This month, the print industry celebrated some of the best journalism of the last year at the Canon Media Awards in Auckland, New Zealand. While news stories were celebrated across a range of categories, environmental wellness reporting was particularly prominent.
According to SMC Manager Peter Griffin, who attended the awards and was a judge on the best use of emerging technology and best multimedia storytelling categories, ‘What was great this year is that the awards were really opened up to outside parties, so you had the likes of ASB and Business New Zealand hosting tables. I got the feeling that although everyone acknowledges the industry faces major challenges adapting its business models to the digital world, there’s a lot less angst about making the transition.’
A speech from Sir Julian Smith was a highlight of the awards, as the Otago Daily Times publisher called for the industry to keep in mind the fundamentals of journalism. Sir Smith, the Allied Press chairman and managing director, explained that the written word is what sells, good journalism is paramount, the industry needs its readers more than ever and freedom of the press needs to be fought for.
But what of the winners? Tauranga-based New Zealand Herald reporter Jamie Morton won the best newspaper reporter in the science and environment category, for a series of features. These included a detailed look at New Zealand’s freshwater ways and rivers suffering from high levels of pollution and moves to clean them up, an extensive package looking at the twin eruptions of Mt Tongariro and White Island and how the volcanic landscape can violently change without warning at any moment, and an examination of the environmental impact of the MV Rena grounding and the ongoing clean-up effort.
Meanwhile, Herald on Sunday writer Russell Blackstock picked up the award in the Best newspaper feature writer in the science and environment category. This was based on his portfolio of work, which included an insight feature looking at New Zealand’s volatile volcanoes, coverage of a Herald on Sunday-endorsed campaign to clean up beaches and a more in-depth look at the state of New Zealand’s beaches and water quality at some favourite holiday spots.
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