Group Editors boasts with FCJ awards

SOUTHERN CAPE NEWS - Group Editors is enormously proud of staff members from its editorial and design teams whose commitment and excellence were awarded at the prestigious annual Avbob FCJ Excellence Awards.

The awards evening, held in Sandton, Johannesburg, was hosted by the Forum of Community Journalists NPC (FCJ). It is a well-known event in the media industry and this year, more than 500 entries were received.

George Herald journalist Michelle Pienaar clinched the award for Best Digital Journalist and earned a third place in both the Hard News and Journalist of the Year categories, facing stiff competition. She was also a finalist in the Human Interest Writing division.

The talented Pienaar was the FCJ Journalist of the Year in 2019 when she wrote an in-depth crime series on cold cases in the George area.

George Herald editor Lizette da Silva and head of design Annalene Lindeque brought home the Best Back Page award on behalf of the newspaper. Knysna Plett Herald was also a finalist in this division.

Suid-Kaap Forum editor Hugo Redelinghuys, a multiple-award winner in his fruitful career, triumphed in the Best Sports Writer category.

He was also a finalist in the Human Interest Writing and Sport Photography categories, and secured third place in the category Best Paid Newspaper of the Year where he came up against big newspapers. This stellar performance comes on the heels of Redelinghuys being crowned two weeks ago as Journalist of the Year at the annual Hessequa Sports Awards in Riversdale.

Also finalists in the FCJ Best Paid Newspaper category were Knysna Plett Herald and Mossel Bay Advertiser.

Furthermore, Mossel Bay Advertiser's Linzetta Calitz was a finalist in the Best Young Journalist of the Year category, and Calitz and two colleagues from the Advertiser, editor Louise Karsten and Colin Hoffman, were finalists in the Best Column category.

Suzette Herrer, group editor of Group Editors, said the winners and nominees have all have made Group Editors super proud.

"They have distinguished themselves and we applaud each one of them for their dedication and hard work."

Suid-Kaap Forum editor Hugo Redelinghuys (left) and graphic designer Periëtte Nel receiving the certificate for third place in the category Best Paid Newspaper of the Year from Avbob CEO Carl van der Riet.

George Herald journalist Michelle Pienaar clinched the award for Best Digital Journalist and earned a third place in both the Hard News and Journalist of the Year categories.

George Herald editor Lizette da Silva (centre) and head of design Annalene Lindeque receiving the Best Back Page award from Avbob CEO Carl van der Riet.