All Media
WINNER: Sarah Gladwell | Here/SFG Media – Here – design approach across print, digital and social media platforms
JUDGES: Vasanti Unka & William Chen
“Presents a strong identity with the use of masthead font. The layouts are consistently well structured and suit the architectural content. Well considered use of colour to signify each issue’s intent. The design is refined yet it draws readers in.”
RUNNER UP: Toby Morris and Siouxsie Wiles | The Spinoff | Covid-19 Variants; Covid-19 Transmission 101; The Emmental Cheese Model
FINALISTS:
Ella Bates-Hermans | stuff.co.nz – Hot Air Sucks!; Tell Me About It; Covid-19 Illustration
Alex Lim | Stuff – We, the 6535 signed; Climate worriers; Our Truth, Tā Mātou Pono: The truth about Aotearoa
Vinay Ranchhod | RNZ – Women struggle for treatment; Grieving mum not eligible for help; Eating disorder waiting lists
Sacha Wackrow | Sunday, Sunday Star-Times/Stuff – Re-design of Sunday magazine
WINNER: Stuff – Delta outbreak
JUDGES: Ali Ikram & Scott Campbell
“The pandemic has opened up a battle for newsrooms on multiple fronts. One of these is having the capability to report and analyze official, science-based decision making, allowing the public to understand a large amount of often complex data and for journalists to create a context for informed discussion. Another is combatting misinformation that has been directed at vulnerable people online. Stuff’s team coverage of the Delta outbreak did both while also leading the news agenda on significant milestones like the introduction of the traffic light system.”
RUNNER UP: NZ Herald/NZME – Auckland mall terror attack
FINALISTS:
Newshub/Discovery NZ with Michael Morrah – Covid deaths in home isolation
NZ Herald/NZME with Kurt Bayer – The fall of Afghanistan
WINNER: Chris McDowall and Keith Ng | NZ Herald/NZME – NZ Herald Vaccine Tracker, 40 years of sky-high house prices, Transmission Gully
JUDGES: Richard Harman & Johanna Cotter
“A clear winner, NZME have completely nailed the use of data in journalism. With easy to understand, animated visuals – turning content into a true interactive experience.”
RUNNER UP: Farah Hancock, Vinay Ranchhod, Cole Eastham-Farrelly | RNZ – Who’s eating New Zealand?, Legal aid debt, Covid in daily numbers
FINALISTS:
Joanne Butcher and Kate Newton | Stuff – Sweet Spots
Marc Daalder | newsroom.co.nz – The stark inequity of the vaccine rollout; Why our summers feel so much hotter; Calculating NZ’s renewable electricity gap
Andy Fyers | BusinessDesk – The glaring gaps in our vaccine rollout; Hundreds of allocated MIQ rooms sit empty; Covid-19 cases in MIQ: Where did they arrive from?
Kate Newton, Felippe Rodrigues, Alex Lim | Stuff – Projects Team: Covid-19 NZ – When will each DHB reach 90 per cent?; A tale of two pandemics; Covid-19: the difference using the Covid tracer app makes
Kate Newton, Hannah Martin, Henry Cooke | Stuff – Covid in Charts: NZ’s vaccine roll-out in 12 charts as traffic light system looms, NZ’s vaccine roll-out explained in 12 charts, as vaccine target finally unveiled, NZ’s Delta outbreak and hospitalisations in 14 graphs
JOINT WINNERS: NZ Herald/NZME & Stuff with Andrea Vance and Iain McGregor – The 90% Project & This Is How it Ends
JUDGES: John Roughan & Kevin Calvert
“We simply couldn’t separate two outstanding entries – with contrasting styles. A short, sharp campaign by the NZ Herald that had a big impact on the country’s battle against Covid-19. And Stuff’s visually stunning and powerfully written project explaining why New Zealanders should care as much about biodiversity as climate change. It should also be noted that in a highly competitive category, four of the six finalists are from Stuff and the NZ Herald, reflecting the range and quality of work being produced by New Zealand’s two big news websites.”
FINALISTS:
Ashburton Guardian – Shop Smart, Shop Local
NZ Herald/NZME – The Brains Trust
The Hui/Great Southern Television and Newshub/Discovery NZ – The Fight for Tipene Halford’s Release
Stuff – The Whole Truth
WINNER: Stuff Circuit/Stuff with Paula Penfold, Toby Longbottom, Louisa Cleave, Phil Johnson, Sungmi Kim and Main Reactor – Deleted
JUDGES: Melissa Gardi & Marc Dodd
“Deleted is an impressive comprehensive piece of digital storytelling – an arsenal of clever solutions to challenges that can arise when taking on a piece of work of this magnitude.”
FINALISTS:
NZ Herald/NZME – Transmission Gully: Your chance to fly through
RNZ – Who’s eating New Zealand?
stuff.co.nz – A reconstruction of 20,000 years of Earth’s temperature
WINNER: Melanie Reid | newsroom.co.nz – Oranga Tamariki whistleblower investigation
JUDGES: Andrew Holden & Peter Bale
“The individual investigation award shows that journalists are doggedly holding power to account and devoting incredible time and energy to building contacts, investigating important subjects of all types. It is a credit to the publishers and senior editors that so much effort is being committed to investigative reporting with such strong results.”
RUNNER UP: Tom Dillane | NZ Herald/NZME – Olivia Podmore investigation
FINALISTS:
Te Aniwa Hurihanganui | RNZ – Police using app to photograph innocent youth
Jared Savage | NZ Herald/NZME – NZ’s Meth Crisis
WINNER: Stuff – The Lake
JUDGES: Jim Tully & Drew Ambrose
“This category was a compelling and incredibly competitive field of world class journalism. The judges said Aaron Smale’s investigative podcast was a powerful and at times confronting portrayal of the abuse of children at Lake Alice, its long-term impact upon them and their quest to be heard.”
RUNNER UP: newsroom.co.nz – Fiji: coral reef surf waves
FINALISTS:
Stuff – We Need to Talk
North & South – The Nazi who built Mount Hutt
WINNER: Philip Matthews | newsroom.co.nz
JUDGES: Anthony Byrt & Gilbert Wong
“In one of the reviews in his submission Philip Matthews writes: “We’re living through a painful and fast-moving time.” His calm and astute assessments of Charlotte Grimshaw and C.K Stead’s books position each at a respective front in the culture wars. That is not novel but the way Matthews doesn’t waste a word and possesses such clarity of judgement is why Matthews is, by some distance, our Best Reviewer.”
RUNNER UP:Anna Rankin | Metro, RNZ
FINALISTS:
Steve Braunias | newsroom.co.nz
Simon Wilson | NZ Herald/NZME
WINNER: Steve Braunias | newsroom.co.nz, NZ Herald/NZME
JUDGES: Sam Ackermann & Deborah Hill Cone
” Steve Braunias’ scoop exposing a bizarre decision in public arts funding – as well as his balls out piece on cultural appropriation brought a news hound’s bite to the arts round in what was truly a quality field.”
FINALISTS:
Emily Brookes | stuff.co.nz
André Chumko | Stuff, Dominion Post
Mark Crysell | Sunday/TVNZ
Kim Knight | Weekend Herald/NZME
Moana Maniapoto | Te Ao with Moana/Māori Television
WINNER: Jared Savage | NZ Herald/NZME
JUDGES: Kate Gourdie & Adam Ray
“In a category packed with outstanding entries, Jared Savage is a deserved winner. His portfolio is beautifully written but what also stands out is the sheer persistence – and no doubt patience – he has shown to get such richly detailed and powerful stories.”
FINALISTS:
Kirsty Johnston | Stuff
Rob Kidd | Otago Daily Times/Allied Press
Anna Leask | NZ Herald/NZME
Sam Sherwood | The Press/Stuff
WINNER: Eloise Gibson | Stuff
JUDGES: Alison Ballance & Emma Field
“Eloise’s body of work was well researched and included some exclusive data and information that made it truly compelling reading. Her work is gold standard journalism, asking hard questions about important environmental issues and seeking answers.”
FINALISTS:
Farah Hancock | RNZ
Nikki Macdonald | stuff.co.nz
Alison Smith | Hauraki-Coromandel Post, NZ Herald/NZME
David Williams | newsroom.co.nz
WINNER: Patrick Gower | Newshub/Discovery NZ
JUDGES: Felicity Anderson & Gordon Harcourt
“Patrick Gower’s portfolio is led by two genuinely agenda-setting stories, and that’s the x-factor that nudged his entry ahead of a powerful pack: First, there’s the undercover ‘sting’ on anti-vax GP Dr Jonie Girouard, and then the revelation of the ‘They Are Us’ movie script based (more or less) on the Christchurch mosque attacks. The portfolio displays a range of skills: great story-getting, empathetic people skills, strong technical craft and a flair for telling a good yarn.”
RUNNER UP: Kurt Bayer | NZ Herald/NZME
FINALISTS:
Mark Crysell | Sunday/TVNZ
Michelle Duff | Stuff
Moana Maniapoto | Te Ao with Moana/Māori Television
Jamie Morton | NZ Herald/NZME
WINNER: Glenn McConnell | Stuff
JUDGES: Josie Steenhart & Eleanor Black
“Glenn’s portfolio highlighted his reporting chops, sharp news instinct and ability to create compelling reads.”
FINALISTS:
Kim Knight | Weekend Herald, Viva, Travel/NZME
Kaitlin Ruddock | Fair Go/TVNZ
Juliette Sivertsen | NZ Herald/NZME, Stuff
Lorna Thornber | stuff.co.nz
WINNER: Felix Desmarais | Rotorua Daily Post/NZME
JUDGES: John Roughan | Richard Harman
“Felix Desmarais submitted a strong portfolio identifying actions by the local council which it clearly would have preferred he hadn’t noticed. He pursued these with solid research, dogged persistence and good aggressive reporting.”
FINALISTS:
Tom Hunt | Stuff
Emily Ireland | Wairarapa Times-Age/National Media
Steve Kilgallon | Sunday Star-Times/Stuff
WINNER: Mihingarangi Forbes | The Hui/Great Southern Television and Newshub/Discovery NZ
JUDGES: Tina Wickcliffe & Ngahuia Wade
“Mihi’s coverage of Tipene Halford’s wrongful imprisonment for the minor parole violation of having a beer not only highlighted a miscarriage of justice and systemic racism, it restored mana to a Maori man who would’ve easily been discarded. Mihi’s visual storytelling and craft puts the subject at the heart of the story, and is a master lesson on how to enter te ao Maori with respect.”
FINALISTS:
Kirsty Babington | Te Ao with Moana/Māori Television
Te Aniwa Hurihanganui | RNZ
Florence Kerr | Stuff
Aaron Smale | newsroom.co.nz
Tony Wall | Stuff
WINNER: Jamie Morton | NZ Herald/NZME
JUDGES: Barbara Fountain & Chris Hollis
“The judges noted the extremely high calibre of all the finalists in this category. Jamie Morton stood out for the clarity of his writing and his ability, not only to explain complex scientific concepts, but also to communicate their impact on everyday life. His portfolio gave us the science behind the likely path of the COVID pandemic, the East Coast’s tsunami risk and the acceleration of extreme weather events due to climate change.”
FINALISTS:
Marc Daalder | newsroom.co.nz
Eloise Gibson | Stuff
Veronika Meduna | NZ Listener, NZ Geographic, The Spinoff
Charlie Mitchell | Stuff
WINNER: Mark Crysell | Sunday/TVNZ
JUDGES: Sue Ahearn & Jim Tully
“The judges said this was the standout portfolio with three strong stories on three very different issues. They were particularly impressed by his story on the Polynesian Panthers. The clever use of archival footage highlighted the social justice struggle by Māori and Pacific Islanders that began 50 years ago to overcome racial inequality.”
FINALISTS:
Nicholas Jones | NZ Herald/NZME
WINNER: Nikki Macdonald | Dominion Post, stuff.co.nz
JUDGES: Owen Poland & Andrew Pirie
“Nikki Macdonald submitted a well-researched and thought-provoking portfolio of articles on issues of national importance including the legality of MIQ, the inadequacies of ACC support for mesothelioma patients and the need for a post-pandemic reset of tourism. In each case the writer effectively used case studies, analysis and comment to generate a series of compelling, well written stories.”
FINALISTS:
Nikki Mandow | newsroom.co.nz
Thomas Mead | 1 News/TVNZ
Jonathan Milne | newsroom.co.nz
Matt Nippert | NZ Herald/NZME
Jane Phare | NZ Herald/NZME
WINNER: Jeff Bell | Dominion Post and Stuff
JUDGES: Ian Grant & Greg Treadwell
“Excellent use of contemporary cultural references that add a dimension to the humour. Strong ideas and some of the best caricature in editorial cartooning today.”
RUNNER UP: Chris Slane | New Zealand Listener/Are Media
FINALISTS:
Guy Body | NZ Herald/NZME
Rod Emmerson | NZ Herald/NZME
Sharon Murdoch | Stuff Media
WINNER: Justin Latif | The Spinoff
JUDGES: Ewan McDonald & Stu Oldham
“Justin Latif clearly understands the best community stories are filled with community voices. His multi-source, in-depth examinations aren’t dominated by talking heads and nameless reports – they’re full of people who are living in and responding to the stories he explores. Justin makes good use of grassroots relationships, recognising even big national stories start in someone’s neighbourhood.”
FINALISTS:
Sinead Gill | Manawatū Standard/Stuff
Caroline Williams | Stuff
WINNER: Jenna Lynch | Newshub/Discovery NZ
JUDGES: Keith Davies & Leigh Pearson
“Jenna Lynch’s portfolio showed a determination to delve deep into every story, allowing thorough and challenging questioning, persistently holding politicians to account, while demonstrating well-honed skills to deliver both exclusive content and impact.”
RUNNER UP: Jo Moir | newsroom.co.nz
FINALISTS:
Thomas Coughlan | Stuff and NZ Herald/NZME
Tova O’Brien | Newshub/Discovery NZ
Claire Trevett | NZ Herald/NZME
Audrey Young | NZ Herald/NZME
WINNER: Rob Kidd | Otago Daily Times/Allied Press
JUDGES: Maramena Roderick & Glenn Conway
“Court reporting usually grabs the headlines for serious crime. But Rob Kidd spots riveting yarns in day to day court appearances and then chases those stories well beyond the dock. From the blunders of justice to the squabbles of pensioners, he continually digs deeper and puts a human face to the summary sheets. The result is a fascinating picture of communities and characters well beyond regional reporting. It is an exceptional reminder that no round should confine a reporter or great initiative.”
RUNNER UP: Sinead Gill | Manawatū Standard/Stuff
FINALISTS:
Felix Desmarais | Rotorua Daily Post/NZME
Ellen O’Dwyer | Waikato Times/Stuff
WINNER: Dylan Cleaver | The Bounce
JUDGES: Coen Lammers & John Daniell
“This year’s entries for Sports Journalist of the Year were of an incredibly high standard and many finalists would have been worthy winners any other year. Dylan Cleaver from The Bounce, however, had a clear edge in a strong field with a superb portfolio that consistently displayed Dylan’s craftsmanship across a wide variety of topics. Convincing Carl Hayman to share his darkest thoughts about his head knocks was a terrific piece of journalism, while the analysis of the Silver Lake deal media coverage was not only thought-provoking but also courageous in a small industry.”
FINALISTS:
Hikurangi Jackson | Te Ao with Moana/Māori Television
Dana Johannsen | Stuff
Neil Reid | NZ Herald/NZME
WINNER: Jem Traylen | BusinessDesk
JUDGES: Mike Fletcher & Sarah Robson
“Jem Traylen’s portfolio contained the keys to success in journalism – strong news sense, focus, stickability and fire in the belly.
She tells interesting stories, too.”
FINALISTS:
Kristie Boland | Stuff
Hanna McCallum | The Press/Stuff
Emily Moorhouse | Stuff and NZ Herald/NZME
WINNER: Samantha OIley | RNZ
JUDGES: Sela Jane Hopgood & Chris Forster
“Excellent storyteller on exclusive stories of national relevance including Whangārei hospital sewage leakage initiating action from the Prime Minister. Samantha demonstrated in depth journalism by incorporating many relevant voices to give a story validity and produced a quick turnaround of important events. Samantha also showed appreciation for the growing Aotearoa population covering a diverse range of stories and using various tools such as OIAs to give her angles a unique edge.”
RUNNER UP: Caley Callahan | Newshub/Discovery NZ
FINALISTS:
D’Angelo Martin | The Hui/Great Southern Television and Newshub/Discovery NZ
Pete McKenzie | newsroom.co.nz
Adam Pearse | NZ Herald/NZME
WINNER: Hamish Fletcher | NZ Herald/NZME
JUDGES: NPA Board
“Every successful newsroom needs a leader who can set the vision and agenda every day for their team, and who puts in the hard yards to help them achieve it. Hamish shows a deep level of caring for his team and their success, but also a real love of journalism and the impact it can have.”
SPECIAL MENTION: Lucy Blakiston | Shit You Should Care About
FINALISTS:
Stephanie Holmes | NZ Herald/NZME
Teresa Ramsey | The Valley Profile
Veronica Schmidt | RNZ
Jane Skinner | Sunday/TVNZ
Broadcast Journalism
WINNER: Laura Tupou, Newshub/Discovery NZ – Papatoetoe tornado
JUDGES: Corinne Ambler & Eric Janssen
“The winner in this category picked itself – Laura Tupou’s story on the tornado brilliantly illustrated a devastating natural disaster through exclusive raw footage, great talent and camera work, and plenty of human emotion. Her live cross to finish the piece was packed with touching human details which added to the story and the emotion.”
FINALISTS:
Monique Ford, Stuff – Australia travel bubble opens
Craig Baxter, Otago Daily Times/Allied Press – Dunedin Countdown Stabbing
Jessica Mutch McKay, TVNZ – Leadership Spill
Barbara Dreaver, TVNZ – MIQ Pasifika Treatment
WINNER: Te Ao with Moana/Māori Television – Poutawa Kireka; Joe Williams; Terri Friesen
JUDGES: Adam Harley & Erica Lloyd
“Current Affairs is all about the story and Moana nails it. From the highly complex and beautifully crafted to the raw and unadorned. Stand out storytelling.”
RUNNER UP: newsroom investigates/newsroom.co.nz – Whistleblower; Apocalypse Down; Rainforest
FINALISTS:
Sunday/TVNZ – Love-Loss-Lockdown; Cattle Stop; Ellen’s List
WINNER: NZ Herald/NZME – The Brains Trust
JUDGES: Jane Wrightson & Amanda Gillies
“The entries in this year’s documentary category were extraordinary, showcasing the depth of talent in our industry. They examined crime, Covid, climate change, the justice system, hate, love and more – and were powerful, shocking, heartbreaking and heartwarming. The winner, however, was a standout. The Brains Trust was a six-part documentary, which confronted dementia. It was a compelling watch, powerful, emotional and informative, driven by strong and heart-wrenching personal stories. The insight into this cruel and deadly condition was real and raw, there were many tears but also moments of laughter and joy. A deserving winner.”
FINALISTS:
Newshub Investigates/Discovery NZ – Delta
Sunday/TVNZ – Head Games
Sunday/TVNZ – This is Us
RNZ and Coconet TV – Untold Pacific History
WINNER: Rosa Woods | Stuff – The Whaanga Sisters
JUDGES: Briar McCormack & Eric Janssen
“The craft of video journalism has the power to tell intimate and emotional stories with a direct connection between the viewer and the subject. It requires real skill to capture interviews, actuality and natural sound in the field and then stitch this together into a compelling narrative without voice over or a presenter. Rosa told an intimate and very personal story balancing the vulnerability of the Whaanga sisters with dignity and respect for the situation they were in. This highlights a very real issue for our country – our housing crisis – giving it a very personal face.”
RUNNER UP: Ross Giblin | Stuff – Frances Stewart
FINALISTS:
Mike Scott | NZ Herald/NZME – Alicia O’Reilly Cold Case – DNA Breakthrough
Christel Yardley | Stuff – The Gift
WINNER: Finn Hogan with Hannah Brown, Sam Harvey and Ben O’Connor | Newshub Nation/Discovery NZ – Supplementary Question
JUDGES: Andrew Davies & Justine Kelly
“The presenter is really engaging and has a playful tone which really shines through and would really speak to a younger audience. The show makes really effective use of music, news grabs, sound effects and vox pops to set the scene and really tell the story. It has a really simple but effective format which works well in the podcast space. The episode length is also very appropriate for the target audience.”
FINALISTS:
William Ray and Tim Watkin | RNZ – Black Sheep
Glenn McConnell and John Daniell | Stuff – He’ll be Right
Wilhelmina Shrimpton and Sam Harvey | Newshub/Discovery NZ – The Pivot
Olivia Shivas, Rebecca Dubber and Grace Stratton | Stuff – What’s Wrong With You?
WINNER: Aaron Smale, Kirsten Johnstone, Melody Thomas | Popsock Media and Stuff – The Lake
JUDGES: Clare Rawlinson & Joel Werner
“This investigation into the horrors that occurred at the Lake Alice institution is as journalistically rigorous as it is emotionally impactful. Unique access to the survivors and former staff of the institution, combined with world class audio production makes this story impossible to ignore. The Lake lets its characters own their stories, and in doing so has captured accounts that are invaluable to the historical record of New Zealand.”
RUNNER UP: Tim Watkin, Liz Garton, Joseph Stockhausen | RNZ – Let’s Be TRANSparent
FINALISTS:
Michael Wright, Margaret Gordon, Marc Greenhill, Adam Dudding | Stuff – Collapse
Brad Flahive, Alex Liu, Carol Hirschfeld | Stuff – Once a Panther
WINNER: Ross Giblin | Stuff
JUDGES: Drew Ambrose & Briar McCormack
“This was a strong portfolio of stories filmed under an array of challenging conditions. The standout was the story on Frances Stewart. A lovely personal insight into a complex social issue. It takes courage and skill to put a radio mic on someone and film on the fly – the result here is powerful and very real storytelling.”
RUNNER UP: Liam van Eeden | Re: News
FINALISTS:
Cass Marrett | Re: News
Iain McGregor | Stuff
Ash Robinson | NZ Farmers Weekly/GlobalHQ
WINNER: Tova O’Brien | Newshub/Discovery NZ
JUDGES: Zac Fleming & Petra Bagust
‘’Tova O’Brien’s determination, creativity, and natural knack for cutting to the crux of issues made for compelling storytelling. It’s rare for political reporting to be both enlightening and entertaining, but O’Brien crafted important stories that engaged and captivated. Thanks to the obvious depth of her contact book, Kiwis had a front-row seat in the halls of power during a tumultuous period at the Beehive — and were better off for it.“
FINALISTS:
Patrick Gower | Newshub/Discovery NZ
Kristin Hall | 1 News/TVNZ
Thomas Mead | 1 News/TVNZ
Michael Morrah | Newshub/Discovery NZ
WINNER: Paula Penfold | Stuff Circuit/Stuff
JUDGES: Zac Fleming & Petra Bagust
“Paula Penfold demonstrates the highest level of tenacity and integrity, as she and Stuff Circuit challenge the Chinese Government. The empathy and sensitivity required to honour the humanity of the Uyghur people is profound and comes at real personal cost. This work embodies meaningful creativity in the face of a lack of physical access to China. Investigative journalism at it best.“
FINALISTS:
Mark Crysell | Sunday/TVNZ
Moana Maniapoto | Te Ao with Moana/Māori Television
Melanie Reid | newsroom.co.nz
Tania Page | Sunday/TVNZ
PHOTOGRAPHY
WINNER: Chris Skelton | Stuff
JUDGES: Anthony McKee & Victoria Birkinshaw
‘’The judges choose Chris Skelton’s portfolio of feature images based on the sensitive nature in which he captured his subjects, including the 79 year old Patricia, resplendent in her red dress, and Brittany who has endured many years with a debilitating disease only to be let down by the health system.“
RUNNER UP: David White | Stuff
FINALISTS:
Braden Fastier | Nelson Mail/Stuff
Vanessa Laurie | Taranaki Daily News/Stuff
Babiche Martens | Viva, NZ Herald/NZME
WINNER: Ricky Wilson | Stuff
JUDGES: Greg Treadwell & Mike Bowers
“Ricky’s was the standout entry for the judges – high-impact images telling strong stories. But he didn’t just have a great set of pictures that were technically well-executed and very well thought out – there was a sense of humour in the work, which the judges felt has an important place in news photography but can often go missing.“
RUNNER UP: Brett Phibbs | NZ Herald/NZME, PhibbsVisuals
FINALISTS:
Martin de Ruyter | Nelson Mail/Stuff
Chris Skelton | Stuff
Kevin Stent | Stuff, Dominion Post
Ricky Wilson | Stuff
WINNER: John Cowpland | Photosport, NZME, Stuff
JUDGES: John Sefton & Phil Reid
‘’John’s portfolio was the clear winner, diverse and well balanced.“
RUNNER UP: Brett Phibbs | NZ Herald/NZME, Photosport
FINALISTS:
Joe Allison | Freelance, Getty Images
Andrew Cornaga | Photosport
Iain McGregor | Stuff
WINNER: Azita Agnew | Re: News – The Young and the Reckless
JUDGES: Anthony McKee & Victoria Birkinshaw
“There were several strong entries in this year’s photo story/essay category but ultimately it was Azita Agnew’s “The Young and the Reckless” story that captured the judges’ hearts. The deep look into New Zealand’s ongoing homeless youth problem was remarkable for its intimacy and honesty and was testament to how time spent getting to know in your subject can be so rewarding.“
RUNNER UP: Richard Robinson | New Zealand Geographic/Kōwhai Media – Tuna: Billion Dollar Fish
FINALISTS:
Robert Kitchin | Dominion Post/Stuff
Becki Moss | Re: News
Mike Scott | NZ Herald/NZME
Lawrence Smith | stuff.co.nz
WINNER: Brett Phibbs | NZ Herald/NZME, PhibbsVisuals, Photosport
JUDGES: John Sefton & Phil Reid
“Brett’s portfolio was a combination of dynamic action pictures and then to the subtle picture of a dog being rescued on a surfboard. This made for a well rounded and powerful entry.”
RUNNER UP: Ross Giblin | Dominion Post and Stuff
FINALISTS:
George Heard | NZ Herald/NZME
Stephen Jaquiery | Otago Daily Times/Allied Press
Kevin Stent | Dominion Post and Stuff
David White | Stuff
Ricky Wilson | Stuff
PRINT/TEXT JOURNALISM
WINNER: Richard Ives | Stuff
JUDGES: Janetta MacKay & Alan Young
“The judges were pleased to see a much sharper and larger category this year, championing the skill of headline writing. The standout offering in the winner’s portfolio was a “lift” from cricket terminology to summarise the problems of a vexed roading project, but his other two entries were also eye-catching and effective. All three fulfilled the award criteria of grabbing the reader’s attention and delivering the key message of the story with originality and clever word use. “
FINALISTS:
James Belfield | Sunday Star-Times and Sunday News/Stuff
Stewart Hunt | Stuff
Nicholas Sorensen | NZ Herald and Weekend Herald/NZME
Tom Taylor | Wairarapa Times-Age/National Media
WINNER: The Press/Stuff
JUDGES: Eric Janssen & Ewan McDonald
“There was very little to separate the front-runners, their portfolios all scoring very high in the “pick me up and buy me” test. Special mention goes to the incredible front pages launching Stuff’s This is How it Ends series. But the judges agreed on the winner, which demonstrated great versatility in blending striking images, strong news decisions, incisive use of words and innovative designs.“
RUNNER UP: Stuff (across their daily newspapers) – This is How it Ends
FINALISTS:
Herald on Sunday/NZME
Weekend Herald/NZME
WINNER: Canvas/NZME
JUDGES: Paul Dykzeul & Sarah Dunn
“Canvas is a substantial read in every sense of the word. It’s thicker than a slice of Vogel’s toast and twice as nutritious, packed with intellectual fibre and perspectives from around New Zealand. We appreciated its deep dives into a broad range of topics, consistent tone of voice and ability to be playful without talking down to the audience.“
FINALISTS:
Sunday/Stuff
Viva/NZME
Your Weekend/Stuff
WINNER: The Beacon/Beacon Publishing
JUDGES: Linda Sanders & Mike Fletcher
“The Beacon is the Community Newspaper of the Year. This paper works hard producing a great and planned read. The layout is simple and crisp and the photos well composed. The Ashburton Guardian, which also impressed with its approach to journalism and the community, is runner-up. These papers pipped the runners-up, but only just. The standard of entries confirmed that community newspapers are doing a great job for their readers.“
RUNNER UP: Ashburton Guardian
FINALISTS:
Gulf News
Kāpiti News/NZME
Oamaru Mail/Allied Press
The Star (Dunedin)/Allied Press
The Valley Profile
WINNER: The Press/Stuff
JUDGES: Paul Thompson, Pamela Stirling & Chris Reed
“The finalists presented the judges with two distinct offerings: The Press is a proudly local paper while also providing a substantial offering of national and international news. The New Zealand Herald is more focused on the big national and global stories, strengths that are complemented by sharp local coverage and smart design. The Press wins for its impressive engagement with the local community and their issues.“
FINALISTS:
NZ Herald/NZME
WINNER: Wairarapa Times-Age/National Media
JUDGES: Paul Thompson, Pamela Stirling & Chris Reed
“The Wairarapa Times- Age was a standout in this section with clean design, an astute focus on local news and local campaigns and a real sense that they reflect, examine and champion their region. This is a well-edited independent paper.“
FINALISTS:
Nelson Mail/Stuff
Rotorua Daily Post/NZME
WINNER: Weekend Herald/NZME
JUDGES: Paul Thompson, Pamela Stirling & Chris Reed
“The Weekend Herald is the most substantial weekly paper in the market with the strongest mix of news, comment, features and in-depth journalism. A clear winner.“
FINALISTS:
NZ Farmers Weekly/GlobalHQ
The Weekend Press/Stuff
WINNER: The Press/Stuff
JUDGES: Paul Thompson, Pamela Stirling & Chris Reed
“The Press and the Weekend Herald are both excellent papers and were hard to separate. The Press wins the top award in a photo finish with its compelling sense of local connection and highly relevant robust journalism for the people of Canterbury.“
WINNER: NZ Herald/NZME
JUDGES: Shane Taurima, Bryce Johns & Isabelle Oderberg
“Again it was the Herald’s range of content that stood out. Readers are spoilt for choice and the usability of the app and the way it displays continues to be first rate. Special mention to Radio NZ, who by some margin have the best app for the way readers can access audio or the written word. It is seamless to toggle between radio shows and stories.“
RUNNER UP: RNZ
WINNER: nzherald.co.nz/NZME
JUDGES: Shane Taurima, Bryce Johns & Isabelle Oderberg
“It wasn’t a knockout win, but over the judging period the Herald’s breadth of content and depth of writing won the day. This is a site with access to premium resources and knows how to use them to maximum impact. Special series (like Inflation Nation) and respected columnists really set them apart.“
FINALISTS:
businessdesk.co.nz
RNZ.co.nz
stuff.co.nz/Stuff
WINNER: Bess Manson | Dominion Post/Stuff – Jemima Gazley’s cancer journey legacy
JUDGES: Rebecca Wright & Shaun Bamber
“Some stories tug at your heart strings. This nuanced and deeply moving celebration of an extraordinary young New Zealander rips them right out.“
FINALISTS:
Steve Braunias| NZ Herald/NZME – The lost and found
Madeleine Chapman | North & South – $1 billion and counting
Tom Dillane | NZ Herald/NZME – What happened to Olivia Podmore?
Florence Kerr | Stuff – Enduring: Restoring the heart of Te Urewera
WINNER: Pete McKenzie | North & South – The Afterlife of Peter Ellis: How the Fight to Clear His Name is Changing New Zealand Law
JUDGES: Keri Welham & Alan Young
“The winner has produced a well-researched and skillful piece of writing that adroitly combines two stories, one specific to a single person – Peter Ellis and his now-posthumous bid to clear his name – and one with national ramifications as judges consider a revolutionary move to make a basic tenet of Maori culture part of New Zealand’s legal system.“
RUNNER UP: Nadine Porter | The Press/Stuff – Broken: The murder that ripped a town apart
FINALISTS:
Guyon Espiner | RNZ – The untold story of how police shot Shargin Stephens
Jared Savage| NZ Herald/NZME – Catch me if you can: the five-year hunt for Comancheros gang boss Duax Ngakuru
Veronica Schmidt | RNZ – How a pervert became CEO of a crown entity
WINNER: Anusha Bradley | RNZ – Women struggle for treatment as ACC changes policy on perineal tears
JUDGES: Cheryl Norrie & Jaewynn McKay
“In a category with an incredibly high standard of entries, Anusha Bradley’s feature on birth injuries stood out for the high quality of its reporting, its comprehensive and unblinking coverage of a little reported issue and the real-world impact it had in bringing about changes to ACC legislation.“
RUNNER UP: Michelle Duff | Stuff – Koia te aroha: Ngā pāpā Māori (Just love: Māori dads)
FINALISTS:
Jehan Casinader | Sunday Star-Times/Stuff – Pressured’ to terminate – Down Syndrome pregnancies
Paul Gorman | North & South – Down on the Farm
Pete McKenzie | North & South – Hired Guns
Nadine Porter | The Press/Stuff – Lands of loneliness
Melanie Reid | newsroom.co.nz – A plea for help, then descent into hell
WINNER: Simon Wilson | NZ Herald/NZME
JUDGES: Paul Dykzeul & Shaun Bamber
“Amongst a close field of equally worthy finalists, Simon edges out the competition thanks to his engaging, empathetic and conversational tone, coupled with the obvious pleasure he takes from putting just the right words together in just the right way.“
FINALISTS:
Steve Braunias | NZ Herald/NZME
Alex Casey | The Spinoff
Steve Kilgallon | Sunday Star-Times/Stuff
Martin van Beynen | The Press/Stuff
Simon Wilson | NZ Herald/NZME
WINNER: Pete McKenzie | North & South
JUDGES: Noelle McCarthy & Jenny Farrell
“A stylish, vivid and lively portfolio with features that stand out for the acuity of subject choice, and the originality of approach. Pete’s control of his material feels effortless, in the way only deeply researched and carefully crafted journalism can. His stories begin at the heart of the action and keep us reading to the last word.“
RUNNER UP: Guyon Espiner | RNZ
FINALISTS:
Naomi Arnold | RNZ, New Zealand Geographic/Kōwhai Media
Kate Evans | New Zealand Geographic/Kōwhai Media, New Zealand Listener/Are Media
Bill Morris | New Zealand Geographic/Kōwhai Media
Simon Wilson | NZ Herald/NZME
WINNER: Pete McKenzie | North & South, Stuff, NZ Listener
JUDGES: Sally Duggan & Sarah Henry
“Pete’s portfolio was a showcase of sophisticated journalism, with articles on the legal ramifications of the Peter Ellis case; the potential of oat cultivation to help Aotearoa’s battle against climate change; and an extraordinary visit to Queenstown by Saif Gaddafi, who is now a Libyan presidential candidate. These big topics were impeccably researched and presented with all the flair and confidence of a natural storyteller.“
RUNNER UP: Zoe Madden-Smith | Re: News
FINALISTS:
Brittney Deguara | Stuff
Katie Harris | NZ Herald/NZME
Jane Matthews | Taranaki Daily News/Stuff
WINNER: Simon Wilson | NZ Herald/NZME – Fear and hope in the radiotherapy room
JUDGES: Rosemary McLeod & Sido Kitchin
“A number of entries in this category took readers through experiences we hope never to have to deal with, cancer uppermost on that list. Simon Wilson’s account of his second round of prostate cancer treatment is detailed and will be reassuring for others embarking on that difficult journey. A restrained handling of an emotive subject.“
RUNNER UP: Matt Nippert | NZ Herald/NZME – Whakapakari: Out of that place, monsters came
FINALISTS:
Duncan Greive | The Spinoff – A brief history of the humiliating places I have fallen asleep
Stewart Hunt | Stuff – When push comes to love: parenting your parents
Jonathan Milne | newsroom.co.nz – Community concern a ‘risk’ to dramatic expansion of school zones and buildings
WINNER: Toby Manhire | The Spinoff
JUDGES: Megan Nicol Reed & Michelle Hurley
“There is no question Toby Manhire is a prolific commentator, and yet in this climate of fiercely-held, freely-shared opinions – opinions, which are all too often based on misinformation – Manhire can be relied on for both the breadth and depth of his knowledge, and the absolute quality of his writing. Dexterously, he manages to unpack serious topics with the utmost sincerity, while always making space for a lovely aside or a lighthearted quip. His piece on Judith Collins’ failings as leader of the opposition perfectly exemplifies his skill; with its fluency and insight, not only was it an utter pleasure to read, we believe it would have given the National party pause, forcing them to reflect upon their choice of leader.“
FINALISTS:
Liam Dann | NZ Herald/NZME
Shilo Kino | newsroom.co.nz
Kim Knight | NZ Herald/NZME
Glenn McConnell | Dominion Post/Stuff
Simon Wilson | NZ Herald/NZME
WINNER: Kirsty Johnston | Stuff
JUDGES: Eric Janssen & Olivia Carville
“A brutally tough category to judge, in that there were many entries of exceptional quality and depth. One portfolio, however – and the judges were unanimous on this – was a clear cut above the rest. All four pieces delivered a compelling narrative, gliding over complex data analysis with ease. The stories connected with the reader at such a level that they stayed with you long after you put them down. Impact journalism of the highest degree.“
FINALISTS:
Guyon Espiner | RNZ
David Fisher | NZ Herald/NZME
Te Aniwa Hurihanganui | RNZ, TVNZ
