Advocate South chief reporter Claire Kaplan was named best junior news journalist of the year at the New Zealand Community Newspaper Association Awards in Christchurch last week.

The annual awards celebrate the very best of community newspapers and magazines throughout the country. It is run by the New Zealand Community Newspaper Association (CNA), an industry body with members from more than 80 independent newspapers and magazines.

The awards were the centrepiece of the CNA's annual two-day conference, where members heard from a range of speakers about the industry, including Minister of Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media Hon Kris Faafoi.

CNA president David Mackenzie said the calibre of entries received for this year's awards was extremely high. The top award, the Frank Veale Memorial Award for Community Newspaper of the Year, went to Whakatane's The Beacon.

An American, Miss Kaplan began her New Zealand journalism career at Advocate South in February 2016. She was last year granted residency and promoted to the role of chief reporter, heading news coverage for the Advocate South and now also The Southland App. She is based in Te Anau.

Judges commented that her work comprised "meaty stories", "significant rural topics" and was "very thorough".

Miss Kaplan, 33, said she was thrilled with her win.

"I'm still in shock to be honest. I sent in my portfolio just hoping to get some constructive feedback from the judges, so getting that kind of industry acknowledgement has been just the best feeling," she said.