UK newspaper editors threaten boycott of press awards

The “decline in the conduct” of the British Press Awards has led a number of national newspaper editors to announce that they are withdrawing their support for the annual event.

A statement, issued by 10 editors, follows this week’s awards, when Bob Geldof launched into a tirade against some newspapers.

Some editors feel the ceremony does not reflect the efforts of those who covered last year’s stories, particularly in war zones.

A statement issued last night by the group of editors said: “The decline in the conduct and prestige of the British Press Awards has prompted a number of national newspaper editors to announce that they can no longer support this event in its present format.

“The editors of The Guardian, The Observer, The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Telegraph, The Independent, The Independent on Sunday, the Daily Express, the Sunday Express, The Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday believe the organisation of these awards brings little credit to the industry or to the newspapers who win them.

“Following the Press Awards ceremony earlier this week, discussions are now going on about what should happen in the future.”

The Guardian’s editor, Alan Rusbridger, said: “There seems to be a widespread feeling that we could, as an industry, come up with awards – and an awards ceremony – which better reflected the best of British journalism.”

More than 800 journalists attended Tuesday night’s ceremony, the most important awards event in the industry calendar.

Ian Reeves, the editor of the Press Gazette, which organises the awards, told MediaGuardian: “The Press Awards are organised and judged in consultation with the entire national newspaper industry every year. Its judges are made up of journalists from all the main groups, nominated by their editors. As ever we will be consulting very closely and obtaining feedback from this year’s event.”