Posted: 16-Jun-2011
The Dominion Post’s farming editor, Jon Morgan, is this year’s Landcorp Agricultural Communicator of the Year. He was selected by an independent panel of 10 judges ahead of five other very worthy recipients to receive this prestigeous award, which was announced at an Awards Dinner in Hamilton last night. The Dominion Post is Wellington’s daily newspaper.
Jon has been working as a reporter or sub-editor for 45 years, working on a number of newspapers in New Zealand and Australia. Since 1988 he worked for the Dominion, including a number of years as news editor in Wellington, then moving to Palmerston North as a general reporter for six years, before taking on the agricultural round ten years ago.
Over that period he has won many of the annual journalism awards run by the NZ Guild of Agricultural Journalists, including the supreme award for excellence in agricultural journalism, the BNZ Rongo Award. He currently is vice-president of the New Zealand Guild of Agricultural Journalists and Communicators
The Landcorp Agricultural Communicator of the Year Award is administered by the New Zealand Guild of Agricultural Journalists and Communicators, and recognises excellence in communicating agricultural issues, events or information. This year marks the 25th anniversary of Landcorp’s sponsorship of the award.
Regarded as the premier award for agricultural communicators, it is also the most valuable prize on offer. Landcorp provides a prize of $2500, which is part of a funding packing of $7500 in sponsorship for the Guild. The additional funding assists with administration costs, including the Award dinner.
Guild President, Mick Calder, said Jon is one of a small group of newspaper journalists who write with clarity, a depth of understanding and empathy on farming and farmers for a largely city audience. As well, his regular weekly opinion pieces provide an experienced view on issues affecting the primary sector.
“Jon has the ability to convey the lifestyles and experiences of people living off the land to life in a way that is easy to read and understood by everyone. His writing expands the readers’ knowledge of things that impact on the life of the rural communities, helping to bring the city and rural communities closer together,” he said.
For more information:
Sue Miller
New Zealand Guild of Agricultural Journalists and Communicators
04 233 1842
Mobile 0274 510 339