A SERIES of moving articles about life after a paralysing horseriding accident has earned Scots reporter and columnist, Melanie Reid, a nomination in this year’s UK-wide Press Awards.
Writing for The Times, Reid – a former Herald columnist and senior assistant editor – broke her neck and back in April. And her articles – under the heading, Spinal Column – from her hospital bed, have been shortlisted in the Columnist of the Year category.
She is up against fellow Scot, Fraser Nelson. Another Scot nominated is Gordon Smart, in the Showbiz Reporter of the Year category.
The awards are being organised by the Society of Editors to “celebrate the best of British national newspaper journalism”.
Says a statement issued by the Society: “Category judges have studied more than 650 entries in the first stage of the judging process and they will debate the shortlist next month in preparation for the announcement of the winners at the glittering awards ceremony and dinner at London’s Savoy.
“The shortlist for the Cudlipp Award, organised by the British Journalism Review that recognises excellence in popular journalism will be announced later. The Journalists’ Charity’s special award, the award for International Reporter of the year and the prestigious Newspaper of the Year will be announced at the dinner after voting by the whole academy of judges and national newspaper editors.”
The statement quotes the judging panel chair, Bob Satchwell, saying: “The judges faced a formidable task and the rare privilege of reading thousands of words gathered together in brilliant entries that reflect the variety, vitality and sheer excellence of British newspapers which are of course the best in the world.
“In some cases the entries were so strong in quality as well as numbers that it was simply impossible to choose only six for each shortlist.
“If only the public could see the combined efforts of all of our national newspapers in one go they would be as impressed as the judges by the rich and diverse treasures they contain as they inform, entertain and inspire their readers.”
The shortlist reads:
Young Journalist of the Year
Laura Armstrong The People
Heidi Blake The Daily Telegraph
Adam Gabbatt The Guardian
Kat Lay News of the World
Rowena Mason Sunday Telegraph
Alex Ralph The Times
Matt Sandy The Mail on Sunday
Business and Finance Journalist of the Year
Tony Barber The Financial Times
Chris Blackhurst London Evening Standard
Ed Crooks The Financial Times
Larry Elliott The Guardian
Dominic O’Connell The Sunday Times
David Robertson The Times
Martin Wolf The Financial Times
Political Journalist of the Year
Daniel Finkelstein The Times
Peter Oborne The Daily Telegraph
Andrew Rawnsley The Observer
Mary Riddell The Daily Telegraph
Andrew Sparrow The Guardian
Holly Watt The Daily Telegraph
Simon Walters The Mail on Sunday
Foreign Reporter of the Year
Ghaith Abdul-Ahad The Guardian
Miles Amoore The Sunday Times
Andrew Buncombe The Independent
Charles Clover The Financial Times
Richard Jones The Mail on Sunday
Edward Luce The Financial Times
Showbiz Reporter of the Year
Clemmie Moodie The Daily Mirror
Stephen Moyes News of the World
Sara Nathan Daily Mail
Colin Robertson The Sun
Gordon Smart The Sun
Dan Wootton News of the World
Sports Journalist of the Year
Steven Howard The Sun
James Lawton The Independent
Matt Lawton Daily Mail
Simon Mullock Sunday Mirror
Ian Ridley The Mail on Sunday
Martin Samuel Daily Mail
Henry Winter The Daily Telegraph
Specialist Journalist of the Year
Brian Deer The Sunday Times
Chris Giles The Financial Times
Ruth Gledhill The Times
Deborah Haynes The Times
Jason Lewis The Mail on Sunday
John Naughton The Observer
Sean O’Neill The Times
Feature Writer of the Year
John Arlidge The Sunday Times
David Cohen London Evening Standard
Rachel Cooke The Observer
Amelia Gentleman The Guardian
Eleanor Mills The Sunday Times
David James Smith The Sunday Times Magazine
Interviewer of the Year
Decca Aitkenhead The Guardian
Lynn Barber The Sunday Times
Ginny Dougary The Times
Jane Fryer Daily Mail
Caitlin Moran The Times
Jon Ronson The Guardian
Critic of the Year
Craig Brown The Mail on Sunday
Robbie Collin News of the World
Robert Harris The Sunday Times
Caitlin Moran The Times
Alexis Petridis The Guardian
Anthony Quinn The Independent
Columnist of the Year
Craig Brown Daily Mail
Peter Hitchins The Mail on Sunday
Liz Jones The Mail on Sunday
Fraser Nelson News of the World
Matthew Parris The Times
Melanie Reid The Times
Alan Watkins The Independent on Sunday
News Reporter of the Year
Nick Davies & David Leigh The Guardian
Brian Deer The Sunday Times
Insight – Jonathan Calvert and Claire Newell The Sunday Times
Mazher Mahmood News of the World
Lucy Thornton The Daily Mirror
Holly Watt The Daily Telegraph
Photographer of the Year
Matt Cardy Getty Images
Anthony Devlin The Press Association
Dominic Lipinski The Press Association
Edward Mulholland The Daily Telegraph
Stefan Rousseau The Press Association
Jeremy Selwyn London Evening Standard
Sports Photographer of the Year
Graham Chadwick Daily Mail
John Giles The Press Association
Dylan Martinez Reuters
Mark Pain The Mail on Sunday
Richard Pelham The Sun
Carl Recine Action Images
Cartoonist of the Year
Steve Bell The Guardian
Peter Brookes The Times
Nick Garland The Daily Telegraph
Nick Newman The Sunday Times
Matt Pritchett The Daily Telegraph
Neil Kerber & David Black The Daily Mirror
Chris Riddell The Observer
Regular Supplement of the Year
You Magazine The Mail on Sunday
G2 The Guardian
Live Magazine The Mail on Sunday
Buzz The Sun
Fabulous News of the World
The Times Magazine The Times
Sunday Times Magazine Sunday Times
Special Supplement of the Year
David Cameron, The Journey The Sun
World Cup 2010 Guide The Guardian
Factfile UK The Guardian
Michael Jackson Tribute News of the World
Battle of Britain The Sunday Telegraph
Style Fashion Special The Sunday Times
Front Page of the Year
Brutality The Mail on Sunday
World Cup Weather The Sun
Caught! News of the World
A Very Civil Partnership London Evening Standard
A Gadget to Die For? The Independent
Pinickio The Daily Mirror
Scoop of the Year
The Treasury Chief, his secret lover and the £40k claim The Daily Telegraph
Lib Dem Tapes The Daily Telegraph
Cricket Corruption News of the World
WikiLeaks The Guardian
Hacking The Guardian
World Cup: Cash for Votes Scandal The Sunday Times
Wayne Rooney and the Vice Girl Sunday Mirror
The Secret Life of John Venables The Daily Mirror
Campaign of the Year
Sarah’s Law News of the World
Cobain Torture The Guardian
Dispossessed Evening Standard
Defence: The Wasted Billions The Times
NPower The Times
Stop the Stoning The Times
Clamping Daily Mail
Digital Innovation of the Year
General Election 2010 Telegraph Media Group
WikiLeaks The Guardian
The Times iPad App The Times
Eureka iPad App The Times
The Sunday Times iPad App The Sunday Times
Mail Online Daily Mail
