View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

Sun launches new search for columnist of tomorrow

By Andrew Pugh

As The Sun launches its second Column Idol competition, Press Gazette has learned that last year’s winner is now working as a features writer for the paper.

Lee Price, 22, scooped last year’s prize with his column on the FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

Price, who only entered the competition after being ‘pestered’by his mum, was invited back to the paper after his full-page column was published last September.

‘I’ve been really fortunate to keep writing for the paper,’Price said. ‘It was a massive platform for me to break into journalism. Many of my friends from university are in a position where they can’t even get an interview.”

Price entered last year’s competition – run in conjunction with the Media Trust – shortly after graduating from university and landing a job as a sports writer at Exeter-based Shoot! magazine.

As the 2011 competition gets underway, Price said: ‘You have to write about something you’re passionate about.”

Since joining The Sun, Price has written about being behind-the-scenes for Page 3, asked whether Richard Madeley is the new Alan Partridge and discovered what happens if you try drinking eight cans of energy drink.

Content from our partners
MHP Group's 30 To Watch awards for young journalists open for entries
How PA Media is helping newspapers make the digital transition
Publishing on the open web is broken, how generative AI could help fix it

As well as getting a full-page column published in the paper, Column Idol also offers 18-25 year olds the chance to be mentored by top journalists.

Six shortlisted writers will pitch their columns to a judging panel including The Sun’s editor Dominic Mohan and columnist Jane Moore, and the winner will see their column printed in Britain’s best-selling newspaper in September 2011.

Media Trust deputy chief executive Katie Simpson said: ‘This is part of a long term partnership with The Sun and News International. We’re delighted to have some of their most esteemed journalists on board as mentors to give industry insight and expertise to young people who wouldn’t normally have access to it.’

Entrants must write a short description about themselves, what they would like to write about and why they deserve to be crowned Column Idol 2011. The entry form can be found at www.thesun.co.uk/columnidol.

The closing date for entries is 20 June.

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly does of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network