CNAV Virtual Community Newspaper Conference 2020

Ferntree Gully News is proud to have been recognised at the 2020 CNAV Community Newspaper Awards, this year livestreamed via Zoom on Saturday 14th November.

The CNAV Conference is held by the Community Newspaper Association of Victoria each year to celebrate and bring local newspapers together from across the state, providing an opportunity to learn from each other and swap notes.

It is also an opportunity to discuss the future, growth and publishing of these newspapers.

Sessions

Keynote address from Michelle Pini, Independent Australia.

The conference was presented by MC Sandi Miller of the Warrandyte Diary, with keynote address from Michelle Pini of Independent Australia.

In her address, Michelle spoke about the importance of protecting independent media, press freedom and the role that community newspapers can play in telling local stories.

The session was then followed by a webinar with journalist Jeanette Severs, and a virtual workshop with librarian/ historian Heather Arnold.

Awards

Gully News was presented with the Best Feature Article Award for Teresa Cannon’s ‘It’s a Cook-up for Community and Connection’, her story about Foothills Community Casseroles (October 2019 edition).

Judge Michael Smith commented, ‘This organisation (Foothills Community Care) is transforming the local community. And this story, this newspaper, is doing an equally brilliant job as it is announcing what’s going on, and announcing it in a way that is visually attractive, entertaining and engaging.

‘This story is so magnificently presented that people will reach out and contact Community Casseroles. There’s Community Casseroles doing the work, then the newspaper taking that to a much wider audience. I have no doubt that this story will save lives.

‘I am so pleased for the Ferntree Gully News and Teresa Cannon. Congratulations.’

Gully News was also a finalist for Best Design and Layout, Best Editorial (about publishing in a pandemic), and Best Photograph (for Michael Greenhill’s cover photo of Puffing Billy, February 2020 issue).

We are thrilled to be recognised, and love bringing local news to you.

For more information, visit the CNAV website here. You can also visit the website for Ferntree Gully News here.

Gisborne Gazette received the award for Best Newspaper.