45th Annual Newspaper Design and Production Awards - Cronwright/Hultzer winners announced

Hultzer Trophy (community press newspapers below 10 000 circulation)

Prof Johannes Froneman, convenor of the judging panel and journalism lecturer at the Potchefstroom University, commented:

"The difference in quality between the smaller-circulation Hultzer newspapers (those under 10 000 circulation) and the larger Cronwright papers were less marked than in previous years. This was due to the raising of the circulation cut-off point, which brought some new "faces" to the fore.

The Springs & Brakpan Advertiser won the Cronwright trophy because of its robust but consistent typography in a tough market, while Eikestadnuus is a fine, very neat paper which was rewarded for a big improvement.

In the Cronwright competition the Natal paper South Coast Herald at last got just reward. It is a highly professional package, well organised and easy to read. Its colour usage is excellent. Last year's winner, Paarl Post, was a very close runner-up. The judges recognized the Newcastle Advertiser's sometimes daring and innovative approach.

In general, however, many papers are bland and without much surprises. Colour is not always utilised as it should, and one feels that some papers sticks to the same somewhat unexciting recipe year after year.

We would like to see newspapers make concerted efforts to continuously improve their typography. After all, one looks at a paper before one reads it. It has to be attractive."