The Guardian has won daily newspaper of the year and supplement of the year for its Saturday magazine at the prestigious Press Awards.
They were two of several accolades received at the ceremony, including columnist of the year (broadsheet) for Aditya Chakrabortty, while Jay Rayner won critic of the year for the Observer.
Pippa Crerar, who is now the Guardian’s political editor, won the political journalist of the year for her work with the Daily Mirror.
Ben Jennings was highly commended in the cartoonist of the year category, as was the Guardian’s podcast Today in Focus in the news podcast category.
The judges said the Saturday magazine was “witty, engaging, eclectic” adding: “Every week since launch Saturday has delivered agenda-setting magazine journalism in print and online: articles that linger in the mind and are spoken about, and followed up elsewhere.”
They praised Chakrabortty for his “strong, essential, uncompromising voice”.
“He has carved a niche which powerfully combines on the ground reporting and the telling of people’s stories with his own strong opinions and challenges to those in power” they continued.
In the citation for newspaper of the year, organisers made clear the award was for the Guardian’s overall coverage in print and online, across UK and international news, as well as sport, business, culture and lifestyle.
Organisers said it was judged “not just [on] front page stories or scoops but on coverage of news, foreign affairs, business, sport and lifestyle, with attention paid to quality of features and supplements as well as design and use of photography and a distinct and successful digital strategy encompassed by a thriving website.”
Katharine Viner, editor-in-chief, Guardian News & Media said: “The Guardian winning both daily newspaper of the year and supplement of the year for Saturday magazine is a fantastic achievement, as well as individual accolades for our columnists and journalists. These awards are a testament to the quality, impact and creativity of Guardian and Observer journalism, as well as the collaborative work of so many hard-working teams, who help bring this vital reporting to our readers every day.”
In selecting Crerar for political journalist of the year, the judges said: “No journalist has done more to hold politicians to account over the last year than Pippa Crerar.”
They added: “Crerar’s fearless reporting over the last year – regardless of consequences – has exposed hypocrisy at the top of government, pushed a law-breaking PM to the brink, consistently held power to account and always championed the public interest.”
Rayner’s work was lauded for his ability to deploy “devastating one-liners” as well as tell “human stories of struggle and achievement”. “His work is full of the kind of wit, intelligence and insight that both he and the Observer are famous for,” they said.
Jennings was described as a “brilliant cartoonist”.
“Many of his cartoons have addressed this year’s serious themes in sombre fashion, but on other occasions he has used sharply observed humour to make his points,” the judges said.
The Guardian’s Today in Focus podcast was commended for “bringing a deeply reported, richly produced look at a single news story” each weekday.
The judges added: “Despite increasing competition, the podcast remains a leader in the field.”
The Press Awards ceremony was held at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, London on Wednesday evening.
