Chasing More Honours
Two finalists in last year’s Midlands Media Students’ Awards, sponsored by Amazon Services UK and organised by Birmingham Press Club, have been shortlisted for further honours.
Kaleigh Pritchard (pictured) and Shing Hei Yip have made it through to the finals of the annual Awards for Excellence, which are organised by the National Council for the Training of Journalists and scheduled to be held in March.
Kaleigh, who says she is is now “having a ball” as a staff writer at SoGlos, Gloucestershire’s leading media brand, has been shortlisted for the Student Project of the Year for the “Angle News Bulletin.” which was compiled while a student at the University of Gloucestershire. Kaleigh was editor of a group project which produced a half-hour TV news broadcast as part of their final news day. Shing Hei Yip is up for the Podcast of the Year Award together with fellow Nottingham Trent University student Francisco dos Santos.
NCTJ chief executive Joanne Forbes said: “Once again our judges were impressed by the high standard of work submitted, which showcases the dedication and hard work of our students and alumni and the wide variety of quality journalism they have produced.
“We were also bowled over by the sheer number who put themselves and others forward to win an NCTJ award for their examples of outstanding journalism. Well done to everyone on our shortlist – and good luck,” she added.
This year, the NCTJ received a record-breaking 699 entries, which were whittled down to a shortlist of 55 across 17 categories. At the Midlands Media Students’ Awards, held last November in Birmingham, Shing Hei Yip won the Social Media Video of the Year and Photography categories, while Kaleigh was highly commended in the Data & Investigations category.
Meanwhile, the Wolverhampton-based Express & Star and its sister-publication, the Shropshire Star, have been short-listed for the Regional Newspaper of the Year category in the national 2024 Newspaper Awards, which take place in London on 26 March. The awards are held to showcase excellence and innovation in print media.
Midland journalists have also been shortlisted for the Regional Press Awards, organised by magazine publisher Haymarket and to be held in London on 16 April. Hannah Richardson, from Leicestershire Live/Leicester Mercury has been nominated for Young Journalist of the Year and Reporter (Daily) of the Year, while Leicestershire Live itself has been nominated for the Reporting Communities Award.
Others shortlisted are Gill Sutherland (Stratford-on-Avon Herald), Reporter (Weekly) of the Year; Mark Williamson (Stratford-on-Avon Herald), Photographer of the Year; Eddie Bisknell (Derbyshire Live/Derby Telegraph), Specialist Journalist of the Year. Birmingham Live/Birmingham Mail and Leicestershire Live have been shortlisted for Best Live Coverage while Nottinghamshire Live is up for the Scoop of the Year Award.
