Kingston Uni paper wins student publication of the year at Guardian awards

Camilla Turner, winner of the Reporter of the Year award, with the Guardian's Matt Wells and Jane Martinson

Kingston University's student newspaper The River won publication of the year last night at the Guardian Student Media awards.

The university was one of six whose students were recognised for their work in journalism across print and digital media platforms.

One of The River's editors for the previous academic year Lara O'Reilly said winning the award was an "overwhelming achievement".

"This is the first time the university has ever been nominated for the Guardian Student Media Awards and we are so glad that even though we were the relative new kids in class, our paper shone through," she told Journalism.co.uk.

"The comments from Jon Snow and the rest of the judges were truly humbling. But they have good taste and they were right: The River is a fantastic punchy tabloid, with reporting that rivals that of the nationals and insightful and witty comment."

Camilla Turner, a second year history student from Oxford University was awarded Reporter of the Year and James Harker from Manchester Metropolitan University was named Writer of the Year for his work on Pulp magazine.

"I was absolutely delighted to win the award for Best Reporter of the Year, as I was totally not expecting it," Turner told Journalism.co.uk.

"One of the editors at Cherwell had told me earlier in the day that I had won, as Cherwell had been sent a press release announcing the winners ahead of the awards ceremony.

"However, she quickly said that actually she had "dreamt" this, and that she did not actually know for sure. Even though this is the most obvious cover up, I totally believed her, so it was still a huge surprise to win the award! This prize is a month's work experience at the Guardian, which I am really looking forward to."

Entrants to the awards were praised by the Guardian News and Media editor-in-chief Alan Rusbridger for producing such high quality work in "one of the most challenging journalistic environments".

"This year's winners have all shown that they understand the value of journalism and have produced work that shows the best of journalistic qualities - passion, knowing how to achieve impact, being well researched, having the right amount of humour and a connection with their communities".

The winners were selected by a panel that included Rusbridger as well as presenter of Channel 4 News Jon Snow, Panorama investigative journalist Paul Kenyon and editor of NME Krissi Murison.

Full list of winners:

Publication of the year
The River, Kingston University

Reporter of the year
Camilla Turner, Cherwell, Oxford University

Writer of the year
James Harker, Pulp, Manchester Metropolitan University

Photographer of the year
Susan Swindells, Newcastle College

Digital journalist of the year
Wil Benton, Kings College London

Broadcast journalist of the year
Rob Setchell, Forge Radio, University of Sheffiel

Earlier this year, freelance multimedia journalist and sometime Journalism.co.uk contributor Adam Westbrook, who lectures at Kingston University, made a short film about taking The River to press.

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