The Manchester Evening News was crowned Newspaper of the Year last night at the first ever 02 Media Awards for Lancashire and Greater Manchester.
The MEN beat off competition from Crains Manchester Business, Bolton News and the Blackpool Gazette to scoop the title.
Judges said the paper was “as good as any regional newspaper you might find anywhere in the country, and was putting out quality editions day after day.”
Runner-up the Blackpool Gazette, which was awarded O2 Editorial Team of the Year, was also praised for “punching well above its weight.”
The Salford Advertiser’s Lucy McGuire picked up Feature Writer of the Year, and Tim Bradley from the Rochdale Observer was named Photographer of the Year after being described by judges as an “editor’s dream” and a “brilliant all-rounder.”
The BBC and Granada both scored successes in broadcast, with BBC North West Tonight’s Dave Guest named TV Broadcast Journalist of the Year, and Granada’s Mike Hall scooping Sports Reporter of the Year.
Hall was praised for his coverage of Ricky Hatton during his world championship bid, and the boxer made a last-minute appearance to present the award.
The awards took place at the Urbis Exhibition Centre in Manchester, and are one of a series of contests launched by O2 to recognise media achievements in the North.
The event follows awards ceremonies for Cheshire and Merseyside in July, and Yorkshire and Humber in January this year.
O2 Media Awards Winners and Finalists:
Digital Journalist of the Year
Winner: William Watt – The Gazette Blackpool
Runners up:
Paul Cockerton – Lancashire Telegraph
Martin Hamer – Lancashire Evening Post
Editorial Team of the Year
Winner: The Gazette Blackpool
Runners up:
BBC North West
All Together Now
Young Journalist of the Year – Weeklies
Winner: Natalie Banks – Chorley and Leyland Guardian
Runners up:
Robert Dawson – Stockport Express
John Siddle – Ormskirk Advertiser
Alice McKeegan – Rochdale Observer
Young Journalist of the Year – Dailies
Winner: Catherine Pye – Lancashire Evening Telegraph
Runners up:
Nafeesa Shan – Lancashire Evening Telegraph
Joe Robinson – The Gazette Blackpool
Radio Broadcaster of the Year
Winner: Lauren Moss – Wish FM
Runners up:
Paul Lockitt – Key 103
Rachel Murray – Tower FM
Reporter of the Year
Winner: Michelle Livesey – Key 103
Runners up:
Abbie Jones – BBC North West Tonight
Stef Hall – Lancashire Evening Post
TV Broadcast Journalist of the Year
Winner: Dave Guest – BBC North West Tonight
Runners up:
Rob Smith – Granada Reports
Andy Gill – BBC North West Tonight
Newspaper of the Year
Winner: Manchester Evening News
Runners up:
The Gazette, Blackpool
Crains Manchester Business
Bolton News
Sports Reporter of the Year
Winner: Mike Hall – Granada Reports
Runners up:
Chris Hall – Granada Reports
Andy Cryer – Lancashire Telegraph
Photographer of the Year
Winner: Tim Bradley – Rochdale Observer
Runners up:
Ian Robinson – Lancashire Evening Post
Helen Brown – Lancashire Telegraph
Entertainment Journalist of the Year
Winner: Caroline Hacking – Granada Reports
Runners up:
Jemma Humphreys – Lancashire Telegraph
Caroline Dutton – Lancashire Telegraph
Business Journalist of the Year
Winner: Ben Rooth – Manchester Evening News
Runners up:
Chris Maguire – Chorley Guardian
Ben Briggs – Lancashire Telegraph
Feature Writer of the Year
Winner: Lucy McGuire – Salford Advertiser
Runners up:
Lesley Richards – Leigh Journal
Alan Salter – Transport Matters
Chris Visser – Lancashire Evening Post
Scoop of the Year
Winner: Paul Keaveny – Bolton News
Runners up:
Vanessa Cornall – Accrington Observer
Ken Bennett – Oldham Chronicle
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