Regional Press Awards: CNJ flying the flag for last of the independents
Judges rank us among very best local paper in the UK
Thursday, 15th December 2022
THE Camden New Journal is one of only three independent newspapers to be shortlisted for the Regional Press Awards – with one of the others being our stablemate, the Islington Tribune.
In a revamped version of the industry’s oscar-style awards – organised by the Haymarket publishing group and News Media Association – “newspaper of the year” prizes have been turned into “brand of the year” gongs. But despite the changing criteria, the New Journal was still mixing it with the big powerhouses of local media when the finalists were announced yesterday (Wednesday).
The award judges selected both the New Journal and the Tribune for the shortlist for small brand of the year. Meanwhile, our Food Aid Van project was named among the finalists for “campaign of the year”.
This saw us drive supplies donated by readers in Camden across Europe to the edge of the Ukraine warzone. We gave them to people fleeing to Poland with nothing after Putin’s invasion.
Altrincham Today was the other independent title to be among the shortlisted entries.
Most of the UK’s regional press is now owned in some form by four big companies with some publishers owning papers in all areas of the country.
Others have skipped the cost of printing an actual paper and run websites from behind a screen.
The New Journal, which celebrated its 40th birthday, is something of an increasing rarity with a working newsroom in Camden Town – and it has done everything it can not to cut journalist numbers in the testing economic conditions.
Its principles have always been to cover the cost of providing a challenging, independent voice in Camden – rather than pay faraway executives or chase dividend profits for unseen shareholders. All of the money we bring in goes straight into funding journalism.
Editor Richard Osley said: “All of the staff at the New Journal in every department work their socks off to maintain the standards we want for our readers. At the same time, it’s our readers that challenge us to do better – warm in their praise, but sharp with their constructive feedback.”
The press awards ceremony is due to take place in March.
