Fairfax’s North Richmond print and distribution hub has taken out top print centre in the 2014 Newspaper of the Year awards. The North Richmond site beat its Fairfax Tamworth sister centre in the finals, as well as APN’s Yandina centre, News Corp’s Sydney print centre and The West Australian’s Herdsman site in Perth. Judges weighed up each plant’s operations, including press configuration, staff and achievements, as well as innovation in expansion and efficiencies, health and safety and a commitment to the environment.
Jason Kent, general manager of offset at DIC Australia (l), with Sean Tait, operations manager for Fairfax’s North Richmond plant
Earlier in the year Fairfax North Richmond underwent a transformation to cope with an expanding workload following the closure of other Fairfax print sites in Sydney and Melbourne. The plant picked up the production of Fairfax’s flagship metro daily The Sydney Morning Herald. Mark Hollands, CEO of the event organiser The Newspaper Works, says more than 1000 entries were submitted to the 2014 competition, which saw more than 400 guests attend the gala presentation at Sydney’s The Ivy. He says, “We have some of the best newspapers in the world and the Newspaper of the Year awards continue to attract great support despite the increasing commercial pressures on the industry. “Newspapers from all over the Asia Pacific set a high standard in their submissions and left our judges locked in debate over the major Newspaper of the Year winner.” The Courier-Mail won national/metro daily newspaper of the year, with The Newcastle Herald taking out the regional award and The Gympie Times up for community newspaper. The Weekend Australian won the weekend newspaper of the year, The Land the regional non-daily and St George & Sutherland Shire Leader the community non-daily. In print production, Hong Kong’s Apple Daily Printing was recognised for its technical excellence in national/metro single-width. The Geraldton Guardian and Bairnsdale Advertiser won the regional and community single-width categories. In double-width, The West Australian won national/metro, with the Sunshine Coast Daily up for the regional and New Zealand Chinese Herald picking up the community award. Tamworth Regional Council was recognised for its Northern Daily Leader supplement, and News Corp Australia’s 1 Degree initiative won top environmental awareness campaign.
News Corp Australia’s Touring Tasmania campaign, winner of best national or metro print campaign
In advertising, the best print idea or innovation presented to a client was won by Sunday News in national/metro for its Turbo movie campaign. Manning Great Lakes Extra bagged the regional title for Trade Tradies Toolbox, and Leader Community Newspapers the community for its Hoyts Ribbon. Fairfax NZ’s Sunday News, The Cairns Post and Noosa News won awards for best single advertisement for a client. Best print campaign went to News Corp Australia for Touring Tasmania, the Geelong Advertiser for Geelong Travel Expo and The Coffs Coast Advocate for Parkbeach Plaza Shop for Coffs Coast Schools. The American Express Shop Small campaign took out the best feature, supplement or native advertising environment across The Daily and Sunday Telegraph, Herald Sun, Courier-Mail and 82 community publications in the national/metro class, with the Newcastle Herald and The Courier, Narrabri picking up awards for regional and community.
Comment below to have your say on this story.
If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at editorial@sprinter.com.au.
Sign up to the Sprinter newsletter