Literary critics judged

News release

For immediate release

29 March 2007

Literary critics judged

An award winning arts journalist and critic will judge her media peers in this year’s Book Publishers Association of New Zealand (BPANZ) Review Awards.

Radio New Zealand Arts on Sunday host, Lynn Freeman joins Auckland Writer’s and Reader’s Festival Director, Jill Rawnsley in the task of selecting winners for the awards which have two categories: BPANZ Reviewer of the Year and the BPANZ Review Page or Programme of the Year.

And time is running out for the nation’s critics to be in the running; they have until April 12 to submit their portfolios.

Ms Freeman, a long-time theatre reviewer and Qantas media award winner says criticism is a necessary, if often maligned, contributor to literature.

‘These awards are so important; excellence in literary criticism attracts the kind of analytical, quality writers we need, and our writers deserve.’

Ms Rawnsley says review coverage is an important way of keeping readers up to date with developments in local and global publishing.

‘I value the part reviewers and reviews have to play, both for the critical analysis and response to a writer’s work,’she says.

The BPANZ Review Awards are presented each year in conjunction with the Montana New Zealand Book Awards. They recognise the vital importance of articulate, responsible, informed criticism in maintaining a healthy literary culture.

The BPANZ Reviewer of the Year receives a $1,000 prize. Special acknowledgement will also be made for the best broadcast review, best short print review (under 500 words) and best long print review (over 500 words).

The awards for BPANZ Best Review Page or Programme Award will be made to the publication, website or programme which, in the opinion of the judges, presents the selection of highest quality book reviews in a style that is relevant to their target audience. Special acknowledgement will also be made for the best broadcast review programme, best magazine review pages and best newspaper review pages.

The winners of the BPANZ Review Awards will be announced at the Montana New Zealand Book Awards gala dinner on Monday July 30 at Auckland’s Sky City Convention Centre.

For a submission form and conditions of entry to the awards go to www.booksellers.co.nz or contact the awards administrator Kathyrn Carmody on (04) 387 2833 or email kathryn.carmody@gmail.com

ENDS

Jill Rawnsley is the Director of the Auckland Writers & Readers Festival. She has worked for the Auckland Writers & Readers Festival Charitable Trust since 2001. Before the festival, Jill worked in a variety of areas within book production and publishing after graduating from the University of Auckland with an MA in English: from typesetting to editorial, to marketing and publicity. One of the tasks she enjoyed most was touring with writers and anticipating their needs in relation to media and events. An avid but time-poor reader, she values the part reviewers and reviews have to play, both for the critical analysis and response to a writer’s work, but also as a way of keeping readers up to date with developments in local and global publishing.

Lynn Freeman has hosted and co-produced Radio New Zealand National’s The Arts on Sunday and its Qantas award winning predecessor, What’s Going On? for almost six years. On AOS she covers new New Zealand writing, which makes up most of her reading these days, and that’s a great privilege. For more than 11 years Lynn has been the theatre critic for weekly Wellington publication Captial Times and a judge of the city’s Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards. She is also on the board of the Playwriting agency, Playmarket. In 2005 and 2006 Lynn was invited onto the panel selecting the Arts Foundation of NZ Arts Laureates. She received Qantas Radio Awards for arts journalism, for her work on What’s Going On? and for Sunday Morning with Chris Laidlaw, which she produces, as well as for her 14 part documentary series on the history of New Zealand Theatre.

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