Gleaner takes a dozen! Twelve of 22 PAJ awards go to North Street
The Gleaner took 12 awards at Friday's Press Association of Jamaica's National Journalism Awards Banquet 2012, the most of any news organisation represented at the event.
Sunday Gleaner reporter Tyrone Reid led the way with two wins; the President's Award for Investigative Journalism and the newly created UNICEF Media Award for Excellence in Reporting on Children's Rights in the print category.
The Gleaner swept the photography awards as Gladstone Taylor took the Aston Rhoden Award for News Photography, Ian Allen won the Errol Harvey Award for Human Interest (in Photography), and Ricardo Makyn took the Junior Dowie Award for Sports Photography.
In other print categories, Sadeke Brooks took the Best Entertainment Journalist award, Gary Spaulding left with the Morris Cargill Award for Opinion Journalism, Andre Lowe won the Raymond Sharpe/Hugh Crosskill Award for Sports Reporting and Avia Collinder took the Carlton Alexander Award for Finance and Business.
The Gleaner continued its dominance when Mark Beckford and Fiona Loney took the Excellence in Online Journalism (Independent) award; Tennesia Malcolm won Best Cover Design (Newspaper); and Las May took the Livingston McLaren Award for Cartoons.
TVJ's Kirk Wright was named PAJ/Sagicor Journalist of the Year, following his colleague Nadine McLeod who took the award last year. CVM's David Brown took the Young Journalist of the Year Award.
Chief judge Patrick Harley lauded the increase in submissions for entertainment, business, radio and online journalism. He said most categories were competitive but encouraged journalists to submit a body of work rather than just one piece. In addition to the awards, three more veterans were inducted into the PAJ Hall of Fame.
Ken Chaplin, Clare Forrester and the late John Maxwell were recognised for their years of service to the profession. In the citations, read by Granville Newell, Maxwell was remembered as a gladiator journalist whose words pricked the consciousness of the people. Of Chaplin, who served as press secretary to four Jamaican prime ministers, Newell said he has left the impression of a giant communicator. Forrester, a founding member of the Association of Caribbean Media Workers, was recognised for her staunch defence of journalists both in Jamaica and the region.
Full Caption: From left: The Gleaner's Gary Spaulding, André Lowe, Gladstone Taylor, Mark Beckford, Ian Allen, Sadeke Brooks, Tennesia Malcolm and Ricardo Makyn pose with their Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) awards during Friday night's PAJ Annual Awards Banquet at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston. Gleaner journalists Avia Collinder, Tyrone Reid and cartoonist Las May also won awards during the ceremony. -Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer