THE Irish News has scooped several awards and commendations at the annual Coca-Cola CIPR Northern Ireland Media Awards.
Brendan Crossan fought off the rest of the field to be crowned Sports Journalist of the Year while the newspaper cleaned the board in the photography section, with Bill Smyth crowned Photographer of the Year and Mal McCann a silver winner in the same category.
Of Bill Smyth's photos, the judging panel remarked: "The judges felt this photographer’s 'stunning and diverse portfolio' demonstrated great skill and dexterity, with their photographs showing an impeccable sense of timing."
The judges praised Brendan Crossan as having "a very powerful portfolio of sports features which got to the heart of the story, concentrating on the human dimension, and more often than not the tragic elements of sport."
Digital editor Susan Thompson was the silver award winner in the Newspaper Journalist of the Year category and Scoop of the Year, while health correspondent Seanin Graham was also a silver award winner in the Specialist Journalist of the Year section.
The Q Radio Breakfast with Stephen and Cate was a silver award winner in the Entertainment Programme of the Year.
The awards, which were celebrating their 23rd year, were presented at The MAC in Belfast by broadcaster and comedian Colin Murphy.
The Sunday Life won the Newspaper of the Year award, while Ciaran Barnes, also from The Sunday Life, was named Newspaper Journalist of the Year.
Among other winners were The Impartial Reporter in Fermanagh which scooped Local Newspaper of the Year while the Derry News won Best Front Page for its image of Buncrana pier hero Davitt Walsh being reunited with baby Rioghnach-Ann McGrotty who he rescued from the tragedy which claimed five other lives.
Congratulating the winners, CIPR NI Chair Samantha Livingstone said: "These awards celebrate the strength of our local media.
"Whilst the media landscape has evolved over the last 23 years, one thing has remained constant and that is the outstanding talent we have working within the Northern Ireland media - bringing us the news that matters 24/7."
