Society of Editors outlines replacement for British Press Awards

The Society of Editors has announced further details of its new national newspaper awards, launched in July as a rival to the British Press Awards.

According to a release from the society, The Press Awards will replace the British Press Awards, which were run by Press Gazette magazine until its 2009 sale to Progressive Media by owner Wilmington Group, who kept control of the awards.

Wilmington told Journalism.co.uk that it had no comment to make on the society and Newspaper Publishing Association's plans. The NPA has previously said that its members would only compete in the new awards and not in any competing events.

The new awards will have 25 categories, including Digital Innovation of the Year, Young Journalist of the Year and News Reporter of the Year. The Newspaper of the Year Award will be based on both print and online achievements, says the society.

Full details of the categories and criteria will be released in November and the closing date for entries will be set for January. The winners will announced on 5 April 2011.

Proceeds from the new awards will go to the Journalists' Charity and the society itself to help fund its work on press freedom campaigning.

"Since the NPA [Newspaper Publishing Association] asked us to organise the awards for the industry we have consulted national newspapers and we are planning a more focused awards ceremony where winners and their editors and colleagues can celebrate in style among their peers," says Bob Satchwell, executive director of the Society of Editors, in the release.

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