Perth’s The Record Magazine makes history as recipients of 2024 Bishop Kennedy Award

The Archdiocese of Perth’s The Record Magazine, has been honoured as recipients of the top award at the 2024 Australasian Catholic Press Association (ACPA) Annual Awards Night held at Rydges North Sydney, Wednesday 28 August.

The 32-page quarterly magazine, produced by the Archdiocese of Perth Communications Office, received the Bishop Kennedy Award for Overall Excellence in a Catholic Publication, with this year also being the masthead’s 150 anniversary.

The judges’ comments were glowing for the already award-winning magazine, noting each edition of The Record Magazine is expertly designed and features high-quality content.

“The publication is enriched with faith-filled articles, offering an easy-to-navigate layout and a wealth of interesting topics,” the judges said.

As the official publication for the Archdiocese of Perth, The Record Magazine is supported by the online news publication of the same masthead, The eRecord and is distributed to all 103 parishes and 114 schools across Perth, with an overall circulation of more than 25,000.

Content and images are developed by the Communications Office team and includes news and information content relating to youth, vocations, evangelisation, liturgy, life, marriage and family, mostly local to Perth and Western Australia. The Record Magazine, together with its counterpart The eRecord, also has a significant readership nationally and internationally, particularly to the parishes and schools of fellow WA dioceses Broome, Bunbury and Geraldton.

More than 50 Catholic media and communications professionals gathered for the annual awards night, recognising excellence in Catholic media across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. The Awards was held in conjunction with the triennial Communications Congress, led by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference.

Other award winners included Tui Motu Magazine for Best Front Page (Print), the Diocese of Darwin’s online publication Yarning for Best Layout and Design and Jesuit Publication Australian Catholics for Best Layout and Design Print.

In 2024-25, the ACPA also has a new Executive, with Archdiocese of Perth Manager, Communications, and Editor of The Record, Jamie O’Brien, taking on the role as President. Mr O’Brien has served as Treasurer of ACPA for the past six years. Majellan Publications CEO Tony Bivano steps in as Treasurer and CathNews Editor Rebecca Comini returns to the role as Secretary.

Melbourne freelancer Fiona Basile returns as Vice-President Australia and Archdiocese of Wellington’s Annette Scullion returns as Vice-President New Zealand.

Outgoing President Neil Helmore, from the Diocese of Townsville, congratulated Mr O’Brien and his team for their professionalism, dedication and commitment to delivering Catholic news and information with honesty and integrity.

“As professional communicators, we must remain steadfast to the truth, focussing always on developing and delivering the message of the gospel, and The Record has definitely set a positive example of how this important task can be carried out,” Mr Helmore said.

“I congratulate all the winners and runners-up and thank all ACPA members who came together for this special occasion, to learn and grow with each other in faith.”