News titles awarded, The Age snubbed. What are the best newspapers in the country (and the South Pacific)? The Newspaper Publishers’ Association has named a long list for this year’s Newspaper of the Year awards, honouring The Australian and most of News Limited’s flagship tabloids — but snubbing The Age. In the daily paper category (with a circulation above 90,000) the nominees include: The Advertiser, Courier-Mail, The Australian, Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun and Manly Daily (News), the Sydney Morning Herald (last year’s winner) and New Zealand Herald (Fairfax), and the West Australian.

The best Sunday title will be fought by News’ Sunday Herald Sun, Sunday Mail (Queensland) and Sunday Times, and Fairfax’s Herald on Sunday (NZ), Sunday Star Times (NZ) and Sun–Herald. The Age does get a gong in the best website category, against adelaidenow.com.au, theaustralian.com.au, nzherald.co.nz, news.com.au, st.com.sg and stuff.co.nz. Some 64 awards will be handed out in total, at a gala in Sydney on August 26. — Jason Whittaker

No irony in the north. The Courier Mail sports section today reports the following, with the characteristic absence of any irony: “Broncos captain Darren Lockyer has promised to come back ‘refreshed’ from a two-week layoff with a rib injury he has described as ‘deflating’.” Ouch! Maybe the doctors should check if he also has a punctured rib?

It reminded me of the death of media mogul Robert Maxwell, who fell overboard and drowned during a boozy cruise on his floating gin palace. The late and lamented Melbourne Herald at the time reported witnesses saying they were shocked at the drowning and the widespread speculation of suicide. One witness was quoted saying: “I saw him the night before and he seemed quite buoyant.” — Brisbane media watcher Terrence W. Towelling

Mike Bowers’ touching tribute to his dad Peter

“My Father, political journalist Peter Bowers, used to be able to coin a phrase with almost every column he wrote. The bitter irony of a man who could take words and bend them to his will was that Alzheimer’s slowly drained his ability to say anything and in the end he could not even recognise his wife of nearly 54 years and my mother Yvonne.” — The Drum

Where does she find the time?

“Following on from Woman’s Day‘s celebratory special edition after Gillard’s controversial rise to the prime ministerial role, and the cover of stablemate title The Australian Women’s Weekly, the PM has been given the opportunity to guest edit the weekly magazine, contributing an editor’s letter, ‘reviewing this week’s real life and lifestyle content’ and answering a Q&A. ‘I understand that Australian women face challenges every day – balancing the demands of work and family, managing the household budget and contributing to their community,’ writes Gillard in the opening missive.” — Girl with a Satchel

MTV announces its first TJ, a Twitter Jockey

“The winner — selected from among five finalists on Sunday night on MTV and mtv.com — is Gabi Gregg, 23, of Chicago, the founder of a popular blog called Young, Fat and Fabulous.” — New York Times

A journo on life at News of the World pre-Rupert

“The staple diet was sex and many pages were filled with reports of rape cases and similar events from provincial assize courts… I recall one memorable line in a rape case that ran: ‘And there, in a verdant glade alive with birdsong, the monster slaked his insatiable lust’. Not the sort of thing you could get away with in these politically correct times.”– Gentlemen Ranters

A guide to reporting death

“…grieving families with little or no experience of the press need to be given a better understanding of how journalists work and the stories they seek. They need to be told in plain language that press is supportive, wants to help, wants to pay tribute to their loved one. The first thing that has to happen in the future is that families are made aware from the outset that the media may be interested in their story and will have access to publicly available information. Simply saying “We don’t want to be in the press” is not an option. A leaflet could cover this.” — Chris Weal

Junior MasterChef ready for the hungry hoardes

“First footage from the kids version, currently in the final stages of production at Sydney’s Eveleigh railyards, have so impressed Ten executives they are planning to bring forward an air date to early September.” — Daily Telegraph

Seven gets election ready

“Seven has now advised of its Election Night line-up, to be titled Your Call 2010. Airing from 5pm AEST Saturday August 21, it will be hosted by David Koch and Melissa Doyle.” — TV Tonight

Venezualan paper gets firebombed

“The Prosecutor’s Office has opened a case into this week’s molotov cocktail bomb attack against the offices of the newspaper Las Noticias, El Universal reports. Las Noticias’ director said the attack may be linked to the paper’s editorial line.” — Knight Centre for Journalism

The death of magazines continues

“The two-year slide in US magazine circulation accelerated in the first six months of 2010, in spite of a gradual recovery in advertising spending.” — Financial Times