Consumer magazine of the year

Dumfries & Galloway Life / CN Group Magazines, Carlisle

Consumer specialist magazine of the year

Fly Fishing & Fly Tying / Rolling River Publications, Aberfeldy

Customer magazine of the year

Discover NLS / Think Scotland, Glasgow

Editor of the year: business & professional

Neil Munro / Times Educational Supplement Scotland / TSL Education, Edinburgh

Editor of the year: consumer

Paul McNamee / The Big Issue Scotland / The Big Issue Scotland, Glasgow

Feature writer of the year: business & professional

Katie Mackintosh / Holyrood / Holyrood Communications, Edinburgh

Feature writer of the year: consumer

Adam Forrest / The Big Issue Scotland / The Big Issue Scotland, Glasgow

Member magazine of the year

Scotland in Trust / CMYK Design. Edinburgh

Publisher of the year

Darren Bruce / Herald & Times Group Magazines, Glasgow

Sales performance of the year

Ronnie Dodd and Louise Jane MacDonald / Herald & Times Group Magazines, Glasgow

Staff magazine of the year

Lifetimes / White Light Media, Edinburgh

2009 Scottish magazine of the year

Dumfries & Galloway Life / CN Group Magazines, Carlisle