Otago University student magazine Critic Te Arohi was the big winner at the 2018 Aotearoa Student Press Awards this weekend, picking up eight awards and winning the overall award of Best Publication for the second year straight.
The awards were judged by some of New Zealand’s most prestigious journalists, including the Editors of Stuff, the NZ Herald, The Listener, and Vice New Zealand.
Critic was ranked first by all four of the judges for Best Publication. NZ Herald Premium Content Editor Miriyana Alexander called it “brave and provocative … pushing boundaries, taking risks and raisin merry hell.”
Stuff Editor Patrick Crewdson called it “exuberant, savvy, and self-deprecating in its acerbic bite… it’s a sign of a raucous, risk-taking spirit.”
News Editor Charlie O’Mannin won two awards, Best Reporter and Best Student Politics Reporter, for stories including an expose on a local landlord, a ‘sexist and bullying’ tradition at Selwyn College, and coverage of the Proctor bong protest.
Caroline Moratti also won two awards, sweeping both Best Feature and Best Feature Writer, standing out for her coverage of underpaid RAs at Otago University Residential Colleges. Editor of Vice NZ, James Borrowdale called her “a writer of great versatility and potential.”
Other Critic winners were Esme Hall for Best Opinion Writer, Joel MacManus for Best Editorial Writer, and Callum Doyle for Best Headline.
University of Wellington magazine Salient also had a strong night, placing second for Best Publication, and picking up five awards in total, including Best News Story for a piece about a residential hall serving undercooked chicken that received rave reviews from judges.
The full list of winners is below:
Best Humour
1. Liam Powell – Salient
2. Todd Murray – Massive
3. Jennifer Daruwalla - Debate
Best Headline
1. Critic
2. Craccum
3. Nexus
Best Editorial Writer
1. Joel MacManus – Critic
2. Louise Lin – Salient
3. Lyam - Nexus
Best Culture/Lifestyle Reporter
1. Shariff Burke – Salient
2. Jess Thompson – Critic
3. Grace Mitchell – Nexus
Best Opinion Writer
1. Esme Hall – Critic
2. Te Paea Hoori – Salient
3. Lachlan Mitchell – Craccum
Best Sports Reporter
1. Leilana Baker – Massive
2. Charlie Hantler _ Critic
3. Cameron McRobie – Nexus
Best Reviewer
1. Archie Porter – Nexus
2. Peri Miller – Massive
3. Mary Gwendolon - Craccum
Best Illustration
1. Debate
2. Salient
3. Massive
Best Student Politics Reporter
1. Charlie O’Mannin - Critic
2. Louise Lin – Salient
3. Debate
Best Columnist
1. Sasha Beattie – Salient
2. Henessey Griffiths – Critic
3. Kasharn Rao – Massive
Best Feature Writer
1. Caroline Moratti – Critic
2. Daniel Smith – Salient
3. Jennie-Louise Kendrick – Nexus
Best Feature Article
1. Critic
2. Debate
3. Craccum
Best News Reporter
1. Charlie O’Mannin – Critic
2. Equal = Ruby Ash – Salient/Angus Shaw – Salient
3. Bethany Reitsma – Massive
Best News Story
1. Angus Shaw – Salient
2. Sinead Gill – Critic
3. Massive staff reporters - Massive
Best Cover
1. Salient
2. Critic
3. Debate
Best Design
1. Debate
2. Salient
3. Craccum
Best Publication
1. Critic
2. Salient
3. Debate