Star-Times honoured at media awards

Voyager Media Awards

The Sunday Star-Times won the best front page category at last night’s Voyager Media Awards, and Sunday was named the best newspaper magazine.

Sunday, judges said, was engaging from beginning to end, with timely and informed cover stories, a playful and pleasing design, seamless use of te reo Ma¯ori throughout, and intelligent fashion.

Sunday Politics writer Andrea Vance was named best columnist, Michelle Duff won the general feature writing section for her Sunday Star-Times story on millionaire philanthropist Chloe Wright, while Mike White took out the crime and justice category for his story on the framing of struggling builder David Lyttle.

The team at Stuff bagged 23 prizes at the ceremony held at the Cordis in Auckland.

Best editorial campaign went to Stuff’s The Whole Truth; Te Ma¯ramatanga which explained public health topics prone to misinformation, supporting the health and wellbeing of all New Zealanders.

The formidable Stuff Circuit team took out best documentary for Fire and Fury, an investigation on disinformation in New Zealand that included confronting scenes from the Wellington occupation.

Stuff’s storytelling was recognised right across the board – Nikki Macdonald was crowned business journalist of the year, Dana Johannsen named sports journalist of the year and Caroline Williams took out community journalist of the year.

Other reporting wins included Felippe Rodrigues for best data journalism, Katie Ham for best student journalist and Carla Amos for best headline.

Christchurch-based visual journalist Chris Skelton was a stand-out performer at this year’s awards, winning four categories including the highly-prized photographer of the year.

Stuff.co.nz deputy editor Janine Fenwick won editorial leader of the year, with judges praising her unfailing energy and passion for delivering for audiences.

The Stuff mobile app was crowned news app of the year.

Judges said Stuff’s app delivered great hooks and headlines that attracted more than a quarter of the country’s population daily.

Head of news Mark Stevens said he was thrilled to see Stuff’s reporting and visual journalism recognised by the judges.

‘‘Our journalists work tirelessly to deliver world class storytelling to communities across New Zealand and it’s always gratifying to see their efforts recognised in this way.’’

Editorial staff working for Stuff had more than 80 nominations across 50 categories.

Eugene Bingham was shortlisted for reporter of the year, for Star-Times investigations including Poisonous Legacies, about Whenuapai landfill, Ghosts in the System, about vulnerable children in lockdown, and Devonport’s mysterious tunnels.

Duff and Hannah Martin were nominated for their features, Making Niko, and To My Darlings. Ryan Anderson’s photography in the latter was shortlisted for best photo story.

David White’s front cover images for Sunday were shortlisted for best features photography. Visual journalist Lawrence Smith’s work was shortlisted in that same category, for photographs that included ones featured in the story Losing My Limbs.