General News
8 October, 2022
Your local paper honoured
THE Loddon Herald on Friday night was named News Outlet of the Year at the Rural Press Club of Victoria awards ceremony in Ballarat. Open to newspapers, radio and television across rural and regional Victoria and Tasmania, the Loddon Herald took the...
THE Loddon Herald on Friday night was named News Outlet of the Year at the Rural Press Club of Victoria awards ceremony in Ballarat.
Open to newspapers, radio and television across rural and regional Victoria and Tasmania, the Loddon Herald took the top award in the 2022 journalist and photography awards that attracted more than 250 entries.
The Loddon Herald was given the honour ahead of other finalists, the Weekly Times and regional daily newspaper Shepparton News.
Loddon Herald managing editor Chris Earl was also a finalist and commended in the Journalist of the Year category for his articles that looked at the future of cattle selling for Loddon producers as Bendigo sale numbers dwindled, the state of Loddon’s five swimming pools and football’s young guns stepping up to senior ranks.
Highly commended was daily newspaper The Ballarat Courier’s James Couzens with the winner also coming from a regional daily, The Geelong Advertiser’s Harrison Tippet.
The Loddon Herald was praised for its coverage of local communities and people in becoming the first rural non-daily newspaper to win News Outlet of the Year in the award’s history.
A statement that accompanied the Loddon Herald portfolio of stories for the award said:
“Our portfolio is but a small snapshot of capturing the lives, the people, the issues and the trends of small towns and farming districts, the Loddon Herald providing these people once more with a platform to be their voice.
“Whether the issues are child care or swimming pools, farming changes or challenges for small towns, the Loddon Herald provides that platform. And we strive to capture the spirit of the communities while also being positive for the future, whether through people, business or new enterprises for the area like mining.
“Sport is at the heart of these communities and besides weekly sports results, we look deeper with our special reports including one on the next generation of young gun footballers.
“Our circulation area has seen more than its share of challenges, so we celebrate when good things happen - a national record sheep price was one cause to pop the champagne corks locally.”
Mr Earl said being named regional Victoria’s News Outlet of the Year was both humbling and a tribute to stories of Loddon communities and people.
“Just to have been a finalist alongside the Weekly Times, regarded as the Bush Bible since 1869, and the much-respected Shepparton News was amazing for our one-man newspaper,” he said. “To achieve recognition from peers is thanks to our readers, our advertisers and people who pass on news tips and every week give us the honour of their stories ... every story is important.”
The Loddon Herald last November won the Victorian Country Press Association award for overall excellence (circulation under 2000), best community campaign and was highly commended for its Volunteers’ Week feature and in the photography section.
“To receive recognition firstly within the industry and now among peers is gratifying for the ‘old style’ newspaper we strive to publish every week,” he said.
“Local news from local people and communities is still highly valued.”