Highlands and Islands Media Awards names Ross-shire Journal as a finalist for Newspaper of the Year; it will find out if it won at a ceremony in Inverness in February
The Ross-shire Journal is in the running for newspaper of the year in this year’s Highlands and Islands Media Awards.
It was named as one of three finalists when the shortlists for this year’s contest were announced on Thursday morning.
The competition recognises the best reporters, photographers, news titles and industry figures across the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, and draws entries from a wide array of organisations, from community newsletters to the BBC.
And the Journal’s success in making the final three for newspaper of the year is part of a wider success story for parent company Highland News and Media, which has 12 finalists vying for this year’s prizes among various titles.
Indeed, the Ross-shire Journal’s two rivals for newspaper of the year are both fellow HNM titles - The Inverness Courier and the Elgin-based Northern Scot
Elsewhere, seven of HNM’s 12 finalists work for The Inverness Courier.
As well as being in the final three for newspaper of the year, the Courier is also vying for photographer of the year; young journalist of the year; community newspaper of the year; feature writer of the year; sports reporter of the year; and local website of the year.
Courier photographer James Mackenzie is one of three people to make the final shortlist for photographer of the year, and will be competing with fellow Highland News & Media staff member Daniel Forsyth (who works for sister title The Northern Scot in Elgin) and Willie Urquhart of the West Highland Free Press.
Community newspaper of the year will be contested by the Courier’s LGBTQ+ newsletter Queerier, as well as Fios, and Westword.
Annabelle Gautlett, who has worked for The Inverness Courier and as a freelance, is up for the young journalist of the year award alongside Daniel Shailer of the Shetland Times and Finlay Maclennan of the BBC.
The Courier’s Val Sweeney is into the final four in the feature writer of the year category, alongside fellow HNM staff member Alistair Whitfield of the Elgin-based Northern Scot, and Ryan Nicholson (Shetland Times) and Sarah Gilmour (Orcadian).
Sports reporter of the year will be contested by the Inverness Courier’s Andrew Henderson, BBC Highland’s Eilidh Davies and Eric Mackinnon of the Stornoway Gazette.
And the Courier will also be contesting the final in the local website of the year category alongside We Love Stornoway, and West Coast.
Other titles within the Highland News & Media newspaper stable also performed very well.
As well as the already mentioned award hopefuls at the Ross-shire Journal and Northern Scot, the latter's Lewis McBlane is among four people vying for the evening’s top prize - the reporter of the year award. He is up against the Sunday Post's Lauren Robertson, MFR's Liam Ross and the Press & Journal's Stuart Findlay.
The various finalists will find out if they have won at a ceremony in Inverness in February.
Head judge, Nicola McAlley said: “As with previous years, the standard was exceptionally high, which meant we had some difficult decisions to make with much debate and deliberation over finalists and winners in each category.
“I want to thank everyone for taking the time to enter and demonstrate again that there is a high quality of work being carried out in our vast and varied area of Scotland.”
The full list of categories and finalists is as follows:
Photographer of the Year
• Daniel Forsyth - Northern Scot
• James Mackenzie - Inverness Courier
• Willie Urquhart - West Highland Free Press
Young Journalist of the Year – Alex Main Trophy
• Annabelle Gauntlett - Inverness Courier & freelance
• Daniel Shailer - Shetland Times
• Finlay Maclennan - BBC
Community Newspaper of the Year
• Fios
• Queerier
• Westword
Business Award
• Marc Harcus - Orcadian
• Peter Ranscombe - Press & Journal
• Stuart Findlay - Press & Journal
Environment and Sustainability Award
• John White - West Highland Free Press
• Peter Ranscombe - Press & Journal
• Ryan Nicholson - Shetland Times
Bord Na Gaidhlig Award
• Calum MacLeòid - BBC
• Shona MacDonald - BBC
Reporter of the Year - Jim Love Memorial Award
• Lauren Robertson - Sunday Post
• Lewis McBlane - Northern Scot
• Liam Ross - MFR
• Stuart Findlay - Press & Journal
Newspaper of the Year
• Inverness Courier
• Northern Scot
• Ross-shire Journal
Feature Writer of the Year
• Alistair Whitfield - Northern Scot
• Ryan Nicholson - Shetland Times
• Sarah Gilmour - Orcadian
• Val Sweeney - Inverness Courier
Sports Reporter of the Year
• Andrew Henderson - Inverness Courier
• Eilidh Davies - BBC Highland
• Eric Mackinnon - Stornoway Gazette
Local Website of the Year
• Inverness Courier
• We Love Stornoway
• West Coast
Campaign of the Year
• Oban Times
• Shetland Times
• West Highland Free Press
