Celebrating creative and excellent journalism for both news and current affairs, the prestigious awards took place this evening at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London, hosted by journalist and presenter Cathy Newman.

ITV scored the highest award count of the night, taking home nine wins across the 19 competitive categories including Breaking News, Scoop of the Year and News Coverage – International for ITV News’ ‘Storming the Capitol’, as well as Good Morning Britain’s Noel Phillips being crowned Young Talent of the Year, and Robert Moore taking home Network Journalist of the Year.

Sky and BBC followed, both garnering three wins with Camera Operator of the Year for RTS bursary alum Dean Massey for Sky News, and along with ‘Climate Live’ for News Technology, Sky News also took home the prestigious News Channel of the Year. BBC was recognised for News Coverage – Home, Network Interview of the Year for ‘Dominic Cummings – The Interview’ for BBC News and BBC Scotland’s ‘Disclosure’ for Nations and Regions Current Affairs.

The prestigious RTS Special Award was presented to the news media community in Afghanistan in recognition of those professionals who have supported major global news outlets for decades and now under the Taliban many have lost their jobs, have been forced to flee the country and some killed in the line of duty. The second award, given at the discretion of the RTS is the Outstanding Contribution Award, which this year went to Samir Shah CBE for his glittering 40-year career heading up many of the most successful current affairs programmes before launching his own production company.

Chair of the Awards, Simon Bucks, said: “The quality of the entries this year has been exceptional. If we needed evidence of the importance of public service journalism, it’s been abundant during the past 12 months. The RTS Television Journalism Awards celebrate it, but we must also promote it and defend it.

It is more vital than ever to report an uncertain world, to speak truth to power and hold those who govern to account.”

For more information please visit: https://rts.org.uk/award/TVJ2022

Please see below the full list of winners and nominees:

Breaking News

WINNER: Storming of the Capitol – ITV News at Ten ITN/ITV News for ITV

“This category attracted some very high-quality entries covering a wide range of stories and all three nominees demonstrated admirable speed and enterprise. The winner stood out for its exclusive brave reporting, its high-quality journalism under pressure and its sheer daring.  The jury agreed it represented a brilliant operation by news gatherers and newsroom alike to report a dramatic and jaw-dropping event – thrashing the local media on its own turf.”

Nominees:

• The Killing of Sir David Amess Sky News
• The Assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse - CNN International CNN

 

Camera Operator of the Year

WINNER: Dean Massey Sky News

“The jury said there are a few elite camera operators who regularly feature in the final voting for this category. But this year a new name emerged whose skill in composition, colour and innovative sequence production won the day. 2021 was a crucial year for reporting the environment and this operator brought home the crisis facing our planet with his stunning submission.”

Nominees:

• Mstyslav Chernov The Associated Press
• Mark Davey – ITV News at Ten ITN / ITV News for ITV

 

Current Affairs – Home

WINNER: The Men Who Sell Football Al Jazeera Investigations for Al Jazeera English Channel

“The judges felt this was a very strong and varied set of entries ranging from traditional investigative journalism to documenting the lived experiences of individuals at the sharp end of contemporary concerns.  The winning entry tackled a global subject with a reputation for corrupt behaviour. But the judges felt this investigation threw fresh new light – as a result of examining in forensic detail, with great use of graphics and remarkable undercover photography - on the stories behind some of our most famous football clubs.”

Nominees:

• Surviving Squalor: Britain's Housing Shame ITN / ITV News for ITV
• Rape: Who's on Trial? Hardcash Productions for Channel 4

 

Current Affairs – International

WINNER: The Missing Children (Exposure) True Vision / Nevision for ITV

“In an outstanding year for international news with numerous important stories across the globe there were multiple brilliant entries in this category. It is no exaggeration that many of them deserved a place on the shortlist and the jury had a tough time in making their selection. This was a beautifully made film –a truly chilling story which was sensitively handled and unremittingly held power to account. It demonstrated excellent production values and had wide-ranging impact.”

Nominees:

• Collapse: Retreat from Afghanistan Sky News
• Return from Isis - A Family's Story BBC Panorama in conjunction with Frontline PBS and Mongoose Pictures for BBC One

 

Digital Award

WINNER: All Hail the Lockdown Al Jazeera English

“The judges found the winning entry very engaging, with great camerawork and innovative use of graphics.  This was a five-part series examining the many dimensions of lockdown, but the entry before the judges focused on the issue of loneliness. The judges were much impressed by the high quality of the work of the multi-media journalist who put the whole thing together. She presented, produced, filmed and edited the packages.”

Nominees:

• Uncovered – The Down's Syndrome Fightback Channel 4 News / Online and Social Media
• Sky News Investigates Sky News

 

Nations and Regions Current Affairs

WINNER: Disclosure - Desperately Seeking Asylum BBC Scotland for BBC One Scotland

“The winning entry is a masterclass in reporting, journalistic rigour, and a fine example of how persistence does pay off in investigations.  It was a brave story to undertake and a difficult subject to get to grips with.  It succeeded and the result was a programme studded with revelations throughout the hour that altered the way the jury looked at the issue.  The programme stood out for the remarkable stories and powerful personal testimony of vulnerable people’s lives.”

Nominees:

• Up Close – Minority Report UTV
• Spotlight – Undercover: Pups for Sale BBC NI for BBC One Northern

 

Nations and Regions News

WINNER: Children In Crisis: Are we failing young minds? – ITV News Central ITV News Central for ITV

“This year’s winner is an exposé that proves both the importance of a journalist’s contacts and a programme’s relationship with its audience.  The response from the public, who were asked for their experiences, was clearly enormous.  The jury called this entry brave, gripping, responsible, and important.  They particularly commended the amount of planning and trust that had been involved in its making.” 

Nominees:

• ITV West Country - Plymouth shootings – ITV News West Country ITV News for ITV
• Ballymurphy News Special – UTV Live UTV

 

Nations and Regions Presenter of the Year

WINNER: Kathryn Samson – Scotland Tonight & STV News at Six STV News for STV

"The judges agreed our winner is fearless in holding power to account, exhibits sharp journalistic skill, but also clearly knows how to build a relationship with the viewers.  The jury also appreciated how politics was made accessible, interesting and entertaining.  Our winner demonstrated real depth, empathy when needed, passion and humour.”

Nominees:

• Mark Carruthers – The View & Sunday Politics BBC NI for BBC One Northern Ireland
• Charlene White – ITV London ITN / ITV News for ITV  

 

Network Daily News Programme of the Year

WINNER: ITV News at Ten ITN / ITV News for ITV

“For the first time in the history of this category – the three nominees all have the same name and go out (usually) at the same time. In that head-to-head battle all three won praise from the jury. All boasted powerful coverage of Covid, of Afghanistan, and of climate change. But the jury agreed the winner was in a class of its own this year, with a raft of compelling stories at home and abroad in addition to one stonking exclusive.”

Nominees:

• BBC News at Ten BBC News for BBC One
• News at Ten Sky News

 

Network Interview of the Year

WINNER: Dominic Cummings – The Interview BBC News for BBC Two

“The jury described this as a fantastic piece of theatre. Forensically conducted and a genuinely revelatory interview generating acres of news coverage and containing some great lines. A spellbinding example of revenge served up cold.”

Nominees:

• The Taliban Live BBC News Channel BBC News for BBC News Channel
• Nevres Kemal by Jason Farrell Sky News

 

Network Presenter of the Year

WINNER: Krishnan Guru-Murthy – Channel 4 News ITN for Channel 4

"The judges thought the winner has become one of the outstanding presenters of his generation. He harnesses his assured broadcasting presence and writing skills, to doggedly pursue a story with nerve and directness. He is bold and brave and gutsy: he doesn’t flinch from asking the direct and tough question.”

Nominees:

• Kate Garraway – Good Morning Britain ITV Studios Daytime for ITV
• Kirsty Wark – BBC Newsnight for BBC Two

 

Network Television Journalist of the Year

WINNER Robert Moore – ITV News ITN / ITV News for ITV

“The jury said this was simply brilliant! Star quality journalism with amazing craft skills, reporting live from the chaos of the attack on the American Capitol whilst keeping his audience front of mind and captured history in the making.”

Nominees:

• Stuart Ramsay Sky News
• Yogita Limaye BBC News for BBC One

 

News Channel of the Year

WINNER: Sky News 

"The jury said the entries this year confirmed that when it comes to rolling news plurality is alive and well.  Although some themes were shared –  all offered different takes on the year’s events. The jury agreed that the winning channel – while doing its normal good job reporting breaking news – had been especially innovative in other ways. It’s focus on data journalism and its dedicated climate change coverage stood out in particular.”

Nominees:

• BBC News Channel
• Al Jazeera English

 

News Coverage – Home

WINNER: The Cost of Covid BBC News for BBC One

“The jury noted this category threw a spotlight on those who have been left behind in modern Britain, struggling to survive or facing injustice.  A very strong set of submissions from all the participating news companies.  The judges applauded the emotional impact of the winner compiled with restraint and skill and the bravery to run the pieces at length even in a crowded news bulletin.”

Nominees:

• Britain's Housing Scandal – ITV News ITN / ITV News for ITV
• Women, Violence and Criminal Justice – Channel 4 News ITN for Channel 4

 

News Coverage – International

WINNER: Storming of the Capitol – ITV News ITN / ITV News for ITV

“The judges found it difficult to compare a large and varied field of quality entries, particularly in a year when Western forces ended their 20-year mission in Afghanistan in chaos and confusion. Coverage from less well reported conflicts was also impressive but it was ITV News’s dramatic reporting from Capitol Hill that proved the power of a news team on the ground following a breaking story with bravery and skill.”

Nominees:

• Yemen BBC News for BBC One
• Afghanistan Under the Taliban The Associated Press

 

News Technology

WINNER: Climate Live Sky News

“This category demonstrated that innovation is alive and well in the television journalism business. But the jury was especially impressed by one entry which used technology in an ambitious and original way.  In particular it allowed the production team at base to control the output created 400 miles away.”

Nominees:

• Our Climate Futures Channel 4 News / Online and Social Media
• What will climate change look like in your area? BBC News / BBC Panorama for BBC One

 

Scoop of the Year

WINNER: Storming of the Capitol – ITV News ITN / ITV News for ITV

“The jury said it’s impossible to overstate the remarkable nature of the winning scoop. A reporter and camera operator with an exclusive eyewitness account of a genuinely historic event – that is something we rarely see.  Our winners not only did that – but they did it brilliantly.  They captured dramatic pictures and telling interviews, alongside a cool and analytical commentary – all under extreme pressure and in the face of great personal risk.”

Nominees:

• Amazon’s Waste Secrets Uncovered – ITV News ITN / ITV News for ITV
• Ethiopia: Exposing All The Hallmarks of a Genocide – CNN International CNN

 

Specialist Journalist of the Year

WINNER: Daniel Hewitt – ITV News ITN / ITV News for ITV

“The jury highlighted the winner’s relentless focus on the state of Britain’s housing and the dire problems faced by tenants was exceptional. This is a story which has been hidden from public gaze but his uncompromising campaign through the year had real public and policy impact.”

Nominees:

• Victoria Macdonald – Channel 4 News ITN for Channel 4
• Nick Martin Sky News

 

Young Talent of the Year

WINNER: Noel Phillips – Good Morning Britain ITV Studios Daytime for ITV

“It is always good to see the quality of young talent emerging in our industry and being nominated in this category – and this year was no exception.  But, the winner particularly impressed the jury for the way he worked more or less single-handed in the midst of a major news story – coolly delivering a succession of rolling lives and interviews. Our winner began his broadcasting career on radio at the age of 15, and worked for the BBC and Sky News before, aged 28, starting his current role.”

Nominees:

• Marianna Spring BBC News for BBC One
• Mickey Carroll Sky News
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RTS Special Award

WINNER – Afghan Journalists

“One of the biggest international stories of the year was the retaking of Afghanistan by the Taliban.  All the major global news organisations who have reported the Afghan story on and off for four decades depend on the support of local journalists.  Now under the Taliban many have been forced to flee the country, many more have lost their jobs. Some were amongst those we remembered earlier who were killed in the line of duty.”

 

Outstanding Contribution Award

WINNER – Samir Shah CBE

“This year’s winner has probably done more for the cause of diversity in television journalism than any other individual. But that is not the only reason we are honouring him tonight.   His glittering 40 year career took him from ITV to the BBC – heading up many of the most successful current affairs programmes on both networks - before launching his own production company.  One of the many TV luminaries who supported his nomination wrote: he has led the way in shaking up conventional thinking, and in challenging established views with programmes remarkable for their toughness of argument. Our winner has also made a huge voluntary contribution to our industry across a wide range of activities – including indeed for the RTS.”