Daily Mail crowned Newspaper of the Year at the Press Oscars
THE Daily Mail has triumphed at the annual Press Awards by winning Newspaper of the Year.
The judges said that in the ‘seismic year’ of Brexit, the Mail was a ‘must-read’ across the political spectrum with a ‘strong and provocative voice’ that dominated the narrative and never wavered.
In addition, members of the Mail’s formidable team won three individual awards and were highly commended in four separate categories.
Accepting the award, Paul Dacre, Fleet Street’s longest-serving editor, paid tribute to ‘the incredibly hardworking, incredibly brilliant journalists’ on the Mail and thanked the newspaper industry, which he said has ‘still got a hell of a life in it’.
Under Mr Dacre, the Mail has now won the Newspaper of the Year at the British Press Awards seven times – more than any other title.
In their citation for the latest accolade, the judges said of the Mail: ‘In the seismic year of Brexit, the battle for No 10 and campaigning journalism, the winner had its finger on the pulse of the national conversation.
‘Not only did it shape both the agenda and the narrative, it reflected the temper of a large part of the country in a year of political upheaval.
‘It was a must-read across the political and public spectrum and its strong and provocative voice never wavered.
‘The decision of the judges was that it dominated the narrative and produced agenda-setting and standout coverage in 016.’
Peter Oborne won the Columnist of the Year (popular) category, for what the judges described as ‘hardhitting gritty columns which look at topics from a diverse viewpoint’.
The Mail’s long-serving and incomparable Mac, otherwise known as Edinburghborn Stan McMurtry, was hailed as ‘just superb’ by the judges as he was awarded Cartoonist of the Year for his ‘beautifully drawn, clever cartoons that excelled in a supreme field’.
Andy Hooper was crowned Sports Photographer of the Year for the fourth time. Judges said he ‘produced excellent images that captured the true essence of sport – nothing stood still’.
Martha Kelner was highly commended in the Sports Journalist of the Year category for exposing bullying in British cycling.