Scoop Media Network Scoops Qantas Media Web Awards

Tuesday, 22 May 2007, 3:31 pm
Press Release: The Scoop Team

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CAPTION: Scoop Co-editors Selwyn Manning & Alastair Thompson With Scoop's 2007 Qantas Media Award Certificates

Scoop Media (www.scoop.co.nz) was judged as one of New Zealand's top three news websites at Friday night's Qantas Media Awards 2007.

The top three news sites were: New Zealand Herald; Scoop Media; Stuff. The New Zealand Herald took out the top award.

Scoop was also a finalist in the Website Best Single News Report category. The finalists were: New Zealand Herald; Runwayreporter.com; Stuff.co.nz; Scoop.co.nz. The winner was: Stuff.co.nz.

Other media sites included within the Scoop Media Network were also awarded.

Hard News, the blog of Public Address founder Russell Brown, received the Best Blog Award. And Spareroom.co.nz, owned and operated by Steven Shaw and Ana Samways, was awarded Best Columnist-style Website, and, Best Alternative/Light Entertainment Website.

The Scoop Media Network was launched earlier this year as an advertising vehicle for the discerning online advertiser. It currently serves 350,000 pages of news and comment each week to 150,000 unique browsers.

The 2007 Qantas Media Awards brought a greatly expanded set of web category awards to the stage recognising a wider range on online media excellence.

Scoop general manager and co-editor, Alastair Thompson said: "Online commentator Paul Reynolds supervised the online judging effort for this years award's and delivered an inspiring oration on the significance of online media from the awards podium in the build-up to the awards presentation."

Scoop co-editor Selwyn Manning said: "It is right to see the Qantas Media Awards recognizing the importance of internet based media. It is certainly rewarding to see the work of our hard working staff at Scoop.co.nz and our partner websites being recognised as among the best in New Zealand."

"Scoop was born from within the internet, it is a true independent media being owned and operated by a modest but committed team," Selwyn Manning said.

Like Scoop.co.nz, Spareroom and Public Address are independently owned and produced online media properties.

"This year's Qantas Media Awards demonstrate that Scoop has come of age and is competing at the same level as large multinational media corporation websites such as APN and Fairfax," Alastair Thompson said.

In these - the first professionally judged online media awards - the Scoop Media Network received 5 certificates, APN – publishers of the NZ Herald received 2, Fairfax/Stuff received 3 & ACP's runwayreporter.com received 2 finalist gongs

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CAPTION: A sizable chunk of the Scoop Media Network team…
From left – Ana Samways (Spareroom), Lyndon Hood (Scoop), Alastair Thompson (Scoop), Russell Brown (PublicAddress), Steven Shaw (Spareroom) & in front Kevin List (Scoop).

Scoop.co.nz's awards recognition in the prestigious "Best News Website" award backs up the quantitative evidence recorded by the authoritative ratings organization used by NZ's online advertising industry. Nielsen Net Ratings records Scoop.co.nz as holding the number three position for monthly New Zealand unique browsers in the general news category.

"The internet is arguably the best communication tool invented. It levels the playing field. It enables small to medium sized independent media to compete with large organizations with resources and budgets totaling millions of dollars. And it is the vehicle of choice for a growing and vibrant community of New Zealanders," Mr Manning said.

Recently, Scoop Media launched 'stage one' of its new-look website, designed to ensure our viewers, listeners and readers are aware of the depth and breadth of Scoop's online content.

Alastair Thompson said: "In the months ahead, Scoop will fine tune its design to ensure all who visit Scoop.co.nz will be rewarded by a full immersion text-audio-video experience that only digital internet based media can present."

Selwyn Manning added: "Scoop's agenda is to continue to support & pioneer innovation and excellence within the New Zealand online media community. We intend to continue to challenge those competitors that have the luxury of huge resources at their fingertips."

Further reference: Qantas Media Awards – Judges + Finalists and Winners

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