Posted online: Apr 11th, 2011

THE Derry News has been nominated for two of the most prestigious awards in journalism.

The paper has been shortlisted for the Weekly Newspaper of the Year and Front Page of the Year in the Society of Editors Regional Press Awards.

The awards are regarded as the Oscars of the newspaper industry in the UK and the winners will be announced at a gala event in London next month.

The Derry News’ nomination for Front Page of the Year came as a result of the paper’s coverage of the publication of the Saville Inquiry report last June.

The edition following the historic events in Derry featured a wraparound front page of the huge crowd which gathered in the Guildhall Square, alongside the headline ‘A Day When Derry Changed’.

In the Front Page of the Year category the Derry News is up against some of the UK’s biggest newspapers, including the Evening Chronicle in Newcastle, Manchester Evening News, Birmingham Post and the Bristol Evening News.

In the Weekly Newspaper of the Year category, the Derry News is on the shortlist with five local papers in England.

A total of 750 entries were received for the 22 categories in the awards.

The Derry News is the only local newspaper from Northern Ireland to feature in any of the shortlists.

It caps a fantastic year for the local paper which was last year named Weekly Newspaper of the Year at the Northern Ireland Press Awards.

Ciaran O’Neill, editor of the Derry News, said it was a fantastic achievement for the paper.

“To have been shortlisted for one award would have been great, but to be in the running for two awards is brilliant news,” he said.

“We have a small team of reporters, production staff and advertising reps but everyone takes a real pride in the paper, and achievements like this show that we must be doing something right.

Judges will now debate the shortlists in preparation for the announcement of the winners at an awards ceremony at London’s Park Plaza Riverbank on May 11.

Bob Satchwell, executive director of the Society of Editors, said: “The judges faced a formidable task and the rare privilege of reading thousands of words gathered together in brilliant entries that reflect the variety, vitality and sheer excellence of local and regional newspapers, which are of course the best in the world.

“In some cases the entries were so strong in quality as well as numbers that it was simply impossible to choose only six for each shortlist.”