'Intrinsically connected to the community' - Express & Star named Newspaper of the Year at Midlands Media Awards
The Express & Star has been named Newspaper of the Year at the prestigious Midlands Media Awards.
It won the flagship award at a gala dinner held at the Burlington Hotel in Birmingham.
The awards, presented by former Central News journalists Bob Warman and Llewela Bailey, attracted hundreds of entries from across the wider west and east Midlands region.
The Express & Star beat its sister title the Shropshire Star and the Birmingham Mail, who were also shortlisted for the main prize.
It was a good night for the Express & Star, with Adam Smith winning News Reporter of the Year and Tim Thursfield named News Photographer of the Year.
The judges described Adam as having "a depth of knowledge enabling him to look beyond what is in front of him. He writes with the public’s interest in mind."
On Tim they said: "He has a great eye for summing up in one, Press photo opportunities. It’s probably not possible for him to take anything less than a first-class image."
The awards, organised by Birmingham Press Club, celebrate journalism in print and broadcasting, as well as public relations. It also included several awards for students who are learning their craft at universities across the region.
Ms Bailey said the judges had spent hours sifting through entries, adding: "I must say that the standard of work displayed by every one of them has been simply outstanding."
The Express & Star entry highlighted its tireless drive to promote the West Midlands and the people who live here.
The newspaper has launched campaigns to highlight the scourge of knife crime, calling for tighter laws. We have also run a Backing Our Breweries campaign in the wake of the closure of the Banks's plant in Wolverhampton. And we continue to highlight the financial plight of hospices through our Fair Deal for Hospices campaign.
The printed paper continues to be among the most read in the UK and our online coverage on expressandstar.com continues to develop, with a growing number of people signing up to our premium Plus service.
The judges said the Express & Star was "a publication that continues to be intrinsically connected to the community it serves, retaining its relevance in the digital age".
Express & Star editor Mark Drew said: "I am delighted to have won the award. It is a reward to our incredibly hard working team for their expertise and dedication to provide the very best coverage in news, sport and features. They continue to go over and above to make the newspaper and website the best it can be.
"Our role is to stand up for this region and the wonderful people who live here and I hope we have shown that we can make a difference. We will continue to fight for causes that are important to the West Midlands."
