Making a Difference Winner to be Revealed Tomorrow
The winner of the Making a Difference public vote for the best local newspaper campaign will be revealed at the Society of Editors Regional Press Awards tomorrow (Friday) after thousands of votes were cast.
Voting closed last night after newspapers, MPs, celebrities and members of the public got behind Making a Difference during Local Newspaper Week (11-17 May) to support local newspaper campaigning and the difference local press can make for communities.
Prime Minister David Cameron told the Northumberland Gazette that he believed local newspapers were “part of the social glue that holds communities together.”
“I think local newspapers play a really key role,” he said. “It’s not just the vital information, the sports results and the local news, local newspapers are part of the social glue that holds our communities together.
“They are vitally important in our democracy because they challenge local councils, they challenge politicians, they ask the questions and they stimulate the debate. For all those reasons, local papers play a great role.
“And I’d add something to that; I talk about the Big Society where we encourage volunteering, philanthropy and people taking action in their local communities.
“Local newspapers do as much of that as anybody, encouraging the heroes and heroines that make local communities, like where we are here in Alnwick, so strong.”
The DerbyTelegraph’s Save a Life campaign which is up for an award but needs votes! http://t.co/Vy4KKZpmaO
— Robbie Savage (@RobbieSavage8) May 13, 2015
Local newspapers are #MakingaDifference. Vote now for your favourite campaign http://t.co/OojNNIT3Yc http://t.co/3diUpLz0oY
— Nick Ferrari (@NickFerrariLBC) May 11, 2015
@mmb298 @CWHerald will vote now
— Tim Farron (@timfarron) May 11, 2015
I’m backing the @SunderlandEcho and it needs your support too #MakingADifference http://t.co/xBa5bwtOX6 pic.twitter.com/ACobqP0kd4
— Julie Elliott MP (@JulieElliottMP) May 11, 2015
Article by @michaelsheen supporting #MakingaDifference and Local Newspaper Week http://t.co/cvJkUdgke1 pic.twitter.com/YQJ7TskuBU
— Local Newspaper Week (@localpaperweek) May 11, 2015
Making a Difference has been backed by high profile figures including television star Deborah Meaden, co-host of The One Show Alex Jones, Hollywood actor Michael Sheen and radio presenter Nick Ferrari who wrote articles explaining why local papers are important to them.
The winner of the online vote will be announced tomorrow by NMA chairman Adrian Jeakings at the Regional Press Awards after the News Media Association annual general meeting.
Making a Difference shortlisted papers such as the Derby Telegraph, Sunday Life, Manchester Evening News, Kent Messenger, Shropshire Star, News and Star and Southern Daily Echo have been urging readers to back their campaign in the online vote while other titles such as the Worcester News, Carmarthen Journal have been covering the theme by highlighting the power of local papers to make a difference.