Newsquest Media Group
The Impartial Reporter
More importantly, it has been a constant for this community in tough times and good. In this respect, the last two years have been no different. We have come through the pandemic and are still selling over 7,000 copies on average for the 22 month period of these awards while incorporating a digital first strategy backed up by a strong social media platform. In 2021 we hit almost 7 million page views which is achieved with engaging online content to meet the modern demands of a multi-media business in which readers consume their news in very different forms. These figures, to me, are a ringing endorsement for our ability to connect with our readers and bring to them the stories and the information that they want. The team of journalists here firmly believe in the important role they have to play in this community. The role of the weekly newspaper and its journalists is varied and hopefully reflected in our submissions. From holding power to account such as the current campaign to save emergency surgery at the South West Acute Hospital or the ongoing significance of our long running child sex abuse investigation that led to street protests and recognition from Amnesty International UK, The Impartial Reporter also deals with the local issues such as the pothole so big a fully grown man could stand in it (see our entry for front page of the year!). It is the full gambit, farming, sport and community remain the foundations of this rural community and if The Impartial Reporter is to remain at the heart of this area, it must be strong and robust when required but also protective and empathetic at other times. I sincerely hope this is reflected in the submissions attached for this award. I have attached some additional specific information on the submitted material. Never, has the role of powerful, accurate and trustworthy journalism been more important than now, the aim of The Impartial Reporter is to deliver on all these fronts. Mark Conway, editor.