AUCKLAND, Friday: New Zealand Media and Entertainment is celebrating big wins at the 2024 Voyager Media Awards. Hawke’s Bay Today scooped the coveted Voyager Newspaper of the Year and Regional Newspaper of the Year awards.
The Voyager Media Awards highlight the best in New Zealand’s news media across all platforms. This year, the judges praised Hawke’s Bay Today’s exceptional coverage during the devastating floods, calling their efforts “an exemplar of a newspaper serving its community when it mattered most.”
The judges noted that Hawke’s Bay Today’s response to Cyclone Gabrielle was “an extraordinary effort in extraordinary times.” They said, “The paper wisely used the resources of the NZME group to assist its local team, who reported without fear…calmly providing verified, localised information amid the chaos.”
Hawke’s Bay Today also won at the International News Media Association’s 2024 global awards in London for a special free edition produced right after the cyclone. It was hailed as the best use of print.
In other NZME wins at the Voyagers, The Weekend Herald took home the Weekly Newspaper of the Year award, and the NZ Herald won Metropolitan Newspaper of the Year. Judges called the Weekend Herald “the complete package,” blending incisive news and insightful features.
The judges praised the NZ Herald, saying, “the New Zealand Herald’s journalistic depth and breadth, striking photography and sharp design are a cut above any other daily newspaper.”
“We are committed to protecting the craft of journalism, and it was terrific to celebrate individual awards and the strength of our teams.”
NZ Herald photographers also shone, with Michael Craig winning Photographer of the Year and Brett Phibbs taking Best Photographer – Sport. Former NZ Herald journalist Sam Sherwood won Reporter of the Year.
Murray Kirkness, NZME Chief Content Officer, said, “I’m hugely proud of our entire team, especially the Hawke’s Bay Today team, led by Chris Hyde. Their dedication to sharing local stories and keeping their community informed, even while personally affected by the flooding, was remarkable.”
He added, “It’s fantastic to have them recognised tonight and celebrated following their recent success at the INMA Global Media Awards. From breaking news to in-depth investigative pieces, NZME’s journalism is a big part of Kiwis’ lives.”
Matt Wilson, NZME Chief Operations Officer – Publishing, said, “From our journalists and photographers to our customer service and delivery network – producing high-quality newspapers is a team effort. It’s great to have that recognised tonight.”
Michael Boggs, CEO of NZME, said, “We are committed to protecting the craft of journalism, and it was terrific to celebrate individual awards and the strength of our teams. NZME aims to be New Zealand’s leading news destination, reaching 9 out of 10 Kiwis.
A big congratulations to all the winners and nominees across our industry – publishing and broadcasting – it was fantastic to celebrate the power of journalism this evening,” Michael added.
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