Double triumph for Journal in magazine awards

New format secures best design and best member magazine in industry "Oscars"

News, 1 December 2006

The Journal, the Law Society of Scotland's monthly members' magazine, last night scooped two top prizes at the Scottish Magazine Awards, the annual gala event for the publishing industry in Scotland.

Shortlisted in all four of the 15 categories for which it was entered, the Journal was the judges' choice for first place in two of these - Business & Professional Magazine Design of the Year, and Member Magazine of the Year.

Now in their fifth year, the Awards are organised by the Periodical Publishers' Association Scotland, which aims to encourage best practice in all areas of magazine publishing expertise. Each year the number and standard of entries has risen, and this year's published shortlist contained no fewer than 85 names chasing the 15 awards.

The 12 judges, with a wide range of publishing experience between them, put the Journal ahead of titles such as Holyrood, Surgeons' News, Historic Scotland and the National Library of Scotland's Discover NLS in its winning classes. In the running for the overall title of Magazine of the Year 2006, it was edged out by Scottish Field, which won the Consumer Magazine of the Year and Consumer Magazine Editor of the Year titles.

The event was a particular celebration for Paisley-based contract publisher Connect Communications, which produces the Journal for the Society. The company also produces Glasgow City Council's Glasgow, which took Customer Magazine of the Year, and Standard Life's Standard, voted Staff Magazine of the Year.

Journal Editor Peter Nicholson said the awards were the climax of a highly successful 50th anniversary year for the magazine, which began publishing in 1956. "It is very pleasing that judges from outside the legal profession can recognise what we are trying to do to reflect the profile of the modern, increasingly young and diverse profession.

"The excellence of the Journal today reflects a combination of creative effort and hard work by the Journal team, and the support we have from the Society and our contributors from the profession."

Last week Connect was awarded a five-year renewal of the Journal publishing contract by the Society's Council, following a competitive tender process.