Top Accolades For Fairfax Stable

Top Accolades For Fairfax Stable

Big Wins for Sunday and Cuisine at Qantas Media Awards

The Qantas Media Awards were held this evening (Friday, 13 May 2005) at the Wellington Town Hall. Two Fairfax titles – Sunday and Cuisine – received top accolades from the judging panel.

Sunday won Best Newspaper Magazine. Lauren Quaintance launched the Sunday Star-Times' weekly magazine in June 2004 and quickly cemented the title as a core component of the Sunday package, with latest readership figures showing it is now New Zealand's most-read newspaper-inserted magazine with 497,000 readers*.

A former staff writer for London's Sunday Times and two-time Qantas Magazine Feature Writer of the Year, editor Lauren Quaintance comments, “This win is the highest form of flattery for the Sunday team - this and growing readership. The recognition is even more significant given that newspaper magazines are one of the most fiercely competitive sectors of the New Zealand media landscape at the moment.”

Amanda Murphy, general manager – lifestyles, Fairfax Magazines comments, “It is terrific that Sunday has been judged Best Newspaper Magazine after only six months (June – December). Within that six-month period we have also posted excellent readership figures which really reflect the power of this title as a key driver for Sunday Star-Times.”

Cuisine won the Best Newsstand Magazine. Amanda Murphy comments, “Cuisine recently won the MPA Magazine of the Year (Home & Food) so this accolade strengthens the brand even further and has added to a very successful year. Cuisine is the leading authority in food, wine and good living and this award adds to its increasing credibility both here and abroad.”

Market leader in the food sector, Cuisine posted the biggest readership in its history of 409,000 with the announcement of the latest AC Nielsen Media Research Readership Survey, June – December 2004.

A Qantas Media Awards judge comments, “It’s hard to imagine this magazine not grabbing attention on newsstands. Its covers jump out at you and once inside there’s plenty to hold your attention. Cuisine is well written with excellent photography and a wide range of stories.”

Sunday was also a finalist in the Best Newspaper Specialist Page or Section and Cuisine was a finalist in the Best Magazine Cover category.

For a full list of winners visit http://www.qantasmediaawards.co.nz

Ends.

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