Officially the best local newsletter in the world!
It doesn't get bigger than this for a tiny local newsletter. This award is yours too.
I'm writing to you with slightly hazy eyes and a sense of disbelief from the 94th annual International News Media Association's World Congress Global Media Awards here in Berlin... with an award!
A jury of 60 media executives from 26 countries selected The Edinburgh Minute to win the 'Best Newsletter (Regional/Local)' award, in a category featuring nominations from around the world. It's as big as it gets, from a news industry point of view, and I still can't believe it happened. I was flattered they asked me to enter, so to win was a genuine shock. No shame admitting I cried. My mum would have been proud. The jury said:
"The judges loved this entry. A simple but strategically relevant local news model. It shows how habit and community contributions can create a sustainable relationship. Congratulations."
Thank you to every single one of you for supporting this hobby project which is slowly becoming a small business. Especially those who pay for it or/and share it with others, and everyone who contributes news, notices and events. It simply wouldn't exist without you. It's been three years of 5am starts for nearly 1,000 daily editions. I've made countless new contacts and friends along the way.
I'm grateful to family, friends and everyone who helps or cares about local news. We've become a community and this award is yours too. Not sure how to give back to you all to say thanks, but I'll think of something. I've always stuck to my founding principles: keep it free, always link to sources and try to just do one thing well.
💡 I also want to share some cool ideas I learned about at this event, as I know a lot of you are interested in ways the media can improve via purpose-driven and principled journalism. Here are some of the other winning campaigns and projects:
- 'The Green Playground' by Nieuwsblad from Antwerp, Belgium. - Giving schools nature-inspired makeovers.
- 'Inside the Confusing World of Women’s Clothing Sizes' by The Straits Times, Singapore.
- 'Saturday Night Fitness' by Media24, Cape Town, South Africa.
- 'From Ashes, Strength', by South China Morning Post, Hong Kong.
- See a list of all the winners from around the world here. The Guardian's weekly Saturday Edition newsletter won the national newsletter award.
Dawn McMullan
About INMA
'The International News Media Association is a global community of market-leading news media companies reinventing how they engage audiences and grow revenue. The INMA community consists of 26,000+ members at 1,000+ news media companies in 94 countries. INMA is the news media industry’s foremost ideas-sharing network with members connected via conferences, reports, Webinars, virtual meetings, an unparalleled archive of best practices, and strategic initiatives focused on digital subscriptions, advertising, product and tech, newsroom innovation, young audiences, and the publisher relationships with Big Tech.'
If you don't already subscribe, please consider keeping this newsletter going for £5 a month, or just £3.75 a month if you subscribe annually.
💌 Normal daily newsletter service returns tomorrow. Thanks again! - Michael
