Jamey Gordon, news editor of DistrictMail & Helderberg Gazette, was among the country’s top community journalists honoured at the annual AVBOB FCJ Excellence Awards in Johannesburg on Friday evening (2 August).
The awards, hosted by the Forum of Community Journalists (FCJ) and supported by AVBOB, Media24 and Caxton, is a well-known event in the media industry, with this year’s entries exceeding 500 in the various categories.
The dedication and talent displayed by community journalists in various writing and photography categories underscore the vibrancy and diversity of community journalism in South Africa.
The adjudication process was overseen by André Gouws, with the winners announced at a glitzy prize-giving dinner at the Sandton Hotel.
Gordon’s portfolio of emotive and powerful photographs saw her win the hotly-contested News Photography category. The panel of seasoned press photographers who formed part of the judging panel said the following of her portfolio: “It’s the stories in the faces of Jamey’s photo subjects that made this portfolio stand out.”
She was also a finalist in the Photographer of the Year and General Photography categories, underscoring her excellence in capturing the essence of news from the Helderberg basin on camera.
“As a journalist Jamey has always been determined in her pursuit to display the human element and emotion in her articles accurately, giving those impacted by occurrences a voice through her reporting,” said Tasmin Cupido, editorial publisher of Helderberg Media.
“With her creative and impactful photographs she has managed to add that extra punch to her storytelling and perfect the overall packaging of her work, truly capturing the emotions of a moment through her lens. She genuinely deserves this award and recognition, as she continues to fly the flag of the publication and proudly uphold its slogan of being the ‘Heartbeat of the Helderberg’.”
Furthermore, DistrictMail & Helderberg Gazette was also in the top 10 in the newly added Back Pages category of the awards. Lise Beyers, editor of the ’Mail’s sister publication Paarl Post, placed second in the Editorial Comment category.
