Michael Cummings awarded top print industry fellowship

Manawatu Standard editor Michael Cummings has been awarded a top print industry fellowship.
He is the recipient of the 2010 Air New Zealand/British High Commission Print Journalism Fellowship to the UK.

Cummings will take up the fellowship at Cardiff University’s School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies in April.

His studies will include newsroom management in an increasingly digital age and media freedom issues.
An attachment to a British newspaper is also included.

Cummings, 28, was appointed Standard editor last year and was previously the newspaper’s deputy editor.
The Newspaper Publishers’ Association sponsors the fellowship, with support from the British High Commission in Wellington and Air New Zealand.

It is open to all working journalists employed by the NPA’s member daily and Sunday newspapers and the New Zealand Press Association.

“The standard this year was the highest yet,” British High Commissioner George Fergusson, who sat on the judging panel, said.

“In our remote corner of the world we have the luxury of being able to observe often dramatic changes in media in overseas markets before the tsunami hits here,” NPA chief executive Tim Pankhurst said.

“There is much we can learn from our UK colleagues and links such as this fellowship are invaluable in that regard.”