I’ve been in the happy position of having rather a lot to write about for Hacks this week. While I’ve been musing on how I’m climbing the steep learning curve at my new job, wanting to respond to others’ posts on here and contemplating just why LinkedIn makes me despair, something went down last night evening called the Press Awards.

I never made a fake Oscars acceptance speech as a kid, you know, just in case. I never dreamed of winning a Brit Award or performing on stage. I even went up the wrong stairs when stunned to have been granted Head Girl (probably politically, as it turned out) at school. Awards are undeniably nice but cringe-inducing, heart-palpitating messy things to recieve and, well, I’m just a bit too awkward and British for all that gracious fawning.

But the Press Awards? Just half an hour ago I found myself wistfully dreaming of collecting one. A bit like how I feel a pang whenever I read about the Young Journalist of the Year awards. Not least because of the lack of gushing – the Chairman of the Judges demands “no sobbing into the microphones”, and you can tell it’s not a joke. But mainly, and call me idealistic, but it seems that within the journalism industry these awards are still recognising talent and people accept the decision the judges have made. There’s none of the backbiting or after-show cynicism of music or film awards (although maybe that’s because the people writing it are journalists), but a genuine pride and pleasure to reward something that in Britain we’re actually rather good at.

The tweet feed says it all. One major exception aside, every announcement is greeted with congratulations and good sportsmanship. Possibly Twitter’s most famous celebrity journo couple sum up the vibe for me, as Caitlin Moran’s (who takes home Interviewer of the Year and Critic of the Year) husband, critic Pete Paphides tweeted:

“Let joy be unconfined! @caitlinmoran has won twice at the Press Awards: Critic of the Year & Interviewer of the Year! #soincrediblyproud" rel="nofollow" href="http://twitter.com/search?q=%23soincrediblyproud" >#soincrediblyproud”

Fangirls and spouses aside, we should be #soincrediblyproud. In amongst all the daily doom we’re told about the industry we want to make our own, here’s a ceremony giving it the recognition it deserves – and in many an aspect. The Press Awards are an excellent showcase of journalistic talent across a very wide spectrum. What other kind of awards ceremony would you see those responsible for the female-friendly, unashamedly lightweight News of the World supplement Fabulous recognised next to sharp political cartoonist for the Times Peter Brooke? Or where  oft-overlooked tabloid The Daily Mirror can take home the award for Most Memorable Front Page while MailOnline are awarded Digital Innovation of the Year? Although, not unsurprisingly, The Guardian takes home Newspaper of the Year. I’m sure the Intern will be able to confirm celebratory champagne with the tea in certain Kings Cross offices today…

While the red carpet bashes will try and eke news out of a Girls Aloud member having a breakdown in the toilets or what Peter Andre failed to say to Justin Beiber, the Press Awards will be celebrated mainly in the offices of newspapers today, rather than on their pages. These are the people, after all, who are being congratulated on their ability to create news. And if you didn’t need any more proof of that: what other award ceremony could be solidly triumphed by a publication which had two of its reporters arrested merely hours before? No costume malfunctions, hissy fits or even egg-related arrivals could have trumped that.