Press Association photographer Jane Barlow last night became the first ever photographer to win the Journalist of the Year category at the Scottish Press Awards for her “moving” last public pictures of the Queen before her death.
Jane, who also won News Photographer of the Year, was praised by judges for her “stunning” portrait of the monarch at Balmoral as the royal met then Prime Minister Liz Truss in September last year, shortly before her death later that month aged 96.
Other big winners at the 44th annual awards included the Scottish Daily Mail, who won the Newspaper of the Year and Journalism Team of the Year for its coverage of the Queen’s death and overall consistency as a product.
The Sunday Post also won Sunday Newspaper of the Year for the second year running, for its quality reporting and hard-hitting journalism.
Chair of Judges, Richard Neville, the former Head of News Brands at DC Thomson and now founding director of Neville Robertson Communications, praised Jane for her award win.
He said: “It’s easy to forget that journalism is not just about words but everything which goes into creating and conveying a story and this journalist was on hand to document for posterity the final act of a truly extraordinary life which came to define the life of the United Kingdom.
“Her stunning and moving portrait of the late Queen told a story it would take hundreds of words to tell and how it came about became a story in itself. Jane’s work had impact not just across Scotland but right around the world.”
It was also a triumphant evening for Marion Scott of the Sunday Post, who was named Reporter of the Year and the winner of the Nicola Barry Award for the second year running, as well as picking up the Scoop of the Year prize.
The Orcadian was named the Weekly Newspaper of the Year, chosen by a panel of Scottish daily newspaper editors, for how it continually punched above its weight – producing a paper and website packed with strong news stories.
A total of 35 awards crediting the vital work of print and digital journalism were announced, with The Herald scooping the Campaign of the Year title for its campaign calling for Scotland to have a Covid Memorial.
Conor Matchett was named Political Journalist of the Year for his work at The Scotsman, and the paper also won the Front Page of the Year category.
First Minister Humza Yousaf handed out the Lifetime Achievement award to ex-Sunday Herald editor Richard Walker, who helped launch pro-independence title The National.
The Scottish Sun won the final prize of the night – The Chairperson’s Award – to reflect its comprehensive coverage of last year’s council elections.
Richard Neville was joined by 40 independent judges from across the Scottish media, communications and public affairs industries. Former BBC Scotland newsreader Jackie Bird hosted the event at the DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow Central.
The 44th Scottish Press Awards are sponsored by Royal Bank of Scotland, Diageo, VisitScotland, Edrington, Openreach, Glenmorangie, The Law Society of Scotland, Muckle Media, Registrars of Scotland, Women in Journalism Scotland, BIG Partnership, Event Consultants Scotland and Scottish Newspaper Society.
Scottish Newspaper Society Director John McLellan said: “Jane Barlow's portrait of the Queen was a remarkable image even before we knew it was to be Her Majesty's last, and I'm absolutely delighted Jane has received such an accolade for capturing a moment in national history with such a moving, human image.
“All our winners are testament to the highest standards and traditions of the Scottish Press and this year's event has been truly memorable in so many ways, and unquestionably one of the best in its 44 years.”
The winners:
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Janet Christie, The Scotsman / Scotland on Sunday
BEST COVERAGE OF A LIVE EVENT
Bryan Copland, The Courier - Kirkton Riots
CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR
The Herald, Scotland's Covid Memorial Campaign
COLUMNIST OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Edrington
Euan McColm, Scotland on Sunday
FEATURE WRITER
Sponsored by The Glenmorangie Company
Patricia Kane, Scottish Mail on Sunday
FINANCIAL/BUSINESS JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Royal Bank of Scotland
Martin Williams, The Herald / Herald on Sunday
FOOD AND DRINK WRITER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Diageo
Chitra Ramaswamy, The Times Scotland
FRONT PAGE OF THE YEAR
The Scotsman
INTERVIEWER OF THE YEAR
Emma Cowing, Scottish Daily Mail
JOURNALISM TEAM OF THE YEAR
Scottish Daily Mail - Death of the Queen
LOCAL CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR
Largs and Millport News, Raise Funds for Alara
LOCAL FEATURE WRITER OF THE YEAR
Mark Harcus, The Orcadian
LOCAL REPORTER OF THE YEAR
Sarah Gilmour, The Orcadian
NEWS PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by VisitScotland
Jane Barlow, Press Association
NEWS WEBSITE OF THE YEAR
Press and Journal
NICOLA BARRY AWARD
Sponsored by Women in Journalism Scotland
Marion Scott, The Sunday Post
PODCAST OF THE YEAR
The Times Scotland - Stories of Our Time
POLITICAL JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Law Society of Scotland
Conor Matchett, The Scotsman
REGIONAL FEATURE WRITER OF THE YEAR
Jennifer McLaren, The Courier
REGIONAL REPORTER OF THE YEAR
Stuart Findlay, Press and Journal
REPORTER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Openreach
Marion Scott, The Sunday Post
SCOOP OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by SNS
Marion Scott, The Sunday Post
SPECIALIST REPORTER OF THE YEAR
Graham Mann, The Scottish Sun - Crime
SPORTS COLUMNIST OF THE YEAR
Gary Keown, Scottish Mail on Sunday
SPORTS FEATURE WRITER OF THE YEAR
Aidan Smith, The Scotsman
SPORTS NEWS WRITER OF THE YEAR
Alan Temple, The Courier
SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
Ian MacNicol, Getty Images
STUDENT OF THE YEAR
Luke Chafer, The Glasgow Guardian
WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
The Orcadian
YOUNG JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Muckle Media
Constance Kampfner, The Times Scotland
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Richard Walker
JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Big Partnership
Jane Barlow
DAILY NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR
Scottish Daily Mail
SUNDAY NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR
The Sunday Post
CHAIRPERSON'S AWARD
The Scottish Sun
Keep up-to-date with publishing news: sign up here for InPubWeekly, our free weekly e-newsletter.
