Shortlisted for the Newspaper Awards 2009

Remember this post written back in early February in which I bemoaned having to put together our entry for the Newspaper Awards 2009?

Well, it seems the effort was worth it, because we've been shortlisted in one category: the Most Outstanding Use of Colour - the same category in which we were commended in 2007.

We are up against Angling Times, Church Times, Fishing News, Garden News and MCN.

The winner will be announced on April 22.

Getting our entry in for the 2009 Newspaper Awards

It's that time of year again when newspaper editors up and down the country are furiously getting their entries into the Newspaper Awards before the February 16 closing date. 

While there are loads of different awards for magazines -- such as the PPA Magazine Awards -- and for journalists -- see here --  these are the only industry awards that are dedicated to newspaper and news media production.

Cage & Aviary Birds has achieved some success at these awards in the past. We were commended in the Special Interest Newspaper of the Year category in 2003 (the winner was Antiques Trade Gazette) and gained another commendation for Most Outstanding Use of Colour in 2007 (the winner was The Guardian). 

Last year, we didn't enter only because as a new editor I simply overlooked it (too busy trying to grapple with everything else, I suspect). But this year I've charged Kevin, our art editor, with choosing the issues he thinks we should submit and this afternoon we've sat down and put our entries -- yes, more than one -- together.

We've entered three categories: Most Outstanding Use of Colour; Niche Market Newspaper of the Year; and Newspaper Design of the Year.

The winners will be announced on Wednesday April 22. Wish us luck!