Paper honoured at awards
The Kent Messenger has been crowned Newspaper of the Year at this year’s Kent Press and Broadcast Awards.
Hosted by BBC newsreader Ben Brown, the ceremony celebrated the county’s best print, online and broadcast media, and also saw KentOnline crowned Kent News Website of the Year.
The judges said: “The Kent Messenger is local journalism at its best - the huge variety of stories should be commended.”
In the last year its editions have featured a six-page special report on the crime that shocked a nation – the revelation bedsit murderer David Fuller had abused at least 100 women in hospital mortuaries – as well as following the victims’ families’ fight for answers.
Other articles featured included a mum who took her nine-year-old daughter 80 miles away to Milan for a Covid jab, and violence coming to a head in a “lawless” part of Maidstone town centre.
Runner-up in the category was the KM’s sister paper, the Sheerness Times Guardian, whose small team was praised for its community stories.
Speaking after the ceremony, held at The Spitfire cricket ground in Canterbury, news editor of both titles, Claire McWethy said: “It’s an honour to receive these awards among such esteemed competition. Our readers are our lifeblood and we’re passionate about representing them, fighting for the causes that matter to them, and giving them a voice.
“It’s wonderful this has been recognised, but we couldn’t do it without the support of the tight-knit, vibrant and spirited communityweserve.”
The awards are judged by a panel of former and current national and local journalists.
As well as the two main awards, several KM reporters were recognised for their work. They included: Kent Feature Journalist of the Year, Chris Hunter; Kent Print and Online Journalist, Lydia ChantlerHicks; and Kent New Journalist of the Year, Jadzia Samuel.
n For the full list visit www. tinyurl.com/STkpbas