Thursday 18 / April / 2024
Muscat: Times of Oman and Shabiba, the English and Arabic dailies published by the Muscat Media Group (MMG), have won 31 Society of News Design (SND) awards this year.
“We are delighted to continue our winning streak at SND this year also. Though we have won several major awards in the past, seeing three of our Omani colleagues winning silver medals makes this year even sweeter,” said Sahir KM, Design Editor, Times of Oman.
For the first time, among the winners were three Omanis working for MMG. They have bagged a silver medal each.
Times of Oman won 16 excellence awards and sister publication Shabiba bagged 15 SND awards.
Nasser Al Raisi, associate art director at Shabiba, Arabic daily newspaper said the SND gives awards in four categories—award of excellence, judges’ special recommendation, silver, and gold. Nasser said that he was delighted to have won a silver on his first try. “It means a lot to me. It is a big deal for me as an Omani, as it is a step up for us as news designers in this country,” he said.
Arwa Al Zadjali said she was ecstatic to have won seven awards in all, including a silver, on her first try. “It was great winning seven awards and this was the first time I took part in the competition. I think of it as a reward for years of studying and working,” she said.
Majid Al Wahaibi, who has won seven awards in the past, said this award was special since it was a silver.
“This is the first time I’ve won a silver medal. I feel it is very special because it is an encouragement to me as a designer,” he said.
The three winners said the support and encouragement of Minister of Information, Abdul Muneim Al Hasani, to the Muscat Media Group winners last year and his special visit to the Group’s premises to congratulate the participants had the best impact on them and was a catalyst for their excellence and creativity.
Osama Aljawish from the Shabiba team won five awards of excellence. He said he was very happy to win the international awards.
The winning features
Eight natural antibiotics: Naseer Al Raisi
This feature talks about eight natural antibiotics or food items that help develop immunity. The design features the numerical eight in concentric circles, along with miniscule pictures of eight relevant foods, such as honey, olives, red chillies etc. “I tried to present the story in the best way possible and this is what I came up with,” Raisi said.
The beauty mole: Arwa Al Zadjali
It is a feature story that talks about how a mole can beautify a face. The design displays the face of a woman and uses the contrast between black and white to draw the reader in.
“I have made the mole on the woman’s face yellow and used the same colour for a part of the headline, so that the colour draws the reader in,” Arwa Al Zadjali said.
Drought more dangerous than natural disaster: Majid Al Wahaibi
It is a story that talks about the devastating effects that a drought can have on people, sometimes even more so than natural disasters. It talks about the plight of farmers and their livestock during droughts. “This design displays visuals dry cracks on the earth to get the point across,” Majid Al Wahaibi said explaining his winning work.
