STAFF from the Cambs Times and Wisbech Standard celebrated after scooping three awards at the Archant Herts & Cambs divisional awards ceremony.
The awards were presented during a buffet/dance at the Cobbold Barn, Knebworth House, and attended by newspaper staff from across Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire.
The trophies were presented by Archant Anglia Managing Director Johnny Hustler and Archant Herts & Cambs Commercial Director Amanda Davison-Young.
All winners now go through to London in the New Year where regional winners will compete against colleagues from Archant divisions nationwide.
Editorial Person of the Year
Tom Jackson, Editorial Content Manager
TOM joined the newspapers after leaving college and passed his NCE in 2008, aged just 20. The same year he won Newcomer of the Year at the EDF Energy East of England Media Awards.
Tom was promoted to Editorial Content Manager in August 2010 and he demonstrates a real passion for his products, both in print and online.
Judges said: “Tom works closely with advertising, sourcing ideas and content for ad features, and suggesting potential advertisers.
“Tom was responsible for the hugely successful Fenland District Council Election 2011 micro-site which saw him become the first winner of Archant’s group web incentive competition.”
New Media Person of the Year
John Elworthy, Editor
JUDGES said that as editor John has “totally embraced the considerable benefits of new media.
“An early devotee of Twitter, he now has a following of over 800, some of whom regularly provide photographs of weekend events which would not normally be covered by a staff photographer.
“John’s passion for the web creates online galleries, breaking news and a fast paced, changing news agenda.”
Judges said the titles’ websites take advantage of video with goal action from Wisbech Town’s matches.
They added: “The use of YouTube adds value to news reporting and the papers have a Facebook page where more than 100 photographs of former staff members have been uploaded, plus photos submitted to the papers in the 60s and 70s.”
Customer Service Person of the Year
Amanda Murfitt, Receptionist
AMANDA has worked for Archant for 14 years and this year, due to office closures, her role as a receptionist was at risk.
Judges said that Amanda came up with the idea of a job share with another of the at-risk receptionists “and she has now become a star of the office at Huntingdon where incoming calls to four offices are now handled by two people, rather than four.
“Amanda has embraced the move and has been a major help with the Ad Centres which were set up in local shops to replace the facility to book and pay for advertisements over-the-counter.
“Amanda ensured all the prices and paperwork were correct for each brand and spent time talking to customers and coaching the Ad Centres so they understood how the process worked.
“Amanda is a credit to have on any front desk in any company.”
Innovation of the Year
Fenland District Council Election micro-site
BASED around an interactive map, the micro-site presented content, profiles and demographic information for the elections.
Readers were invited to click on their area for stories and candidate information and to use the micro-site to share their opinions. Candidates used it to promote their campaigns with letters, stories, profiles and photographs.
The micro-site received more than 10,000 page impressions “and was considered by many – including voters, council officers, candidates and rival media including BBC Radio Cambridgeshire – as one of the main reasons for a high election turnout in Fenland.
“A live debate and survey about the election, carried out by BBC Radio Cambs, also concluded that the micro-site and resultant print coverage contributed significantly to voter interest.”
The team included the Cambs Times/Wisbech Standard editorial team and Michelle Moore, Archant Herts & Cambs senior digital designer.
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