The Cambridge Independent has completed a rare hat-trick after it was named Weekly Newspaper of the Year at the national Newsawards.It scooped the award for the third year running after an independent judging panel pored over entries from across the UK.The judges said: “Notching up a hat-trick of wins, this beast of a title regularly hits 128 pages in its fabulous, neatly stitched and trimmed format on higher grade paper.“A quality feel with striking covers and beautiful design makes this weekly feel like a magazine – a high value package for the people of Cambridge.“This newspaper covers absolutely all areas of interest.”
It means the title has won the award every year since it was launched by Iliffe Media in September 2016.Editor Paul Brackley said: “We are absolutely delighted with this award. It is testament to the dedication and commitment of the whole team. I would like to thank all of our readers and advertisers for their support.”
This year, the title saw off competition from Hereford Times, which was highly commended in the category.Two fellow Iliffe Media titles, the Kent Messenger and the newly-acquired Newbury Weekly News, were commended in the weekly newspaper category, and KentOnline was commended in the Website of the Year category.
Meanwhile, Iliffe Print Cambridge, where the Cambridge Independent and fellow Iliffe Media titles are printed, was highly commended in the Regional Newspaper Printer of the Year category, with judges praising the “amazing bold, bright colours” achieved in printing the Cambridge Independent and Stamford Mercury.And the Cambridge Independent’s sister magazine, Velvet, was commended in the Regional Supplement/Magazine of the Year category, with judges noting that it “oozed quality – a classy, bold and striking publication”.
The prestigious awards – now in their 23rd year – are organised by PJ (Production Journal) in association with Fujifilm, and were presented at a gala dinner at London’s Royal Lancaster Hotel.
Gary Cullum, editor and publisher of PJ, said: “Our newspapers and news brands are an essential part of life throughout the UK and Ireland. Each week, some 48 million people at home, work or on the move engage with our print, online, mobile or social media products. In fact, our reach and our audience has never been greater.“Newsawards focuses on excellence across the print, digital and commercial sectors of the business – the overall news brand success story.”
Other winners on the night included the Press and Journal in Aberdeen in the Regional Daily Newspaper of the Year category, The Times, in the National Newspaper of the Year category, and The Sunday Times, for Sunday Newspaper of the Year, while The Guardian took home the Fujifilm Grand Prix prize for the total package.
Finalists in the Regional Press Awards The Cambridge Independent is also shortlisted for Weekly Newspaper of the Year in the industry’s other main showcase – the Society of Editors’ Regional Press Awards, due to be announced on Friday May 17.It won the title in 2017 and was highly commended in 2018.Sports editor Mark Taylor is a finalist in the Sports Journalist of the Year (weekly papers) category and picture editor Keith Heppell is shortlisted for Weekly Photographer of the Year for his stunning images.The Cambridge Independent’s front page from December 26, 2018, is nominated for Front Page of the Year, while Velvet magazine is a finalist in the Magazine of the Year category.Fellow Iliffe titles The Kent Messenger and Newbury Weekly News will also compete for the Weekly Newspaper of the Year title.
And a nomination in the Association of British Science Writers awards Completing the industry’s awards season will be the UK and Ireland’s leading science journalism awards awards, run by the Association of British Science Writers and due to be held at the Science Museum in London on May 28.Cambridge Independent editor Paul Brackley is nominated for Editor of the Year at the awards.
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