BritishBoxing.net's Editor shortlisted for top award by Terry Dooley Mar 12th 2008

Britishboxing.net's Editor Ian McNeilly has been nominated for the Sports Journalists' Association's Internet Sportswriter of the Year for 2007.  BBN is shortlisted along with writers from the online versions of the BBC, The Times, The Sun and The Guardian. It is also a just reward for all the years of unpaid graft McNeilly has put into BBN since its inception. The winner will be announced at an awards dinner in London on Monday March 17th. The shortlist is as follows: Andy Bull (Guardian Unlimited), Paul Doyle (Guardian Unlimited), Edward Gorman (Times Online), Ian McNeilly (British Boxing.net), Simon Rothstein (The Sun Online), Matt Slater (BBC) Internet journalism, and Internet boxing journalism in particular, has come a long way from the ‘Internet amateurs' days, the improvement in quality is now beginning to be recognised. McNeilly's nomination is proof of this fact. As a writer, I use that in the loosest possible sense, here at BBN I know that it is a time-consuming, if rewarding, hobby and can not begin to imagine the headaches that would go into editing a site like BBN. Ian has had a few of these headaches in the past.  From writers saying they will send you stuff then forgetting to send it, or them finding out an exclusive then forgetting to phone anyone, or someone sending you an email saying ‘Have I just sent you an email?', or plain old receiving transcripts of text instead of interviews, Ian has had to deal with all these things and more...then he has to move on from dealing with me and onto the other staffers.  For the above reasons and more, Ian, a qualified journalist but who currently earns his crust in education, deserves a big ‘well done' from everyone at BBN. After weeping briefly upon receiving the nomination, Ian took the time to speak to BBN about what it means to him and the site: ‘It's an honour to be short listed for this award, especially as it's the first time the Sports Journalists' Association has decided to recognise Internet writing as a discrete, worthy area of work. ‘The look of the shortlist will hopefully make faithful readers of the site a little proud - the Guardian, the Times, the Sun, the BBC and little old BBN! ‘Some people might know that although I am a qualified journalist I teach English for a living (unless you're working for one of the nationals, newspaper pay is shocking, far worse than in education) so all the stuff I've done for the site over the last four years has been extra graft - and this nomination is a big boost, showing that I, and the rest of the lads on the site, must be doing something very right. ‘The awards are judged by very experienced sports editors and journalists so it's particularly rewarding to be recognised by those who are at the top of the profession. ‘It's the latest feather in boxing's cap as the sport seems to be doing very well of late! And the creation of the award itself will hopefully go some way to counter those who dismiss new media as a necessarily poor relation to print. Hopefully our readers will continue to support BBN as we try to bring you the best Internet coverage of British boxing.' At this point a posse of backing singers came and hustled Ian from the stage, lit his cigar, and then ushered him into his chauffer-driven limousine, he left me with a shout of “5 ****ing pages on Audley Harrison?!”.  I am sure regular BBN readers will join me in wishing the big man all the best for the upcoming awards ceremony, and make sure you enjoy his stuff, when he wins we won't be able to afford him anymore.

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