Stan Gorton, the very popular last local editor of the Narooma News, is among the finalists announced for the 2020 Walkley Awards. COVERAGE OF A MAJOR NEWS EVENT OR ISSUE
Stan Gorton, The Islander, “Kangaroo Island bushfire coverage”
Photo: Leon Bignell MP Stan left the Narooma News in March 2018 for Kangaroo Island with the goal ahead to establish a quality, inclusive newspaper for the Kangaroo Island community. They couldn't have hoped for a better recruit and Stan has delivered in diamonds. The warp and weft of a community is often found in a town’s local newspaper. A local newspaper manages to reflect well the values, the concerns, the celebrations and the disappointments of a town and becomes the repository of history and the central reference point to which the community turns. Driving a local newspaper is no easy task. It requires a love of place, a passion for community, a dedication and a commitment to best serve. And that is what Stan Gorton of the Narooma News accomplished for many years. In the pages of the Narooma News, as it was then, Stan bought together and celebrated his community, covering the big and small stories. He often rose to the occasion and asked the hard questions on behalf of his community while also allowing the pages of his paper to reflect the smaller, yet equally important details that make up the fabric of a community. Stan was a true and solid cornerstone of the Narooma community, capturing and presenting its news for many years, and he deservedly garnered the respect of this community. He is now doing just that for his new Kangaroo Island community. A quality editor, a quality journalist and very much worthy of being a finalist in this year's Walkleys for his coverage of the Kangaroo Island bushfires.
Finalists for the Walkleys are selected by panels of peers on the basis of overall merit and journalistic excellence. This year they received 1408 entries.
