The vital work of local newspapers will be celebrated with four new awards at the 40th Scottish Press Awards in April 2019, which have opened for nominations.
SNS director John McLellan said local press deserved wider recognition for promoting community cohesion and breaking stories which often had national reverberations.
“To recognise the crucial contribution our weekly titles make to the life of Scotland we have expanded the Scottish Press Awards to include four new categories for weekly newspaper journalists,” he said.
“Scotland’s vibrant weekly press is the backbone of the industry where talent is nurtured and the titles plays a vital role in communities up and down the country, giving communities identity and recognising local achievement as well as holding authorities properly to account.
“From what we see of the stories covered in the local press week in week out, the judges are looking forward to receiving some cracking entries.”
The new categories are:
- Local / Weekly Sports Writer of the Year;
- Local / Weekly Feature Writer of the Year;
- Local / Weekly Campaign of the Year
- Local / Weekly Reporter of the Year
The SNS can also announce a raft of new sponsors for this year’s scheme, with support from the People’s Postcode Lottery, The Law Society of Scotland, Openreach, Scottish Water and SGN. “We are delighted that such major organisations are showing their faith in the Scottish news industry by coming in to support our awards alongside VisitScotland and Clydesdale Bank,” said John. “We would also like to thank you in-kind sponsors – Doubletree by Hilton Glasgow Central, Women in Journalism Scotland and Event Consultants Scotland.
The awards will also once again highlight the best examples of national journalism. After a blockbuster year in which national headlines were dominated by Brexit negotiations, the first-ever European Championships athletics tournament, and a controversial visit from US president Donald Trump, the competition is expected to be fiercer than ever.
Entries for the 2019 awards are now open and will close on Thursday, January 10. Last year, the Sunday Post won five awards, including Newspaper of the Year.
The finalists will be announced in mid-March and an awards dinner will be held at the Doubletree by Hilton Glasgow Central on Thursday, April 25, 2019.