Caerphilly Observer has been named Independent Community News Service of the Year at the 2016 Wales Media Awards.
It is the second successive year that we have won the award, which was previously called Community Outlet of the Year.
The Wales Media Awards were relaunched last year by the Journalists’ Charity after a decade-long absence and aims to celebrate and promote great journalism produced from Wales.
The awards were announced at a black-tie event on Friday, March 4, at the Mercure Holland House Hotel in Cardiff and were hosted by BBC news presenter Huw Edwards.
Praising Caerphilly Observer’s quality, the award judges said: “You do journalism proud and are a standard bearer for the need to ensure all communities are represented by vibrant and strong media outlets.
“A totally professional publication with high standards of writing, subbing and layout – no over-sensationalised headlines here, just good, solid local stories, written in a good, solid style.”
Caerphilly Observer was nominated alongside the Aberystwyth EGO and the MyWelshpool and MyNewtown websites.
Richard Gurner, editor and publisher of Caerphilly Observer, said: “We were so excited to be nominated again for this prestigious award, and I’m thrilled that we’ve won. We are extremely honoured by the judges’ comments.
“I set-up Caerphilly Observer in 2009 as a web-only publication, and when I look back at our achievements over the last seven years, such as launching a print edition, I am stunned at how far we have come. I can honestly say I have been overwhelmed at times by the positive response we have received from the communities that we serve.
“I would like to thank both our readers and our advertisers for their continuing support – without them we are nothing.”
The print edition of Caerphilly Observer was launched in May 2013 after it was awarded funding from Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Caerffili Cwm a Mynydd Rural Development Programme Partnership to help produce its first four editions. The grant was part-funded through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the Welsh Government.
A full list of the 2016 winners of the Wales Media Awards can be found at www.walesmediaawards.co.uk.
This article is the definition of boasting.
And why not, when you own such a wonderful media `Community` tool as the Caerphilly Observer?
Because it is illogical. You are meant to boast to other papers and competitors. Boasting to your own readers is a bit dull. It is like a company advertising itself to its customers on its loyalty programme.
Grants and funding eh?
That is the one reason why it side steps anything particulary politically critical of local issues, unless it is to print some local suit taking advantage for something or other.