Ballarat Times takes highly commended award

THE Ballarat Times has received a highly commended honour in the 2020 Victorian Country Press Association awards.

Received in the category of Overall Newspaper Excellence for COVID-19 Coverage – Over 4000 circulation, the judge’s citation noted the paper’s all-round effort.

“The love for this product among its staff is evident, as is their deliberate attempt to differentiate themselves from their competitors in an increasingly crowded Ballarat marketplace,” said judge Patrick Elligett.

“Coverage is lively and diverse and care is given to making the writing engaging. Not content to settle for listing government information, this newspaper tackled the key issues of the pandemic while staying true to its own bright and breezy style.

“Other entries in this award may have been a match for the Times on advertising and editorial content, but none came close in regard to aesthetics.

“The paper’s eye-catching photography is in a class of its own. Carefully selected images complement the storytelling beautifully, conveying as much information as the words around them.

“The elements are artfully brought together by excellent design work that ensures the work of reporters and photographers is given the best possible presentation. The design borrows from the best of magazines and newspapers to create an extremely inviting product.”

Times News Group managing director Warick Brown, publisher of the Ballarat Times, said the achievement was remarkable for a publication that was just over two years old, especially considering the year we’ve all had.

“2020 has been hard on everyone, and the media industry is no different,” he said.

“Despite all of that, the Ballarat Times never stopped publishing, and the team lifted seeking to bring our readers key information about the pandemic they needed to know, all with a focus on the Times News Group’s core value of helping people feel great about where they live.”

Mr Brown also said the highly commended award, and the judge’s comments were a true reflection of the work the Ballarat Times’ team do and the progressive publication the company was trying to create.

“The Ballarat Times isn’t just about the writers, or the photographers, we also know how important design, layout, advertising, and the people behind the scenes are,” he said.

“This recognition is for all of them and it’s heart-warming for the judge to acknowledge that in his assessment of the product.

“We’re all very excited about what the future holds for the Ballarat Times.”