2009 PRODIs winners announced
Dedication, versatility and local knowledge are the hallmarks of regional journalism, and these qualities were in abundance in a strong field of finalists and winners recognised at the 42nd Northern NSW Regional Journalism Awards (the PRODIs) on Saturday July 11.
Journalist of the Year and newsroom all-rounder, 1233 ABC Newcastle’s Giselle Wakatama, left judges in awe of her contemporary journalism skills through her reports on the tragic death of an overworked hospital intern. Giselle worked seamlessly across numerous media platforms, helping to prove that regional journalists are great examples of the cross-media reporting skills that will be at the forefront of the future of journalism.
“Giselle is prolific, the template for modern journalism,” judges said. She also took out the Best Television Journalist Award, Television Current Affairs/Feature/Special Award and the Radio News Report Award.
Denice Barnes of the Central Coast Express Advocate received the Tom Barrass Award for Regional Journalism for her work on the high profile “Iguanagate” investigations. “Denice was able to feed information to the national coverage but also ensure the local community was able to understand the story in the context of their own community”. She also provided coverage of the issue after the national spotlight had moved on.
Chris “Watto” Watson took out one of the night’s most prestigious honours, Most Outstanding Contribution to Journalism, for his long career nurturing young talent and promoting excellent local reporting at the Newcastle Herald.
It was also a big night for Newcastle Herald journalist, Ben Smee, who was not only named Young Journalist of the Year but also took out the Investigative Journalism gong for his determination to expose the “inconvenient truth” of violence captured on a pub security camera video. “The story brings great credit on a young reporter and the newspaper that showed strong support in the face of powerful and vested interests”, judges said.
Ben was one of three print finalists chosen nationally in the recent Walkley Foundation’s Young Australian Journalist of the Year Awards for this same investigative piece
The awards known as the “PRODIs”, recognise excellence in regional media journalism across print, photography, television, radio and online media.
A full list of winners in
all categories follows; for media enquiries contact Clare Fletcher on 0407 676 284.
PF Adams Young Journalist Award
Ben Smee,Newcastle Herald
“Blow by Blow”
Tom Barrass Award for Regional Journalism
Denice Barnes,Central
Coast Express Advocate
“Iguanagate”
Journalist of the Year Award
Giselle Wakatama, 1233 ABC
Newcastle / ABC TV Stateline
“The Young Doctors”, “Doctor Despair”
Most Outstanding Contribution to Journalism Award
Chris Watson, Newcastle Herald
CATEGORY WINNERS
Best Print Journalist
Damon Cronshaw,Newcastle
Herald
“Lake
Macquarie”
Best Radio Journalist
Aaron
Kearney, ABC Radio
“Kokoda
- Steps to Healing”
Best Television Journalist
Giselle Wakatama, ABC TV Stateline
“Young Doctors”
Best Photographer
Liam Driver, The Daily
Telegraph
“How
My Kids Saved My Life”
Award Winners 2009
Print News Report
Patrick Williams,Tweed Daily News
“'They want me dead': Web
kill club targets teen”
Print Feature Writing
Neil Jameson, Newcastle
Herald
“Man Power”
TV News Report
Kasey McCulloch, Prime
Television
“Community Cut Down”
TV Current Affairs/Feature/Special
Giselle Wakatama, ABC TV Stateline
“The Young Doctors”
Radio News Report
Giselle Wakatama, 1233 ABC
Newcastle
“Doctor Despair”
Radio Current Affairs/Feature/Special
Aaron
Kearney, ABC Radio
“Kokoda
- Steps to Healing”
All Media Best Editorial Artist or Cartoonist
David Coleman, Newcastle
Herald
“The Joker”
All Media Best Sport News Story
Robert Dillon, Newcastle Herald
“You’ve Been Conned”
All Media Best Sport Feature
Adam McIlrick and Michael
Rauch, NBN Television
“Horses Birthday”
All Media Specialty Journalism
Damon Cronshaw, Newcastle Herald
“Lake
Macquarie”
All Media Investigative Journalism
Ben Smee, Newcastle Herald
“Blow by Blow”
All Media Best Use of the Medium
Kim
Honan, ABC Rural Online / ABC Mid
North
Coast
“The Slim Dusty Way”
Photography Winners
News Photography
Simone De Peak, Newcastle Herald online, Sydney
Morning Herald
“Deer in Headlights”
Sport Photography
Peter Clark, Central
Coast Express Advocate
“Mudlarks Paradise”
Feature Photography
Liam Driver, The Daily
Telegraph
“How
My Kids Saved My Life”
