The Maitland Mercury was awarded the prestigious EC Sommerlad Memorial Award for Journalism at the gala 2015 NSW Country Press Association awards dinner at the Mercure Resort, Hunter Valley Gardens.
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The Mercury's editorial team received awards for its local news reporting, sports journalism, photography and online editorial coverage, and high commendations for its feature writing and newspaper presentation.
Its advertising team received a commendation for its Smashing Winter Deals promotion, in support of Amcal Max Rutherford Pharmacy and took out the Award for Advertising Ideas award for its NDIS campaign.
The 115th annual conference attracted more than 50 conference delegates and over 100 guests to its gala dinner event.
It was hosted jointly by the Maitland Mercury and Cessnock Advertiser.
The guest speaker was Fairfax reporter and Gold Walkley winner, Joanne McCarthy.
Country Press NSW is Australia’s oldest newspaper industry association, founded in 1900.
2014-15 COUNTRY PRESS NSW NEWSPAPER AWARDS
JOURNALISM
EC Sommerlad Memorial Award for Journalism
Certificates of merit: Tri-weekly - Port Macquarie News; Bi-weekly - Namoi Valley Independent; Weekly - Guardian News Nambucca.
Winner: The Maitland Mercury.
EC Sommerlad Memorial Award for Editorial Writing
Commended: Southern Highlands News, Bowral; Highly commended: Western Advocate, Bathurst.
Winner: Deniliquin Pastoral Times.
Award for Local News Reporting
Highly commended: Moree Champion; South Coast Register.
Winner: The Maitland Mercury.
Award for Feature Writing
Commended: The Wingham Chronicle; The Free Press, Corowa.
Highly commended: The Maitland Mercury; Port Macquarie News.
Winner: Manning River Times.
Award for Sports Journalism
Highly commended: Cowra Guardian.
Winner: The Maitland Mercury.
Award for Photography
Winner: The Maitland Mercury.
Award for Feature Supplements
Commended: The Tenterfield Star, Glen Innes Examiner, The Courier Narrabri, Southern Highlands News.
Highly commended: Bega District News.
Winner: Western Advocate, Bathurst.
Award for Special Publications
Winner: Southern Highlands News, Bowral.
Award for Newspaper Presentation
Daily and Tri-weekly
Highly commended: The Maitland Mercury.
Winner: The Northern Daily Leader, Tamworth.
Weekly and Bi-weekly
Highly commended: The Tenterfield Star, Guardian News Nambucca.
Winner: Namoi Valley Independent.
Award for Online Editorial Coverage
Commended: Great Lakes Advocate, Dungog Chronicle.
Winner: The Maitland Mercury.
Community Leadership and Involvement
Winner: Western Advocate, Bathurst.
ADVERTISING AND MARKETING
Award for Locally Produced Advertising
Circulation up to 5,000
Commended: The Singleton Argus, The Maitland Mercury, The Namoi Valley Independent.
Highly commended: The Courier, Narrabri.
Winner: Manning River Times.
Circulation over 5,000
Winner: The Advertiser, Cessnock.
Award for Commercial Supplement
Winner: South Coast Register/Shoalhaven and Nowra News.
Award for Advertising Ideas
Commended: The Namoi Valley Independent.
Highly commended: The Manning River Times and Wingham Chronicle
Winner: The Maitland Mercury.
Online Advertising
Winner: The Cowra Guardian.
Newspaper Marketing and Promotion
Highly commended: Glen Innes Examiner
Winner: The Courier, Narrabri.