The shortlist for the Weekly Newsbrand of the Year category in the 45th Scottish Press Awards has been announced. The five publications are:
· East Lothian Courier
· Largs and Millport Weekly News
· The Inverness Courier
· The Oban Times
· The Orcadian
The judging panel, led this year by Richard Neville, former Head of News Brands at DC Thomson, and current Director of Neville Robertson Communications, praised the finalists for their sharp focus on local matters.
Richard Neville, chair of the Scottish Press Awards judges, said: “It is always a pleasure to read through the entries to the Weekly Newsbrand of the Year category. There is still much vibrancy and energy in this market and no shortage of good stories.
“What really stood out for the judges was the commitment the shortlisted titles showed to their local areas. They know their patch and fight for what they think is best for their readers, just like good weekly news brands should.”
The competitive category is one of 26 in this year’s ceremony which will recognise excellence in national, regional and digital journalism from across the country, and the full shortlist can be found here.
Shortlists for the sought-after Scottish Newsbrand of the Year, Journalist of the Year, and Lifetime Achievement Award have not been revealed as winners will be announced on the night of the ceremony.
The 45th Scottish Press Awards are sponsored by Royal Bank of Scotland, Diageo, VisitScotland, Edrington, Openreach, Glenmorangie, The Law Society of Scotland, Caledonian MacBrayne, Registers of Scotland, Muckle Media, Amazon, Women in Journalism Scotland, BIG Partnership, Weber Shandwick, Event Consultants Scotland and Newsbrands Scotland.
Overseen by the editors’ committee of Newsbrands Scotland (formerly the Scottish Newspaper Society), the awards ceremony and dinner will take place at the DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow Central on May 29, 2024.