Hewlett, who died last week, charted his battle against cancer through his columns in The Observer and in interviews with Eddie Mair on BBC Radio Four.

The Steve Hewlett Scholarship was today at the Royal Television Society’s Television Journalism Awards where Hewlett’s sons received the Judges Award on his behalf, recognising Hewlett's lifetime of broadcast journalism and his work in the past year.

The scholarship is an initiative by the RTS and The Media Society and will be presented each year to one scholar from a lower income family studying an undergraduate broadcast journalism course in the UK.

The scholarship will be funded on a long term basis as part of the RTS’ annual Undergraduate Bursary scheme, which guarantees a scholarship of £1,000 each year. In addition The Media Society will lead a major fund-raising appeal later this year with the ambition of doubling the award so that the scholar receives £2,000 per year, on top of their access to mentoring from RTS members and Hewlett’s former colleagues and peers.

Organisations already backing The Media Society’s initiative and committing to support it include: BBC Radio Four, Brunel University, Channel 4, Google UK, ITN, ITV, Sky News, The London Press Club, Women in Journalism; and individuals including: Trevor Phillips OBE, Roger Bolton, Peter Taylor, Fiona Chesterton and the former CEO of News and Regions at ITV and now Chair of the Disasters Emergency Committee Clive Jones CBE, who chairs the appeal.

Jones said as he announced the appeal: "Steve was a broadcasting polymath: a brilliant reporter, editor, commissioner, director of programmes, senior executive and presenter. He was also the kindest of men with a wicked chuckle and a joyous sense of humour. He was always willing to give his time to young people just starting out in the industry. This prize will hopefully unearth a worthy successor to this wonderfully talented journalist and programme maker. 

"We are delighted so many broadcasters and groups have already backed the fund and we are hoping many others will join us in celebrating the life and work of this great British talent.”

Theresa Wise, Chief Executive of the RTS, said: “By working together on this scholarship, the RTS can guarantee the long-term funding and the Media Society can allow organisations and individuals to contribute. In his journalism Steve was always committed to bringing on the next generation – especially those from less affluent circumstances – and he was especially pleased when we were able to tell him some of the details of the scholarship. We are also delighted that Steve’s wife, Rachel, will be involved in helping to select the scholar.”