BusinessDesk editor Pattrick Smellie has taken out best columnist and best business columnist of the year at the Voyager 2021 Media Awards.
In a stunning night for the business and economic news service, regular columnist Jehan Casinader took out political columnist of the year, with Smellie runner-up in the same category.
Smellie's business entries included a piece about Team NZ's structure and Grant Dalton, a piece on last September's pre-economic fiscal and economic update and an exclusive on Nine Entertainment's decision to shut down Stuff by May 31 if a buyer had not been found.
Smellie submitted political opinion pieces including one urging the government to go harder and faster against covid-19, just days before it announced the alert level 4 lockdown last March, a reflective piece on how last September's election was won, and an article about Ihumātao.
Paul McBeth, former head of news and now South Island correspondent for BusinessDesk based in Queenstown, was also a finalist in the business columnist section.
Much-decorated Wellington senior journalist Jenny Ruth was a finalist for business reporter of the year, won this year by former BusinessDesk staffer Nikki Mandow, Newsroom’s business editor.
“A little over a year since launching our subscription-only business and economic news service, tonight’s awards are a huge endorsement of the whole BusinessDesk team,” said Smellie, noting also the very large number of finalists and winners chosen from emerging, independent media organisations.
“Tonight’s wins help cement our reputation for having NZ’s most insightful, lively and must-read opinion and analysis.”
A full list of Voyager Awards winners is here and you can find links to BusinessDesk's Voyagers entries here.
