This year’s Scottish Press Awards feature 28 categories, combining established honours with recently refreshed categories to reflect the evolving media landscape, added the organisers. Judges reviewed a high volume of entries, showcasing the breadth and quality of talent across the industry.
A total of 129 finalists have been shortlisted in 25 categories, with winners to be selected across a wide range of disciplines including politics, business, sport and the arts. Two categories have no shortlists as a winner is chosen directly by the judges, and Lifetime Achievement is conferred by Newsbrands Scotland’s editors’ committee.
The 47th Scottish Press Awards Shortlist is as follows:
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Janet Christie, The Scotsman
Paul English, The Times and Sunday Times Scotland
Brian Ferguson, The Herald
Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman
Susan Swarbrick, The Herald
BEST COVERAGE OF A LIVE EVENT
The Courier Dundee University Crisis
The Press & Journal / Evening Express Scottish Cup Final
The Scotsman Donald Trump in Scotland
The Scottish Sun Oasis
The Scottish Sun World Cup
CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR
Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald Save our Harbour
Daily Record Our Kids… Our Future
The Press & Journal / Evening Express Trapped by Raac
Scottish Daily Mail Suzanne's Law
Sunday Mail Safeguard for Survivors
COLUMNIST OF THE YEAR - sponsored by Edrington
Jonathan Brocklebank, Scottish Daily Mail
Dani Garavelli, The Herald
Alex Massie, The Times Scotland
Kevin McKenna, The Herald
Chris Musson, The Scottish Sun
FEATURE WRITER OF THE YEAR
Vicky Allan, The Herald
Janet Christie The Scotsman
Neil Mackay, The Herald
Stuart Patterson, The Scottish Sun
Peter Ross, Freelance
FINANCIAL/BUSINESS JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR - sponsored by Royal Bank of Scotland
Greig Cameron, The Times Scotland
Ian McConnell, The Herald
Martyn McLaughlin, The Scotsman / Scotland on Sunday
Gavin Noon, ScottishFootball.info
Martin Williams, The Herald and Herald on Sunday
FOOD AND DRINK WRITER OF THE YEAR
Sarah Campbell, The Herald
Donald Erskine, Glasgow Times
Chitra Ramaswamy, The Times Scotland
Peter Ranscombe, Freelance
Ailsa Sheldon, Freelance
FRONT PAGE OF THE YEAR
The Herald
The National
The Press & Journal
The Scottish Sun
The Sunday Times Scotland
INTERVIEWER OF THE YEAR
Teddy Jamieson, The Herald
Magnus Linklater, The Times Scotland
Gavin Madeley, Scottish Daily Mail
Mandy Rhodes, Holyrood Magazine
Murray Scougall, The Sunday Post
JOURNALISM TEAM OF THE YEAR sponsored by Amazon
The Courier Sandy Peggie
The Courier Dundee Knife Incident
The Herald The Future of Edinburgh
The Press & Journal Aberdeen FC Scottish Cup Victory
The Scotsman Historic Environment Scotland
The Scottish Sun Gangs at War
NEWS PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR sponsored by VisitScotland
Jane Barlow, Press Association
Wattie Cheung, Freelance
Iain Masterton, Freelance
Jeff Mitchell, Getty Images
Tony Nicoletti, Daily Record
NICOLA BARRY AWARD sponsored by Women in Journalism Scotland
Lindsay Bruce, The Press & Journal / Evening Express
Sandra Dick, The Herald, Herald on Sunday
Karin Goodwin, The Ferret
Halla Mohieddeen, The National
Catriona Stewart, The Scotsman
PODCAST OF THE YEAR
Kenny Farquharson, The Jaggy Thistle
The Courier, Who Killed Annalise?
The Herald, Unspun Live
The Press & Journal, Highland League Weekly
The Scotsman, Scran
The Scotsman, The Steamie
POLITICAL JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR sponsored by Law Society Scotland
John Boothman, The Sunday Times Scotland
Paul Hutcheon, Daily Record
Andrew Learmonth, The Herald
Conor Matchett, The Scottish Sun
Catriona Stewart, The Scotsman
REGIONAL JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Justin Bowie, The Courier
Lindsay Bruce, The Press & Journal / Evening Express
Alasdair Clark, The Courier
Calum Grewar, The Glasgow Bell
Bryan Rutherford, The Press & JournalReporter of the Year
Georgia Edkins, Scottish Daily Mail & Mail on Sunday
Jennifer Hyland, Sunday Mail
Graham Mann, The Scottish Sun
Hannah Rodger, Scottish Mail on Sunday
Catriona Stewart, The Scotsman
SCOOP OF THE YEAR
Tom Gordon - Sturgeon Marriage Split, Scottish Daily Mail
Lorna Hughes - Sandie Peggie, Scottish Daily Mail
Paul Hutcheon and Mark McGivern - Secret Camera Parly Toilet, Daily Record
Keith Jackson – Rangers, Daily Record
Oliver Norton – Oasis, The Scottish Sun
SPECIALIST REPORTER OF THE YEAR
Alasdair Clark, The Courier
Katharine Hay, The Scotsman
Neil Mackay, The Herald and Herald on Sunday
Graham Mann, The Scottish Sun
Catriona Stewart, The Scotsman
SPORTS COLUMNIST OF THE YEAR
Adam Clery, Nutmeg
Michael Grant, The Times Scotland
Gary Keown, Scottish Mail on Sunday
Bill Leckie, The Scottish Sun
Graeme McGarry, The Herald
SPORTS JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Michael Grant, The Times Scotland
Robert Grieve, The Scottish Sun
Keith Jackson, Daily Record
Graeme McGarry, The Herald
Alan Pattullo, The Scotsman
SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
Darrell Benns, The Press & Journal
James Gunn, North of Scotland Newspapers
Ross MacDonald, SNS Group
Ian MacNicol, Getty Images
Andrew Milligan, Press Association
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
John Devlin, The Scotsman
Paul Fisher - Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election, Daily Record
Gary Simpson - Adele Rennie, The Scottish Sun
Georgia Smyth, The Inverness Courier
Angus Webster, Energy Voice
WEEKLY JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Ethan Flett, The Orcadian
Tempany Grace, Ayr Advertiser / Helensburgh Advertiser
Murray Grayston, Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald
Lewis McBlane, The Northern Scot
Paul Thomson, Hamilton Advertiser
WEEKLY NEWSBRAND OF THE YEAR sponsored by Caledonian MacBrayne
Border Telegraph / Peeblesshire News
Dunfermline Press
East Lothian Courier
Oban Times
Strathspey & Badenoch Herald
The Inverness Courier
The Orcadian
YOUNG JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Anna Dowell, The Times Scotland
Billy Gaddi, Daily Record
Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco, The Herald
Lucy Scarlett, The Courier
Harry Williamson, The Scottish Sun
Shortlists for the Scottish Newsbrand of the Year, Journalist of the Year, and Lifetime Achievement Award have not been disclosed. Winners in these categories will be announced on the night of the ceremony.
This year’s judging panel was chaired by Richard Neville, former head of news brands at DC Thomson and current director of Neville Robertson Communications.
“Year after year Scottish journalism just keeps delivering for readers, viewers and listeners,” said Richard. “We are seeing great innovation in the telling of stories through Scottish news brands as well as a clear commitment to ensuring the basic building blocks of holding power to account are solid.”
The 47th Scottish Press Awards are sponsored by, Amazon, VisitScotland, Edrington, Royal Bank of Scotland, The Law Society of Scotland, Caledonian MacBrayne, Diageo, Weber Shandwick, Offshore Energies UK (OEUK), Women in Journalism Scotland, Media House International, Event Consultants Scotland and Newsbrands Scotland.
Overseen by Newsbrands Scotland, the awards ceremony and dinner will take place at the DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow Central on May 21, 2026.
Newsbrands Scotland director John McLellan said “With over 500 entries, this year’s awards show just how competitive and healthy news publishing in Scotland remains, and we’re looking forward to another celebration of all that’s good in Scottish journalism. We’re very grateful to all our sponsors for continuing to support this key date in our calendar.”
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