2013 New Zealand Student Media awards - 5 October 2013

MediaRelease: 2013 New Zealand Student Media awards - 5 October 2013

Excellence in student media was recognised in Wellington on Saturday 5 October with 19 awards presented at the annual ASPA event.

The overall Fairfax Award for Best Publication - as judged by Metro editor Simon Wilson, social justice journalist Max Rashbrooke and academic Harry Large -  went to Critic (Otago University Students' Association), followed by runners-up Salient (Victoria University of Wellington Students' Association) and Massive magazine (Massey University associations).

In particular Critic magazine was singled out for making an impressive contribution to student life under the editorship of Sam McChesney. It is the second year running that Critic has taken out the top honour.

Critic also scooped awards for best design, cover, reviewer and columnist, and shared the best sports writer award with Salient magazine which also received six first placings across all categories.. Other magazines recognised in the awards were Debate (Auckland Student Movement at AU), Craccum (Auckland University Students' Association) and Canta (University of Canterbury Students' Association).

MC Jackson Wood, a self-described "student media afficionado", told the assembled audience of editors, editorial teams, judges and supporters that the key role of student media continues to be to "engage and enrage". He cited a roll call of editors and editorial members who have gone on to a variety of successful roles in journalism, publishing and broadcasting.
Judges' comments paid tribute to the way in which the dedicated production of the magazines achieved excellence, bringing colour to topics that could be otherwise "dull and dessicated" as well as an often highly refined visual integrity to a "tsunami" of content.

FIRST PLACES BY MAGAZINE:
• Fairfax Award for Best Publication - Critic
• Fairfax Award for Best Small Publication - Canta
• NZUSA-Scoop Award for Best Education Feature - Massive
• Best Design - Critic
• Best Feature Writer - Salient
• Best Feature = Debate / Salient
• Best News Writer (Unpaid) - Salient
• Best News Writer (Paid) - Massive
• Best Cover - Critic
• Best Reviewer - Critic
• Best Columnist - Critic
• Best Editorial Writer - Debate
• Best Humourist - Massive
• Best Headline - Salient
• Best Original Photography - Massive
• Best Original Illustration - Craccum
• Guest Cartoonist - Debate
• Best Website - Salient
• Best Sports Writer = Salient / Critic

The cast of judges for the ASPA awards featured a who's who of writers and creative people across the New Zealand mediascape, design and publishing communities: Cathy Walshe, Greg Tourelle, Russell Brown, Toby Manhire, Dylan Horrocks, Kirsten Payne, Ross Giblin, Ross Setford, Philip Le Masurier, Kate Newton, Nicola Kean, Ben Uffindell, Rose Matafeo, Holly Walker, Sue Carty, Alastair Thompson, Dave Guerin, Matt Nippert, David Slack, Matt Harnett, Duncan Grieve, Uther Dean, David Larsen, Joe Nunweek, Val Watkins, Ju Wanty, Charlie McKay, Laura McQuillan, Alan Samson, Keith Ng, Charles Anderson, Ben Thomas, Nicky Hager, Donna Chisholm, James Robinson, Rebekah White, Jack Yan, Dan Hutchinson and Kitty Higbee.

The event was organised and hosted by Salient editors Molly McCarthy and Stella Blake-Kelly and took place in the Hunter Lounge at Victoria University of Wellington.

ENDS

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