THE Herald yesterday claimed three major prizes at the annual Bank of Scotland Press Awards. In addition, the paper's staff received six commendations.
Financial/Business Writer of the Year award was presented to The Herald's Simon Bain. ''His powerful writing made complex issues accessible to a wider audience,'' said the judges.
Brian Meek took the Sports Journalist of the Year title for his ''sharp, thoughtful, reflective and courageous'' work.
''Irrespective of what he is writing about, news or politics, this year's winner always has something to say,'' the judges added.
The Anthony Finlay Award for the Young Journalist of the Year went to Gerard Seenan for his reports on the death of Pol Pot in Cambodia. He was praised by the panel of judges as being ''mature far beyond his age''.
Mr Seenan was also commended by the judges for his ''ability to put into perspective a story of horror, to let the horror of the story tell itself, and not to lose his head''.
Commendations went to John Linklater and Kirsty Scott (both in the features category); Ron Ferguson (columnist); Alexander Linklater and Michael Tumelty (arts/entertainment); and Bill McArthur (cartoonist).
Sports Columnist of the Year was named as Tam Cowan from The Herald's sister paper, the Evening Times.
Journalist of the Year and Feature Writer of the Year were awarded to Allan Brown of The Sunday Times Scotland, whose Julie Smyth won the David Boyle (Erskine Hospital) Memorial Award.
The Sunday Mail scooped three awards: the Reporter of the Year award was presented to Andrew Gold; Scoop of the Year was awarded to Charles Lavery; while Journalist Team of the Year were Paul Drury, Charles Lavery, Angus Macleod, and Peter Samson.
Columnist of the Year was presented to Nicola Barry from the Daily Record, which also won the Campaigning Journalist of the Year award, presented jointly to Bob Dow, Charlie Gall, and Steve Smith.
Arts/Entertainment Writer of the Year was presented to Tom Lappin, from Scotland on Sunday. The Scotsman won two categories: Cartoonist of the Year for Graham High, and the Sgriobhadh Gaidhlig award, presented to Norman E MacDonald.
The Weekly Newspaper Journalist of the Year was secured by Elizabeth Martin from the Dumfries and Galloway Standard.
The awards were presented by Sir Bruce Pattullo, governor of the Bank of Scotland, and Lord Wakeham, chairman of the Press Complaints Commission. Among the judges was The Herald editor Harry Reid.
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