The Camden New Journal is a British independent newspaper published in the London Borough of Camden. It was launched by editor Eric Gordon in 1982 following a two-year strike at its predecessor, the Camden Journal. The newspaper was supported by campaigning journalistPaul Foot and former Holborn and St Pancras MP Frank Dobson. It carries significant influence locally, due to its high news content, investigations and large circulation. It is frequently critical of local and national government, which has led to attacks by national government ministers, as well as local councillors, unusually for a local paper. On being awarded its second Press GazetteFree Newspaper of the Year award in 2005, the judges praised how the paper kept its "huge local council on its toes with exclusive after exclusive".
History
In 2006, the Camden New Journal—and its sister paper the Islington Tribune—broke the national story that Government ministerMargaret Hodge had described the war in Iraq as British Prime Minister Tony Blair's biggest mistake. In 2008, journalist Paul Keilthy was nominated in both the Reporter Of The Year and Feature Writer Of The Year categories at the Press Gazette awards. Richard Osley was also shortlisted for Feature Writer Of The Year. Journalists Dan Carrier and Simon Wroe were nominated in 2009 for the same award. William McLennan was named weekly reporter of the year at the Regional Press Awards 2018. The newspaper was nominated for Newspaper Of The Year for regional newspapers with high circulations. It was named Free Newspaper of The Year at Press Gazettes national industry awards in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2010 and 2018. It was nominated in 2002 and 2004.
Features
Current journalists include Dan Carrier, William McLennan, Emily Finch, Helen Chapman, Samantha Booth, Steve Barnett, Tom Foot and Richard Osley. One contributor, Rose Hacker, was believed to be the world's oldest columnist; her column ceased with her death in 2008 at the age of 101. The paper also includes a diary page, penned by John Gulliver.
New Journal Enterprises group
The Camden New Journal, Islington Tribune, Westminster Extra, and The Review are all publications of New Journal Enterprises. The Islington Tribune is a widely-read local newspaper in the London Borough of Islington, contributed to by Koos Couvée and Joe Cooper. Former reporters include Kim Janssen and Andrew Walker, who works for the BBC, as well as former Camden New Journaldeputy editor Andrew Johnson. Peter Gruner, an award-winning environment journalist who previously worked for the Evening Standard, worked for the title until 2015. The Westminster Extra, which covers the entire City of Westminster, is also produced from the New Journal's Camden Town office. Both are also edited by Tom Foot. Despite the paper's name, it also includes Kensington and Chelsea in its list of areas covered.
