Times in running again as media awards shortlist announced

The Shetland media will again be well represented at the Highlands and Islands Media Awards – with The Shetland Times competing in two categories

Reporter Ryan Nicolson is shortlisted in the Young Journalist of the Year category and the publication is in the running to be named Newspaper of the Year.

Mr Nicolson joined the newspaper in February and has broken several exclusive stories in the months since then.

This newspaper and its reporters have enjoyed success at the awards over recent years. Ryan Taylor was named Reporter of the Year in 2014 and 2016 and Jim Tait scooped the Feature Writer of the Year award in 2015.

The Shetland Times was named Newspaper of the Year in 2017, also taking the prize for the Best Use of Digital Media.

The other shortlisted finalists in this year’s Newspaper of the Year category are The Orcadian and West Highland Free Press.

BBC Radio Shetland’s Daniel Bennett and Chris Cope of Shetland News are up against each other in the Feature Writer of the Year category.

The final Shetland representative is Malcolm Younger of Millgaet Media in the Photographer of the Year section.

Winners will be announced at the Highlands and Islands Press Ball and Media Awards, on Friday 7th February at the Kingsmills Hotel, Inverness.

Judging panel chairman Gordon Fyfe said: “The media awards recognise and reward the best in journalism across our dispersed area which stretches from Shetland to Argyll and from Moray to the Outer Hebrides.

“Once again, we were delighted with the number and high standard of entries and choosing a shortlist has been an extremely difficult task.

“Thanks to everyone for taking the time to enter and congratulations to our finalists. We look forward to revealing the winners in February.”