It was a year of media inquiries, interspersed with bouts of media sackings. When we weren’t making people redundant or planning new ways of regulating the press, we were busy being appalled by the latest case of media depravity.

In 2012 we saw the press shrivel and we finally realised it will no doubt wither. Online media continued to assert itself and social media returned us to the days of mob rule. Establishment media often had no defence against waves of progressive media consumers. Apps collapsed, start-ups folded and paywalls rose and fell.

Against that backdrop, we offer the 2012 Crikeys for media excellence and mediocrity …

Newspaper of the year: The Canberra Times (by default)

It’s very hard to pick this year.