ASPA Awards: Critic named Best Student Publication

Critic, the much-talked about Otago University student magazine, was named the best publication by a panel of media experts at the annual Aotearoa Student Press Association awards, held in Auckland on Saturday in association with the NZ Listener.

Critic scooped seven of the 16 awards on offer, including best designed publication, ‘best news writer (paid)’ (Kate Newton) and ‘best editorial writer’ for editor Holly Walker.

Feature writer and columnist Steve Braunias said Critic was “Solid, entertaining, provocative, sometimes properly stupid, and, possibly, vital to Dunedin… [with] lots of humour and a clear editorial intelligence at work.”

Media commentator Russell Brown said “"Critic has had a banner year - the issues submitted were strong from beginning to end. While it does the basics well - the pages look good and the copy is well-edited - Critic also shows a distinctive editorial imagination."

Auckland University of Technology’s Debate was named best small publication.

Other winners on the night included Craccum co-editor Alec Hutchinson, who won the categories of ‘best columnist’ and ‘best features writer’. Listener feature writer Alistair Bone said that Alec’s writing was “on a different level”.

The Aotearoa Student Press Association comprises 13 publications from the country’s university and polytechnic campuses. These are the fourth annual awards, and the second held in association with the Listener.

One of the winners will be chosen by the Listener to take a two week internship at the magazine. All winners receive a subscription to the Listener.

ASPA Awards 2005 - 1 October 2005

Best Cartoonist 2005

Judged by Max Media creator and underground icon Chris Knox, artist and former Craccum cartoonist Richards Scholes, and editorial cartoonist Malcolm Evans.

1. Colin Andrews, Critic

2.= James Squires, Canta

Roy Cunningham, Nexus

Best Reviewer 2005

Judged by Headliners editor and Sunday Star Times Contributor Olivia Kember; Rip It Up and Listener reviewer James Cardno, and NZ Herald Entertainment reporter Scott Kara.

1. Aaron Hawkins, Critic

2. Gareth Heta, Canta

3. Rob Hay, Magneto

Best Cover 2005

Judged by Metro art director Jenny Nicholls; Delaney Tabron, art director of Pavement; and Desna Jury, head of AUT’s school of design.

1. Craccum

2. Critic

3. Salient

Best Education Writer 2005

Judged by former Debate editor Nadine Metzger, Landfall editor and blogger Tze Ming Mok, and Herald on Sunday journalist Leah Haines.

1. Megan McKechnie, In Unison

2. Alec Hutchinson, Craccum

3. Chris Leggett, Satellite

Best Maori Content 2005

Judged by Maori Television Service staffer and former Critic kaiwhakapaoho Zoe Linsell.

1. Critic Te Arohi (no other placings awarded)

Best News Writer (volunteer)

Judged by investigative journalist Nicky Hager, National Business Review journalist Coran Lill, and TV1 News producer Laura Barnsley.

1. Nicola Kean, Salient

2.= Kate Wright, Magneto

Chris Grala, Craccum

Best News Writer (paid)

Judged by foreign correspondent for Metro and TV3 Jon Stephenson; 95bFM news editor Noelle McCarthy; and NZ Herald reporter and former City Voice editor Simon Collins.

1. Kate Newton, Critic

2. Keith Ng, Salient

3. Cushla Thompson, Canta

Best Sports Writer 2005

Judged by Clarke Gayford, creator of TV4’s Pulp Sport; Metro writer Peter Malcouronne; and Amy Hamilton, editor of Dash magazine.

1. Nick Holm, Chaff

2.= William Fussey, Canta

= Lucy Smith, Nexus

Best Columnist 2005

Judged by Dominion Post columnist and former Critic editor Chris Trotter; Rip It Up editor and Stakeout host Martyn Bradbury, and NZ Herald columnist Tapu Misa

1. Alec Hutchinson, Craccum – ‘The Revolutionaries’ Guide to Getting Laid’

2.= Georgia Jamieson Emms, Salient

Nick Gibb, Chaff

Best Humour Content 2005

Judged by Damian Christie, Herald on Sunday columnist; stand-up comedian and author Raybon Kan; and Agenda host Simon Pound.

1. Geoff Brischke, Salient

2. Ryan Sproull and Chris Grala, Craccum

3. Dean Kilbride, Canta

Best Feature 2005

Judged by Wayne Hope, head of AUT’s School of Communications and editor of the Pacific Journalism Review; former Nexus editor Ant Hiron, and Listener deputy editor Tim Watkin.

1. Erica Chellis, Magneto

2.= Dawn Tuffery, Nexus

Toby Turner, Craccum

Best Feature Writer 2005

Judged by NBR and North & South features write David Cohen, former Salient editor Nikki Burrows and Listener feature writer and ex-Craccum editor Alistair Bone.

1. Alec Hutchinson, Craccum

2.= Ryan Haysom-Brown, Critic

Nick Holm, Chaff

Best Editorial Writer 2005

Judged by Unitec journalism lecturer Ed Mason, former Salient editor Michael Appleton, and Listener contributors editor Denis Welch.

1. Holly Walker, Critic

2. Emily Braunstein, Salient

3. Stian Overdahl, Craccum

Best Designed Publication

Judged by Bro’ Town Designer Ant Sang, former Critic designer Lyndon hood, and graffiti artist Elliot “ Askew” O’Donnell.

1. Critic

2. In Unison

3. Craccum

Best Small Publication and Best Publication

Judged by Business reporter, NBR and Listener columnist , and former Nexus editor David Young; Listener columnist and blogger Russell Brown; former Critic editor and Herald on Sunday journalist Patrick Crewdson; Scoop.co.nz co-editor Selwyn Manning, and Sunday Star Times writer and columnist Steve Braunias.

Best Small Publication

1. Debate

2. Magneto

3.= Satellite

In Unison

Best Publication

1. Critic

2. Salient

3. Craccum

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