It was a triumphant night for The Scottish Sun at the 46th Scottish Press Awards, named as Scottish Newsbrand of the Year at a ceremony celebrating Scotland’s best journalism.
The Scottish Sun also picked up the Journalism Team of the Year for their reporting on the death of Alex Salmond, and their reporter Graham Mann took home the Scoop of the Year for his tenacity in recording every twist and turn of Stuart Hogg’s fall from rugby legend to domestic abuser.
Held at Glasgow’s Doubletree by Hilton hotel on Thursday (22 May 2025), the highly coveted Journalist of the Year was picked up by Bryan Rutherford of The Press and Journal who continued his successful evening after being awarded Regional Journalist of the Year and Specialist Journalist of the Year earlier.
The team from The Press and Journal also celebrated winning Front Page of the Year – one that caused a nasty spat between the then First Minister and the opposition leader with the shockwaves being felt 400 miles away as Labour Party leaders were accused of turning their backs on the North East of Scotland – of being The Traitors, no less.
The notable Lifetime Achievement Award which this year went to Melanie Reid, columnist and journalist at The Times Scotland. Melanie has been widely recognised for her inspirational contribution to journalism, disability rights and awareness and her weekly ‘Spinal Column’ will be much missed.
As Magnus Linklater, who presented the award, said: “She is an inspiration to journalists and readers everywhere.”
Martin Williams of The Herald was awarded Reporter of the Year and The Sunday Post celebrated winning Campaign of the Year with their campaign, ‘Saving Mothers and Babies’ which resulted in the Scottish Government agreeing funding for pre-eclampsia tests.
The team at East Lothian Courier were awarded Weekly Newsbrand of the Year.
A total of 27 awards crediting the vital work of print and digital journalism were announced in celebration of the finest journalism in Scotland.
Chair of Judges, Richard Neville, former Head of News Brands at DC Thomson and current Director of Neville Robertson Communications, said: “These awards celebrate talent from across the whole of Scotland and represent thriving journalism in every community from our big cities to our smallest villages.
“Maintaining that quality and consistency of coverage in every community is difficult these days but tonight’s winners show that our industry has the talent, skills and dedication needed to do the job.”
Richard Neville was joined by 35 independent judges from across the Scottish media, communications and public affairs industries. Former BBC Scotland newsreader Jackie Bird hosted the event at the DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow Central.
The final awards of the evening were as follows:
- Lifetime Achievement Award
- Melanie Reid – The Times Scotland
- Weekly Newsbrand of the Year
- East Lothian Courier
- Scoop of the Year
- Graham Mann – The Scottish Sun
- Front Page of the Year
- The Press and Journal
- Journalism Team of the Year
- The Scottish Sun – The death of Alex Salmond
- Campaign of the Year
- The Sunday Post – ‘Saving Mothers and Babies’
- Reporter of the Year
- Martin Williams – The Herald
- Journalist of the Year
- Bryan Rutherford – The Press and Journal
- Scottish Newsbrand of the Year
- The Scottish Sun
The full list of Scottish Press Awards winners can be found here.
The 46th Scottish Press Awards were sponsored by Diageo, Edrington, VisitScotland, Royal Bank of Scotland, Openreach, The Glenmorangie Company Ltd, The Law Society of Scotland, Caledonian MacBrayne, Muckle Media, Weber Shandwick, Women in Journalism Scotland, Media House International, Event Consultants Scotland and Newsbrands Scotland.
More information can be found at https://www.newsbrandsscotland.com/
