Fairfax Media's The Waikato Times and its weekend edition have earned the coveted Newspaper of the Year title at the 2016 New Zealand Canon Media Awards held in Wellington.
The annual Canon awards recognise the best talent and news brands across the New Zealand publishing industry in print and digital.
“Staff have weathered many changes but have adapted well and continue to produce stories, photos and videos which are relevant and important to our community and readers,” said Jonathan MacKenzie, editor of The Waikato Times.
The New Zealand Herald, owned by NZME, took home Newspaper of the Year in the +30,000 circulation category for the second year in succession, as did Fairfax’s Taranaki Daily News for the less than 30,000 circulation category. The Waikato Times Weekend was named Weekly Newspaper of the Year and Kapi-Mana News was the Community Newspaper of the Year.
Bauer Media took out the Magazine of the Year award for Home, which the judges said “stood out for its editorial cohesion, attention to quality and detail, innovative design and genuine multi-media strategy." Bauer's North & South, The Listener and Metro validated their commitment to investigative journalism with a host of wins in the Magazine Feature Writing category.
The Canon media awards are organised by the New Zealand Newspaper Publishers’ Association. A full list of winners is below:
Magazines/Digital
Best Digital Artworks/Graphics Harkanwal Singh – insights.nzherald.co.nz
Best Print Artworks/Graphics Richard Dale- The New Zealand Herald
Best Magazine Design Micheal Hanly & Carolyn Lewis – Metro
Best Trade Publication Pro Photographer – Kowhai Media
Best Newspaper Inserted Magazine Your Weekend – Fairfax Media
Best Newspaper Front Page The New Zealand Herald
Best Headline no winner
Reporting
Reporter – Business Matt Nippert – The New Zealand Herald
Reporter – Politics Joint Winners: Jared Savage & Bernard Orsman – The New Zealand Herald
Reporter – Crime & Justice Jared Savage – The New Zealand Herald
Reporter – Health Ben Heather – The Dominion Post
Reporter – Science & Technology Jamie Morton – The New Zealand Herald
Reporter – Lifestyle Kim Knight – Sunday Star-Times
Reporter – Arts & Entertainment Kim Knight – Sunday Star-Times
Reporter – Sport Dana Johannsen – The New Zealand Herald
Reporter – General Lincoln Tan – The New Zealand Herald
Student Journalist of the Year Tommy Livingston – The Dominion Post
Community Journalist of the Year Kris Dando – Kapi-Mana News
Regional Journalist of the Year Aaron Leaman – Waikato Times
Junior Reporter of the Year Chloe Winter – The Dominion Post
Reporter of the Year Matt Nippert – The New Zealand Herald
Best Investigation Faces of Innocents Project Team – Fairfax Media
Scoop of the Year Luke Appleby – TVNZ
Feature Writing
Feature Writer – Business Anne Gibson – The New Zealand Herald
Feature Writer – Politics Rebecca Macfie – NZ Listener
Feature Writer – Crime & Justice Mike White – North & South
Feature Writer – Health Rebecca Macfie – NZ Listener
Feature Writer – Science & Technology Donna Chisholm – NZ Listener
Feature Writer – Lifestyle Naomi Arnold – Metro
Feature Writer – Arts & Entertainment Hayden Donnell – 1972 Magazine, Pantograph Punch
Feature Writer – Sport Peter Malcouronne – Metro
Feature Writer – General Michelle Duff – Your Weekend
Junior Feature Writer of the Year Tess McClure – RNZ/Fairfax Media
Feature Writer of the Year Mike White – North & South
Reviewer of the Year Simon Wilson – Metro
Cartoonist of the Year Sharon Murdoch – Sunday Star-Times/The Press
Opinion Writing
Opinion Writer – Business Chris Barton – The New Zealand Herald
Opinion Writer – Politics Jane Clifton – NZ Listener
Opinion Writer – Humour/Satire Alex Casey – The Spinoff
Opinion Writer – Sport Paul Thomas – NZ Listener
Opinion Writer – General Toby Manhire and Toby Morris – RNZ Online
Opinion Writer of the Year Rachel Stewart – Taranaki Daily News/Manawatu Standard
Photography/Videography
Best Feature Photo Andy Jackson – Fairfax Media
Best Feature Video Mike Scott – Fairfax Media
Best Portrait Photo Stephen Parker – Rotorua Daily Post
Best Environmental Photo Richard Robinson – NZ Geographic
Best Photo Essay/Slideshow Richard Robinson – NZ Geographic
Best Sports Photo Stephen Parker – Rotorua Daily Post
Best Sports Video Nick Reed – The New Zealand Herald
Best News Photo Peter Drury – Waikato Times/stuff.co.nz
Best News Video Andy Jackson – Fairfax Media
Videographer of the Year Iain McGregor – The Press
Junior Photographer of the Year Grant Matthew – Fairfax Media
Photographer of the Year Stephen Parker – Rotorua Daily Post
General
Best Editorial Campaign or Project Forgotten Millions -The New Zealand Herald
Best Coverage of a News Event Wellington Floods – The Dominion Post/stuff.co.nz
Best Innovation in Storytelling Money in Politics – The New Zealand Herald
Best Lifestyle/Entertainment Site The Spinoff – www.thespinoff.co.nz
Best Blog Site Public Address
Best Sports Site nzherald.co.nz/sport
Best News Website or App TVNZ One News Now – www.tvnz.co.nz/onenews
Website of the Year The Wireless – www.thewireless.co.nz
Magazine of the Year HOME – Bauer Media
Community Newspaper of the Year Kapi-Mana News – Fairfax Media
Newspaper of the Year – 30,000 Taranaki Daily News – Fairfax Media
Newspaper of the Year + 30,000 The New Zealand Herald
Weekly Newspaper of the Year Waikato Times Weekend
Canon Newspaper of the Year Waikato Times and Waikato Times Weekend
nib Health Journalism Scholarship – Junior Jessica McAllen – The Spinoff/Sunday Star-Times
nib Health Journalism Scholarship – Senior Donna Chisholm – North & South/NZ Listener
Editorial Leader of the Year Barbara Fountain – New Zealand Doctor
Wolfson Fellowship Rebecca Macfie – NZ Listener