Ray Massey is presented with a lifetime achievement award for his ‘unstinting commitment to service and an unswerving energy for the subject matter’
He was named automotive consumer journalist of the year and given a lifetime achievement award for his work covering the motor industry for the Daily Mail over nearly three decades – making him the newspaper’s longest serving motoring correspondent since the Mail itself was founded in 1896 at the dawn of the motor car.
For the consumer award he was praised by judges for his work as a champion for UK motorists following a range of articles that covered subjects as diverse as parking ticket rip-offs, scam car dealers, and tyre safety.
The Newspress Awards judges said: “The Daily Mail’s Ray Massey emerged victorious in the keenly fought Automotive Consumer Journalist category of the Newspress 2023 Awards. He was up against strong entries but came out top because of his commitment to creating great stories that have real meaning for his readership.”
They added: “The judges were looking for a consumer journalist who could create well-crafted stories and somebody with a care for the written word, tenacity, creativity and a respect for language.”
Discussing Massey’s entry, the judges said: “The wide range of topics covered and clear, concise writing ensure that he still sets the standard when it comes to fighting for car owners.”
In the citation for the lifetime achievement award, the judges said: “We are delighted to give him this honour.
“Ray is an example for younger journalists. If you want to know how to craft a motoring story, just check out Ray’s stories online or on the printed publication. He knows his stuff, but he’ll never patronise with high-falutin’, pompous prose. He gets the heart of the story, and that’s why he’s been such a success in this business for so many years.”
In this year’s annual Newspress awards Massey was also shortlisted for five other categories including: news; feature writing; technology, EV, and motoring editor of the year. Last year he was crowned Automotive News Journalist of the year in the same awards.
Massey took over the Daily Mail motoring role in 1995, after five years as the newspaper’s education correspondent, combining the role between 2000 and 2015 with rail and aviation when he was transport editor.
He succeeded his immediate predecessor Michael Kemp (who held the post at the Mail from 1971) in a line of illustrious correspondents going back to 1896 whose number included (in the 1930s) land speed record holder Sir Malcolm Campbell.
He said: “The Daily Mail was launched in 1896, at the very dawn of the original motoring revolution, and has been a champion of the motorist ever since.
“It’s my privilege to be reporting on the key issues facing drivers, families and consumers today as we enter a new 21st century mobility revolution – the drive to electrification – along with all the benefits and challenges that this presents, not least the shortage of charging points and the seemingly endless war on the motorist by some of those in power.
“And rest assured, despite a lifetime of motoring up to this point, there’s still plenty of tread left on my tyres for many miles more to come.”
