Hawke’s Bay Today’s “Cyclone Gabrielle: Special Free Edition” has received the perfect use of print award on the International News Media Association’s 2024 world awards in London.
The award recognises the work of the Hawke’s Bay newspaper staff who, regardless of the challenges posed by Cyclone Gabrielle final 12 months, produced 20,000 free copies of the 16-page particular version.
Printed within the Wairarapa, the particular version of the newspaper was distributed across the flood-smashed area with the assistance of Civil Defence. It offered very important updates on energy outages, meals and water distribution, highway closures, and rescue assist, aiding aid efforts and reaching affected communities.
Eight lives had been misplaced and Napier was remoted for an prolonged interval when Cyclone Gabrielle hit Hawke’s Bay.
Hawke’s Bay Today editor Chris Hyde says the award not solely recognises the laborious work of a neighborhood reporting staff in harrowing situations but additionally highlights the significance of regional newsrooms.
“This edition was written and put together by journalists first on the scene of an unfolding disaster. Many of them could not get back to their homes at night. One had to abandon a company car as floodwaters rose around him. Another of the team was rescued with her family from the hard-hit Esk Valley, losing her house and everything she owned.
“There was an unshakeable desire, amid that chaos, to share what the region was going through. From the start, we wanted to do that, not just with the rest of the world online, but also with our communities – the people who needed the news most.”
The native reporting staff was boosted by NZME journalists from throughout the nation within the speedy aftermath of the cyclone.
NZME, additionally the writer of the NZ Herald, had three different INMA finalist entries this 12 months: ‘Imprint’ for greatest thought to develop promoting gross sales, ‘The New Zealand Herald’ for greatest model consciousness marketing campaign, and BusinessDesk NZ’s ‘AI-powered markets coverage’ for greatest use of AI in customer-facing merchandise.
NZME editor-in-chief Murray Kirkness says he’s proud to have the staff’s laborious work acknowledged on a world stage.
“This award highlights the importance of print media during crises, enabling our team to support relief efforts to connect communities that might otherwise have been isolated. It also acknowledges the talent, resilience, and dedication of our people who worked tirelessly to keep our communities informed during a significant natural disaster, even when they were experiencing the aftermath themselves.”
NZME chief digital and publishing officer Carolyn Luey says it’s an honour to be recognised with a significant world award for offering an impactful piece of media that stored Kiwis within the know once they wanted it most.
“Our focus on being New Zealand’s leading news destination is driven by our dedication to delivering reliable, timely information, especially in urgent situations like breaking news. The ‘Cyclone Gabrielle’ special edition not only reflects our commitment to providing quality journalism to communities across the country but also highlights the importance of maintaining a high-quality and efficient print business.”
