THE newspaper that last week saw its editor effectively dismissed has been named Newspaper of the Year at the Scottish Press Awards.
John McLellan accepted the prize on behalf of the paper, just days after it was announced by publishers, Johnston Press, that he was being placed on leave as editor, pending consultation talks, with his additional post of editor-in-chief of The Scotsman Publictations Ltd earmarked for the axe.
However, on stage, a dignified McLellan made no mention of his situation.
The Newspaper of the Year title is among the top two prizes given out at the awards, which are in their 33rd year and which this year involved no entries from The Scottish Sun which chose, instead, to stage its own, in-house awards ceremony.
The other top prize is Journalist of the Year, which was won by David Pratt, foreign editor of The Herald/Sunday Herald. Said the judges of his work, it “stood out with scenes from hell portrayed with chilling clarity and analysed with such skill that even those suffering from the most deep seated compassion fatigue were shaken out of complacency”.
The judges felt, meanwhile, The Scotsman had “spades of debate and introduced many different voices”. The panel were “particularly impressed by its coverage of the election and its international section which showed real strength, covering world-wide stories with an eye to Scotland”.
The recipient of the Lifetime Achievement award was Bill Jamieson, of The Scotsman and Scotland on Sunday. In January, it was reported he was stepping down as executive editor of The Scotsman. Two years ago, he was named Journalist of the Year at these awards.
Say the award organisers: “Inspired by the Irvine Valley News, whose printing press was next door to his home in Newmilns, Ayrshire, Bill started his career in the late 1960’s with his first articles appearing in The Scotsman in 1967. He has worked for newspapers including the Daily Express and the Sunday Telegraph and in 2000 he became executive editor of The Scotsman.
“Bill is a regular commentator on business and economic affairs and occasionally writes for The Spectator, Industry Europe and City AM. He has written and edited a number of books including An Illustrated Guide to the Scottish Economy (1998).”
Jamieson provided an upbeat assessment of the future for journalism, while also paying tribute to McLellan.
Among the category winners, Pratt was named Reporter of the Year and was also runner-up in the Newspaper Feature Writer category.
Also impressive was Aidan Smith, of The Scotsman and Scotland on Sunday, winner of two prizes: Arts and Entertainment and also Sports Feature.
For a second year in a row, Peter Ross took the Magazine Writer prize and, also for the second year in a row, Jonathan Brocklebank took the Newspaper Feature Writer title.
In the Cartoonist category, the winner, Steven Camley, did one better than last year, where he was runner-up.
It was to prove a very good night for the Sunday Herald too.
The winners’ list reads:
SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
Winner: Lynne Cameron, Press Association
Runner-up: Craig Williamson, SNS Group
Nominated: James Gunn, Freelance
Robert Perry, Scotland on Sunday
Sammy Turner, SNS Group
NEWS PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
Winner: Wattie Cheung, Freelance
Runner-up: James Glossop, The Times
Nominated: Brian Anderson, Mirror Group
Jane Barlow, The Scotsman/Scotland on Sunday
Robert Perry, Scotland on Sunday
Ian Rutherford, The Scotsman/Scotland on Sunday
Gordon Terris, The Herald
CARTOONIST OF THE YEAR
Winner: Steven Camley, The Herald
Runner-up: Frank Boyle, Edinburgh Evening News
Nominated: Brian Adcock, The Scotsman/Scotland on Sunday
Scott Clissold, Scottish Sunday Express
Pete Davidson, The Sunday Post
YOUNG JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Winner: Matthew Holehouse, The Herald/Sunday Herald
Runner-up: Kieran Andrews, Evening Telegraph
Nominated: Larisa Brown, Scottish Daily Mail
Andrew Burns, Dumfries and Galloway Standard
Rory Reynolds, Edinburgh Evening News
WEBSITE/DIGITAL PRODUCT OF THE YEAR
Winner: Ewan Watt, Daily Record
Runner-up: Stephen Emerson, The Scotsman
Nominated: Charles Fletcher, Caledonia Media
WEEKLY NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR
Winner: The Northern Scot
Runner-up: The Inverness Courier
Nominated: The Falkirk Herald
Highland News
The Southern Reporter
ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Winner: Aidan Smith, Scotland on Sunday
Runner-up: Ali Howard, The Herald
Nominated: Brian Beacom, The Herald
Beverley Lyons, Daily Record
Brian McIver, Daily Record
Phil Miller, The Herald
MAGAZINE WRITER OF THE YEAR
Winner: Peter Ross, Scotland on Sunday
Runner-up: Claire Black, The Scotsman
Nominated: Brian Beacom, The Herald
Katie Mackintosh, Holyrood Magazine
Elizabeth McMeekin, Herald & Times Group
Chitra Ramaswamy, The Scotsman/Scotland on Sunday
POLITICAL JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Winner: Alan Roden, Scottish Daily Mail
Runner-up: Simon Johnson, Daily Telegraph
Nominated: Mark Aitken, Sunday Mail
Eddie Barnes, The Scotsman/Scotland on Sunday
Tom Gordon, Sunday Herald
COLUMNIST OF THE YEAR
Winner: Ian Bell, Sunday Herald
Runner-up: Kenny Farquharson, Scotland on Sunday
Nominated: Tam Cowan, Daily Record
John MacLeod, Scottish Daily Mail
John McTernan, The Scotsman
FINANCIAL/BUSINESS JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Winner: Simon Bain, The Herald
Runner-up: Colin Dunlop Donald, Sunday Herald
Martin Flanagan, The Scotsman
Ian McConnell, The Herald
Tim Sharp, The Herald
Mark Williamson, The Herald
NEWSPAPER FEATURE WRITER OF THE YEAR
Winner: Jonathan Brocklebank, Scottish Daily Mail
Runner-up: David Pratt, The Herald/Sunday Herald
Nominated: Anna Burnside, Scotland on Sunday
Catherine Deveney, Sunday Herald/Scotland on Sunday
Iain MacWhirter, The Sunday Herald
SPORTS FEATURE WRITER OF THE YEAR
Winner: Aidan Smith, The Scotsman/Scotland on Sunday
Runner-up: Susan Swarbrick, The Herald
Nominated: Tom English, The Scotsman/Scotland on Sunday
John Greechan, Scottish Daily Mail
Keith Jackson, Daily Record
SPORTS NEWS WRITER OF THE YEAR
Winner: Keith Jackson, Daily Record
Runner-up: John McGarry, Scottish Daily Mail
Nominated: Graeme Croser, Scottish Mail on Sunday
Tom English, The Scotsman/Scotland on Sunday
David Ferguson, The Scotsman
FRONT PAGE OF THE YEAR
Winner: Sunday Herald, Censored
Runner-up: The Scotsman, Revenge
Nominated: Edinburgh Evening News, What a Joke
Scotland on Sunday, Battle for Benghazi
The Sunday Post, Rediscover a warm, entertaining newspaper
JOURNALIST TEAM OF THE YEAR
Winner: Edinburgh Evening News, Edinburgh Trams Project
Runner-up: Scottish Daily Mail, Malcolm Webster
Nominated: Daily Record, Black Widower, Malcolm Webster
Evening Telegraph, Mary McLaren Verdict
Greenock Telegraph, Tall Ships Race 2011
CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR
Winner: Evening Times, Streets Ahead
Runner-up: Evening Times, Opt for Life
Nominated: Edinburgh Evening News, Say No to Coe
Hamilton Advertiser, Hammer the Knife Thugs
The Big Issue Scotland, Save Kids from Cuts
SCOOP OF THE YEAR
Winner: Richard Walker, Sunday Herald, Censored – The Madness of Privacy Laws
Runner-up: Craig McDonald, Daily Record, Busted – Chris & Mary Gorman
Nominated: John McGarry, News of the World, Neil Lennon – I’m Here to Stay
Alan Roden, Scottish Daily Mail, Limos – John Reid and Luxury Limos
Michael Tait, Scottish Mail on Sunday, £161m Lottery Pair to Fund UK Break-Up
REPORTER OF THE YEAR
Winner: David Pratt, The Herald/Sunday Herald
Runner-up: Craig McDonald, Daily Record
Nominated: Patricia Kane, Scottish Mail on Sunday
Gavin Madeley, Scottish Daily Mail
Mark McGivern, Daily Record
