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Hawke’s Bay Today’s “Cyclone Gabrielle: Special Free Edition” has won the Best Use of Print award at the International News Media Association’s 2024 global awards in London.
The award recognises the work of the Hawke’s Bay newspaper team who, despite the challenges posed by Cyclone Gabrielle last year, produced 20,000 free copies of the 16-page special edition.
Printed in the Wairarapa, the special edition of the newspaper was distributed around the flood-smashed region with the help of Civil Defence. It provided vital updates on power outages, food and water distribution, road closures, and rescue support, aiding relief efforts and reaching affected communities.
Eight lives were lost and Napier was isolated for an extended period when Cyclone Gabrielle hit Hawke’s Bay.
Hawke’s Bay Today editor Chris Hyde says the award not only recognises the hard work of a local reporting team in harrowing conditions but also highlights the importance of regional newsrooms.
“This edition was written and put together by journalists first on the scene of an unfolding disaster. Many of them could not get back to their homes at night. One had to abandon a company car as floodwaters rose around him. Another of the team was rescued with her family from the hard-hit Esk Valley, losing her house and everything she owned.
“There was an unshakeable desire, amid that chaos, to share what the region was going through. From the start, we wanted to do that, not just with the rest of the world online, but also with our communities - the people who needed the news most.”
The local reporting team was boosted by NZME journalists from across the country in the immediate aftermath of the cyclone.
NZME, also the publisher of the NZ Herald, had three other INMA finalist entries this year: ‘Imprint’ for best idea to grow advertising sales, ‘The New Zealand Herald’ for best brand awareness campaign, and BusinessDesk NZ’s ‘AI-powered markets coverage’ for best use of AI in customer-facing products.
NZME editor-in-chief Murray Kirkness says he is proud to have the team’s hard work acknowledged on a global stage.
“This award highlights the importance of print media during crises, enabling our team to support relief efforts to connect communities that might otherwise have been isolated. It also acknowledges the talent, resilience, and dedication of our people who worked tirelessly to keep our communities informed during a significant natural disaster, even when they were experiencing the aftermath themselves.”
NZME chief digital and publishing officer Carolyn Luey says it’s an honour to be recognised with a major global award for providing an impactful piece of media that kept Kiwis in the know when they needed it most.
“Our focus on being New Zealand’s leading news destination is driven by our dedication to delivering reliable, timely information, especially in urgent situations like breaking news. The ‘Cyclone Gabrielle’ special edition not only reflects our commitment to providing quality journalism to communities across the country but also highlights the importance of maintaining a high-quality and efficient print business.”
NZME CEO Michael Boggs (left), chief digital and publishing officer Carolyn Luey and audience and platform curation managing editor Matt Martel with the INMA award in London.
