Oban Times and The Ileach scoop top awards
The Oban Times has won the new Campaign of the Year Award at the Highlands and Islands Media Awards.
The title received the award for its Invest in the West Campaign, which included the Argyllshire Advertiser. It mounted the initiative to reflect the deep local concern at the pressing need for investment in a community that felt the pressures of a failing ferry service, a lack of housing and the struggle of long-established businesses to stay afloat.
A motion calling for action was raised at the Scottish Parliament and First Minister Humza Yousaf visited the area to see the challenges for himself.
Group editor Susan
Windram said: “We are absolutely delighted that our campaign won the award this year.
“After years of reporting on the lack of investment in the ferries, in transport infrastructure, in affordable housing and the impact this was having on employment, not to mention the lack of funding crippling our NHS and social care, many of these issues came to a head last year, bringing some of our most outlying and rural communities to their knees.
“So we decided enough was enough and launched our campaign in July 2023, calling on the Scottish Government to increase funding for communities hurt by budget cuts, as well as demanding an improved focus on specific needs for rural communities across the West Coast and islands.
“While The Oban Times team are delighted to have received the recognition of our peers for our campaign, we will continue to fight for a better deal for all the people who live in Argyll and Bute and for our many island communities.”
Scotland’s longest continually published community newspaper, The Ileach, serving Islay and Jura, was also celebrating on Friday night after winning Community Newspaper of the Year.
The newspaper, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in October last year, was commended by the chairperson of the judging panel Nicola McAlley, who said: “Half a century on, The Ileach continues to provide a crucial community voice.”