Times major award wins

THE PANPA awards, now known as the News Media Awards, are considered the most prestigious in the region, attracting entries from across Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and Asia.

The award focuses on brilliant journalism published every day in newspapers and digital titles and pays attention also to skills of photographers and colleagues in the print centres.

Over the years The Fiji Times family has been humbled after scooping prestigious awards and this is something former and current staff members, supporters, management and friends of the company continue to be proud of.

Editor-in-chief Fred Wesley said when the company won an award last year that such achievements were important for any company for they gave a fair bit of indication of the gap in standards.

“They allow us as a newspaper company to look at ways to raise the standards we work towards,” he said.

“They allow us to appreciate where we stand in the greater scheme of things when international brands are considered.”

Wesley said the company would strive to be a newspaper that is fair, balanced and constructive, and will correct mistakes made.

“We are very pro-Fiji,” he added. Here are some of the awards The Fiji Times has won over the years:

2006 — The Fiji Times scooped the PANPA Newspaper Marketing Award for young readers under 15,000 circulation

2007 — Newspaper of the Year Awards on HIV/AIDS special marketing young readers up to 15,000 circulation;

2009 — News Ltd Campaign of the Year;

2012 — Kaila! scooped the Design Your Own Newspaper Project;

2014 — Kaila! Best Young Reader Program Awards. Design your own newspaper project;

2017 — Advertising and Marketing Awards for best young reader Program open winner, Design Your Own Newspaper category.

In the marketing category, the newspaper was a finalist for the Best Cause-Related Campaign or Community Service award for its special coverage of “Post TC Winston” and for its Pinktober campaign.

The second award the newspaper was in the running for was the Sponsorship of the Year Award for its “2016 Rio Olympic Games” sponsorship.

The Kaila! design your own newspaper project was a finalist for the Best Young Reader Program.

2018 — Fred Wesley won the News Media Executive of the Year Award.

Apart from that here are some local awards The Fiji Times also won.

1995 — Tasman Pulp and Paper Pacific Newspaper Design of the Year Award;

1996 — Information freedom of the Year Award;

Best Series of three HeadlinesPrint awarded to Fred Wesley.

Picture: FILE The Fiji Times editor-in-chief Fred Wesley delivers his speech while receiving the 2018 News Media Executive of the Year Award during the News Media Awards in Sydney, Australia.

Picture: FILE The award for Best Young Reader Program which was awarded to the Kaila! newspaper.

Picture: FILE RIGHT: The Sunday Times team, from left, Ruby TaylorNewton (former The Sunday Times editor), Solomoni Biumaiono (former Sunday Times writer), Sailosi Batiratu (former The Sunday Times writer and later editor) and Senimili Bradburgh (graphics designer) that won the 2011 and 2012 Panpa Awards for the Kaila! Design Your Newspaper Project.

Picture: FILE The 2008 Chairman’s Award and 2009 Campaign Of The Year award given to The Fiji Times.

Picture: FILE 2018 — Fred Wesley won the News Media Executive of the Year Award.

Picture: SUPPLIED The Fiji Times deputy editor Sakiasi Waqanivavalagi with an award.