The SE Voice was recognised at Friday night’s Country Press SA annual awards in Adelaide, which judged editions from 2021.

The Mount Gambier owned paper took out second place in the new Best Community Advertising Promotion (Barnet Award) for its grand final edition of the Mid SE Football and Netball Budget.

“This was an informative and comprehensive publication leading up to the competition final for these two community sports,” the judges said.

“It will be a keepsake and valued memento of the grand final participants with lots of photos, articles and information on the teams and was well supported by advertising.

“A true community promotion.”

The SE Voice also claimed second place in the Best Advertisement – Priced Product for its Jens Hotel campaign, with judges describing it as an “attractive layout that clearly conveys the product and the offer as the heroes.

“Nothing missing from the easy contact information and good brand reinforcement with the image of the hotel an important component.”

In further recognition of its advertising excellence, the paper also placed third in the Best House advertisement category for the promotion of its 2021 Footy Tipping competition.

The SE Voice’s owner/editor Lechelle Earl was awarded third place for Best Photo that was not serious news or sport, for her front page photo of local drag queen Ophelia Butt in a promotion for Fringe Mount Gambier.

“There was something about the colour and the posing of this photo that immediately draws the viewer in, wanting to know what, where and why.

It worked well in construction and particularly with the creative use of the filtered light.

“A well thought out photo,” the judges said.

Ms Earl also received an honourable mention in the Excellence in Journalism category for her two-page feature investigating a series of suicides in the Mount Gambier region.

“Suicide is a difficult issue to report, but Lechelle did an excellent job. The interview with the wife of a suicide victim was well-written and heartbreaking,” the judges said.

The SE Voice also received a special mention in the Best Headline category for its “Ex-Demon blessed with AFL Saints deal”, on the drafting of Mount Gambier’s Oscar Adams to St Kilda.

Young journalists Ebony Raymond and Brandi Miller also caught the eye of the judges in the Young Journalist of the Year category.

“If I was giving out an award for encouragement to recognise clear potential, Ebony would be an easy choice.

“Beyond that… I was impressed with Brandi Miller as a brand-new reporter,” the judges said.