Browne names The Irish Times Newspaper of the Year

The Irish Times has been named Newspaper of the Year in Tonight With Vincent Browne's annual print media awards.

It is the first time the newspaper has won the award.

On the TV3 show last night, judge Ailbhe Smyth of UCD said The Irish Times was "quite justifiably the paper of record which has the greatest depth and breath of coverage".

She praised the newspaper’s use of young journalists and particularly mentioned the social affairs reporting of Kitty Holland and Carl O’Brien. There was also praise for Industry Correspondent Martin Wall.

Fellow judge Senator Marie-Louise O'Donnell mentioned The Irish Times's "brilliant health supplement", which she said was "edgy throughout the year" , being much "more than a lifestyle supplement", covering serious issues such as
"the end of life".

The Business Journalist of the Year Award went to Tom Lyons, formerly of the Sunday Independent and now of The Irish Times.

The Story of the Year was the Irish Independent's publication of the "Anglo Tapes", transcripts of calls between executives of Anglo Irish Bank. Panel judge John Bissett, from the community sector,
said the tapes had exposed the bank's culture of "machismo" in the bank.

The award for Columnist of the Year was given to Gene Kerrigan of the Sunday Independent, who was praised for the quality of his writing.