2018 Newspaper Excellence Awards
June 08, 2018 | Our Industry, QCPA Awards
REGIONAL NEWSPAPERS CELEBRATED
Regional newspaper publishers from across Queensland descended on the state’s capital to discuss the industry and celebrate the achievements of member newspapers at the 110th Queensland Country Press Association (QCPA) AGM and Newspaper Excellence Awards on Friday (June 8).
Delegates from as far as Atherton, Longreach, Sunshine Coast, Roma and Warwick made the trip to South East Queensland to attend the annual general meeting, conference and awards function.
At the AGM, Samantha Wantling (Stanthorpe Border Post) was elected President with Phill Le Peitit (Noosa Today) elected her deputy. The elected Executive Committee consists of Ann Lomas, Heatley Gilmore, Mark Hodgson, Erika Brayshaw, Bruce Horrocks, Ted Rogers and Col Jackson with Greg Watson continuing in his role as Secretary/Treasurer.
The conference included a presentation on Australia’s consumers’ trust in media by NewsMediaWorks Marketing Director Charlie Murdoch, Media Super update by Steven Gardener, Country Press Australia update by Executive Director Bruce Morgan and a State Government Advertising presentation by MediaCom Brisbane General Manager Katherine Williams and MediaCom Australia and New Zealand CEO Willie Pang.
A highlight of the conference was a forum and panel discussion on issues and opportunities in Regional Queensland. Panel guests included the Leader of the Opposition and State Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington, Federal Minister for Regional Development and Federal Member for Groom Dr John McVeigh and well-known innovation and regional Queensland advocate Everald Compton AM. The forum was mediated by NewsCorp General Manager for Queensland and Northern Territory Regionals Simon Irwin.
Topics covered in the forum included improving health and education services to attract professionals into the bush and encourage them to stay there, the need for innovation projects to reduce unemployment in the regions, decentralisation and the need for significant investment in both the state’s water and transport networks.
The Newspaper Excellence Awards Presentation Dinner celebrated the achievements of regional media professionals with special guest, the Queensland Minister for Agricultural Industries, Development and Fisheries Mark Furner, representing the Premier Annastascia Palaszczuk, on hand to assist with the presentation of awards. Whilst attending the awards, Mr Furner took the opportunity to announce the Queensland Government’s pledge for a further $5 million in funding over two years for wild dog exclusion cluster fencing in western and southern Queensland.
2018 QCPA Newspaper Excellence Award Winners
Advertising Awards
Best Locally Produced Advertising Campaign
HERVEY BAY INDEPENDENT – Hertz Car and Truck Hire
Best Locally Produced Print Advertisement
HERVEY BAY INDEPENDENT – Richard Watt Optometrist
Best Community Promotion
SOUTH BURNETT TIMES – Town Proud Promotion
Best House Advertisement
STANTHORPE BORDER POST – “A man who stops advertising …”
Best Commercial Feature
HERBERT RIVER EXPRESS – 50 Year Anniversary of Legal Practice
Best Run of Press Newspaper Supplement
SOUTH BURNETT TIMES – Kingaroy Plumbing Works Celebrates 70 years
Best Stand Alone Newspaper Supplement
SOUTH BURNETT TIMES – Pet Owner’s Guide
Best Of The Best Special Publication
SOUTH BURNETT TIMES – “Streets Apart”
Advertising Sales Person Of The Year
ASHLEIGH GRIFFITHS, Dalby Herald
Best Overall Advertisement
HERVEY BAY INDEPENDENT – Richard Watts Optometrist
Photographic Awards
Best News Picture
PETER CARRUTHERS, Whitsunday Times – “Chopper Death”
Best Sports Picture
ROB MACCOLL, Noosa Today – “Walking on Water”
Best Portrait/Community Picture
ROB MACCOLL, Noosa Today – “Dancing Legends”
Journalistic Excellence Awards
Best Editorials
FASSIFERN GUARDIAN. Editor Wendy Creighton
Overall Journalistic Excellence Award for a Newspaper – Weighted
CENTRAL QUEENSLAND NEWS
Overall Journalistic Excellence Award for a Newspaper – Open
SOUTH BURNETT TIMES
Overall Journalistic Excellence Award for an Individual Journalist
JEREMY SOLLARS, Southern Free Times
Young Journalist of the Year
JESSICA McGRATH, South Burnett Times
Best Newspaper Awards
Best Newspaper Under 1000 Circulation
PORT DOUGLAS & MOSSMAN GAZETTE
Best Newspaper Over 10,000 Circulation
NOOSA TODAY
Best Newspaper Employing Two Or Less Journalists
THE NORTHERN MINER
Most Improved Newspaper
BOWEN INDEPENDENT