Thursday 6 January 2011

SJA launches award for best sports newspaper


A new prize for the Sports Newspaper of the Year has been announced for the 2010 SJA British Sports Journalism Awards, organised by the Sports Journalists' Association and sponsored by UK Sport.

The new award is added to the established prizes for Sports Writer, Photographer, Broadcaster and Cartoonist of the year. Entry forms are now available online from the SJA website.

Jon Ryan, chairman of the judges of the sports writing categories and former sports editor of the Sunday Telegraph, said following a review of the awards: "Two points came across loud and clear: the need for an award to the Sports Newspaper of the Year and the application of more imagination over the submission of entries.

“Why should a writer working for the internet not be considered for any of the writing awards? Top-quality writing is to be admired and praised wherever it appears and there is hardly a writer from ‘old Fleet Street’ who does not top up his output via Twitter, a blog or a separate piece online."

Ryan wants to encourage writers from the whole of the UK, whether working on a local weekly newspaper or a specialist sports blog, to consider entering all the categories on offer, whether as “specialists”, “columnists” or “interviewers”, instead of consigning themselves strictly to their obvious regional or internet sports writer categories.

“Who says that ‘Fleet Street’ has the monopoly on top writers? Why should talented journalists working outside London not be recognised for the quality of their writing, no matter in what medium?” he says.

The winners will be announced at the SJA's gala awards dinner in London on March 7.

No comments: