THE Murray Pioneer was named South Australia’s Best Country Newspaper for 2024 at last week’s Country Press SA Awards. 

The Pioneer enjoyed an outstanding night at the awards ceremony, which was held at the Hilton Hotel, in Adelaide, highlighted by the best newspaper crown, which it had last won in 2019. 
Feedback for the Pioneer, given by Bob Yeates, focused on the newspaper’s connection with its surrounding community. 

“The paper put itself above the rest with its measured regular two-page feature of letters,” Mr Yeates’ feedback said. 

“The consistent weekly double-page spread of letters measures the connectedness of the paper to the local community. No letters equals little connectedness. 

“It is a grand feature of the Pioneer and a measure of acceptance of the local paper in a local community.” 
The story ‘CUT CLASS’, which appeared in the 4 April 2024 edition and covered controversy surrounding a sex education presentation given at Renmark High School, also won the prestigious Excellence in Journalism award for former Pioneer journalist Alexandra Bull. 

Feedback from judge Kym Tilbrook said Ms Bull should be “congratulated on breaking the story which met all the criteria for the award”. 

“Alexandra wrote that even in regional communities, in today’s society it’s difficult to keep young people, even children, from being exposed to inappropriate material,” the feedback said. 

Meanwhile, the Pioneer’s annual Riverland Rose and Garden Festival Guide claimed second place for Best Community Advertising Promotion, a full-page advertisement for Koch’s Foodland was runner-up for Best Advertisement - Priced Product, and editor Hugh Schuitemaker received third place for Best Editorial Writing. 

Taylor Group Media’s SA Farmer Magazine was also third place in the Best Special Publication category.