29 September 2005

Awards Celebrate Student Media Success

The spotlight will be on the sometimes-controversial student media in Auckland this Saturday for the annual Aotearoa Student Press Association (ASPA) awards, in association with the NZ Listener.

The awards will recognise the best writers, editors, reporters, designers and artists working in student media. The hotly contested award for ‘best publication’ will be presented at the conclusion.

The awards again have attracted support from dozens of high profile judges within the media industry, including Listener deputy editor Tim Watkin, Steve Braunias, Chris Trotter, David Cohen and Tapu Misa.

Student publications have provided an important training ground for New Zealand media. The editor of last year’s “Best Publication” ASPA, Sarah Barnett (of Victoria University’s Salient), was hired by the Listener after winning a two-week internship with the magazine.

Student media has a reputation for pushing the boundaries and has proved capable of setting the agenda for debate on education policy, drugs and alcohol, and youth and social issues in general.

Many of New Zealand’s best known media figures are student magazine alumni.

Rip It Up editor and ‘Stakeout’ host Martyn Bradbury - a former Craccum editor - will speak at the ceremony in Auckland, which will be MC-ed by underground media icon Mary Lambie.

The Aotearoa Student Press Association comprises the 13 publications from the country’s university campuses (as well as UCol, Unitec and Otago Polytechnic).

ENDS