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GARDEN ROUTE | KAROO NEWS AND VIDEO - What a weekend! Group Editors returned home from the Avbob FCJ (Forum of Community Journalists) Excellence Awards with the most sought-after prizes for news coverage in 2024.
The winners were announced at a prize-giving dinner at the Protea Hotel Stellenbosch and Conference Centre, Techno Park, last Friday, 22 August. The adjudication process was overseen by Dr André Gouws of Akademia.
George Herald came out tops, named the best paid community newspaper in the country.
In fact, all five of Group Editors’ newspapers were ranked among the top 10 nationwide, with Suid-Kaap Forum taking the runner-up spot. The others include Knysna-Plett Herald (fifth), Oudtshoorn Courant (eighth) and Mossel Bay Advertiser (10th).
The top honours of journalist of the year went to the George Herald team: Lizette da Silva, Kristy Kolberg, Alida de Beer and Michelle Pienaar. In addition, the George Herald team also won the top writing categories for hard news and human interest.
George Herald journalist and news editor Kristy Kolberg walked away with top honours in two categories, winning the brand-new award for mobile photography as well as the coveted award for digital news reporting.
The George Herald team, with Lizette da Silva as editor and Ilse Schoonraad as digital head, secured the runner-up position in the digital category for their coverage of the building disaster, while Jeff Ayliffe of Group Editors achieved fourth place.
The award for best back page went to Suid-Kaap Forum, with George Herald taking fourth place. In the editorial comment category, Mossel Bay Advertiser editor Louise Karsten was named the runner-up. Knysna Plett Herald editor Wyndham Ewerts also secured a runner-up position for sport writing, while Hugo Redelinghuys, former editor of Suid-Kaap Forum, shared third place.
VIDEO - Group Editors dominates Avbob FCJ Excellence Awards:
Journalist of the year
Winner: The George Herald Team: Lizette da Silva, Kristy Kolberg, Alida de Beer and Michelle Pienaar.
The George Herald team: (second from left) Lizette da Silva, Kristy Kolberg, Michelle Pienaar and Alida de Beer.
Best paid newspaper of the year
1st George Herald
2nd Suid-Kaap Forum
5th Knysna-Plett Herald
8th Oudtshoorn Courant
10th Mossel Bay Advertiser
George Herald is named the best paid community newspaper in the country. Graphic designer Annalene Lindeque (left) and George Herald editor Lizette da Silva (right) receives the award.
Best back page
1st Suid-Kaap Forum
4th George Herald
Best Backpage: Suid-Kaap Forum. Former editor Hugo Redelinghuys (left) and graphic designer Periette Nel receives the award.
Writing: digital
1st Kristy Kolberg, George Herald
2nd Lizette da Silva and team, George Herald
George Herald team: Lizette da Silva, Kristy Kolberg, Alida de Beer and Michelle Pienaar.
Group Editors digital team: Ilse Schoonraad, Beatrice Esterhuysen, Dot Ings, Esté Smit,
Cameron Squire, Wyndham Ewerts and Jannie du Plessis.
4th Jeff Ayliffe, Group Editors
George Herald journalist Kristy Kolberg won the brand-new award for mobile photography and the coveted award for digital news reporting.
The George Herald team secured the runner-up position in the digital category for their coverage of the building disaster. Second from left are George Herald editor Lizette da Silva, news editor Kristy Kolberg, Knysna Plett editor Wyndham Ewerts, George Herald journalists Alida de Beer and Michelle Pienaar, and digital team leader for Group Editors Beatrice Esterhuysen.
Writing: editorial comment
2nd Louise Karsten, Mossel Bay Advertiser
Mossel Bay Advertiser editor Louise Karsten (right) was named the runner-up for the editorial comment category. With her is Irma Green.
Writing: hard news
1st Lizette da Silva and team, George Herald (Lizette da Silva, Michelle Pienaar, Kristy Kolberg and Alida de Beer)
7th Kristy Kolberg, George Herald
8th Alida de Beer, George Herald
Headlines
5th Christiaan de Swardt, Suid-Kaap Forum
Writing: Human interest
1st Lizette da Silva and team, George Herald (Alida de Beer, Kristy Kolberg, Michelle Pienaar, Jannie du Plessis)
Writing: sport
2nd Wyndham Everts, Knysna-Plett Herald
3rd Hugo Redelinghuys, Suid-Kaap Forum, and Gerhard Rheeder, Middelburg Observer
Knysna Plett Herald editor Wyndham Ewerts secured a runner-up position for sport writing.
Hugo Redelinghuys, Suid-Kaap Forum receives his third prize for sport writing.
Mobile photography
1st Kristy Kolberg, George Herald
Sport photography
6th Hugo Redelinghuys, Suid-Kaap Forum
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