A MAGAZINE covering news and features in Dumfries and Galloway has taken the top prize at the Scottish Magazine of the Year Awards.
Dumfries and Galloway Life beat off the challenge from the likes of The List and Holyrood to take the title, after firstly securing the Consumer Mag of the Year title.
Boasting sales of 5,000, over 1,000 subscribers and a readership of 40,000, Dumfries and Galloway Life has only recently gone monthly, after having previously been bi-monthly. What’s more, it has narrowed its editorial focus having previously covered neighbouring Scottish Borders.
The magazine, published by CN Group Magazines, Carlisle, was presented with the award at a gala evening held last night in Edinburgh and hosted by the Scottish division of the Periodical Publishers Association. Its editor is Andrea Thompson.
The evening was hosted by BBC Scotland’s, Cathy MacDonald, and was attended by a sell-out audience of almost 400 leading figures from the Scottish magazine industry.
One of the highlights of the event was the presentation of the inaugural Murray Cochran Award, a new accolade which recognises the outstanding services of one individual to the Scottish magazine industry. The award, which takes its name from two Edinburgh printers involved in the launch of the world’s oldest surviving periodical, The Scots Magazine, was presented to Robin Hodge, publisher of The List.
Said Fraser Allen, chair of PPA Scotland and managing director of White Light Media: “Robin has done more than just encourage and nurture the careers of a generation of Scottish journalists, writers and publishing professionals. Thanks to The List’s long-term championing of Scottish artists, musicians and authors, he has ensured that the Scottish magazine industry played its part in developing a cultural self-confidence which, in turn, contributed to Scotland’s political devolution.”
The judging panel was chaired by Mike Soutar, managing director of Shortlist Media. The shortlist coomprised 98 entries.
Scottish Magazine Awards 2009 – The Winners:
Murray Cochran Award
Robin Hodge, Publisher and Managing Director, The List Ltd, Edinburgh
Best online presence
The List / The List, Edinburgh
Best magazine design: business & professional
Unfiltered / Scotch Malt Whisky Society, Edinburgh
Best magazine design: consumer
The Big Issue Scotland / The Big Issue Scotland, Glasgow
Best small publishing company magazine
Scotland Outdoors / Big Bend Publishing, Peebles
Brand development
The Larder / The List, Edinburgh
Business & professional magazine of the year
The Scottish Farmer / Herald & Times Group Magazines, Glasgow
Columnist of the year
Jim Perrin / The Great Outdoors / Herald & Times Group Magazines, Glasgow
Consumer magazine of the year
Dumfries & Galloway Life / CN Group Magazines, Carlisle
Consumer specialist magazine of the year
Fly Fishing & Fly Tying / Rolling River Publications, Aberfeldy
Customer magazine of the year
Discover NLS / Think Scotland, Glasgow
Editor of the year: business & professional
Neil Munro / Times Educational Supplement Scotland / TSL Education, Edinburgh
Editor of the year: consumer
Paul McNamee / The Big Issue Scotland / The Big Issue Scotland, Glasgow
Feature writer of the year: business & professional
Katie Mackintosh / Holyrood / Holyrood Communications, Edinburgh
Feature writer of the year: consumer
Adam Forrest / The Big Issue Scotland / The Big Issue Scotland, Glasgow
Member magazine of the year
Scotland in Trust / CMYK Design. Edinburgh
Publisher of the year
Darren Bruce / Herald & Times Group Magazines, Glasgow
Sales performance of the year
Ronnie Dodd and Louise Jane MacDonald / Herald & Times Group Magazines, Glasgow
Staff magazine of the year
Lifetimes / White Light Media, Edinburgh
2009 Scottish magazine of the year
Dumfries & Galloway Life / CN Group Magazines, Carlisle
