Top award for Bay of Plenty Times
The Bay of Plenty Times has been named Newspaper of the Year (up to 30,000 circulation) in this year's national Canon Media Awards.
The paper picked up the prestigious award at the Canon awards ceremony in Auckland last night.
The paper's entry was based on its coverage of the Rena disaster.
Two of the paper's journalists were also finalists.
Feature writer Carly Gibbs was a finalist in the Newspaper Feature Writer Crime and Justice category, and in the Newspaper Feature Writer Politics category, while reporter Sam Boyer was a finalist for Student Journalist of the Year.
The paper's website, bayofplentytimes.co.nz, was a finalist for Best Website Breaking News Coverage, again for Rena.
Bay of Plenty Times editor Scott Inglis said he was delighted at the newspaper's success.
"Our journalists and photographers put in a lot of hard work and did a terrific job of providing readers with high-quality editorial coverage of the Rena disaster. They served our readers well. I am proud of them," he said.
"I am also rapt for our staff who were finalists. They've done a great job."
APN Regional Newspapers chief operating officer and editor-in-chief Rick Neville said he too was proud of the Bay of Plenty Times team.
"It is an outstanding achievement. The paper's Rena coverage was excellent and clearly the judges agreed."
APN News & Media titles scooped a number of top awards last night.
The Weekend Herald was judged overall Canon Newspaper of the Year and named Weekly Newspaper of the Year; nzherald.co.nz was named Best Website and Best Online News Site; the New Zealand Listener was Best Newsstand Magazine; The Star was judged Community Newspaper of the Year; and canvas won Best Newspaper Inserted Magazine.
For a full list of winners and finalists visit www.canonmediaawards.co.nz.
