Television Journalism Awards 2016

Jeremy Bowen at the RTS Journalism Awards 2016

Awards Ceremony

Wednesday, 17 February, 2016

rts_television_journalism_awards_2016._julie_etchingham_network_presenter_of_the_year

The RTS has announced the winners of the Television Journalism Awards 2016 at a ceremony in central London. 

 

The RTS has announced the winners for the RTS Television Journalism Awards 2016.

The awards for news and current affairs seek to recognise creative and excellent journalism by organisations whose broadcasts are transmitted on a UK-based platform and, for the first time, those who create online video content from a UK production base. 

The Awards Ceremony was held on Wednesday 17 February 2016 at the London Hilton, Park Lane.

 

Winners

Breaking News: Paris Terror Attacks

Broadcaster: CNN International
Nominees:
The Paris Attacks - BBC News
Paris Attacks

“There were many compelling entries on the Paris Terror Attacks, but the judges felt the winner set themselves apart with the clarity and confidence of their reporting and in particular some compelling exclusive interviews.”

Camera Operator of the Year: Mstyslav Chernov

Production Company: The Associated Press
Nominees:
Dai Baker - Channel 4 News
Olivier Sarbil

“The judges thought the winner had an exceptional eye for detail and a full range of shots across his portfolio, capturing emotion and conveying the fear and sometimes panic that was at the heart of so many news events last year. No wonder one judge said ‘I could watch his stuff all day’. Given the range, volume and global distribution of his footage there may have been days last year when we probably did.”

Current Affairs - Home: Dispatches: Kids in Crisis

Production Company: Erica Starling Productions
Broadcaster: Channel 4
Nominees:
Panorama: The Bank of Tax Cheats
Dispatches: Politicians for Hire

“In a very strong field the winning programme stood out for tackling an issue not often talked about. It was a hugely powerful film, with remarkable access to contributors, which was both intellectually and emotionally engaging. All in all, a gut wrenching watch.”

Current Affairs - International: Dispatches: Escape from ISIS

Production Company: An ITN Production - Ronachan Films co-production with Evan Williams Productions and Mediadante
Broadcaster: Channel 4
Nominees:
This World - Outbreak: The Truth about Ebola
Our World: The Killing of Farkhunda

“The winning entry had a powerful combination of illuminating one of the most important issues of our time by reporting from areas of great danger – and finding the human story behind the headlines. In an area where brutality is sadly the norm, it found some hope; and it was also beautifully filmed.”

Daily News Programme of the Year: Sky News at Five

Broadcaster: Sky News
Nominees:
Channel 4 News
BBC News at Ten

“The winning programme not only covered the major stories of the year in a typically compelling and timely way, but was commended for carving out a strong and distinct personality within a 24 hour news channel.”

Interview of the Year: Jeremy Bowen interviews President Assad

Production Company: BBC News
Broadcaster: BBC News Channel
Nominees:
Krishnan Guru-Murthy interviews Jeremy Corbyn - Channel 4 News
Kirsty Wark interviews women kidnapped by Ariel Castro - Newsnight

“The winner secured an exclusive news-making interview with the key figure at the heart of one of the biggest stories of the year. The judges recognised the hard work that went into setting up the interview, negotiating terms, maintaining editorial independence and the cool-headed expertise which produced a compelling encounter.”

Nations and Regions Current Affairs: Life After April

Title: Week In Week Out
Broadcaster: BBC Wales
Nominees:
Spotlight: The Hunter and his Prey
Education After Exclusion - ITV News Anglia

“This was a stunning, moving and powerful piece of filmmaking which revealed the continuing pain of a family where one of the daughters had been murdered. Although never intrusive, this film, beautifully written and perfectly paced, took us deep inside the trauma of a family who were still mourning the loss of their daughter. It was an outstanding piece of journalism.”

Nations and Regions News: BBC Points West

Title: The Becky Watts Murder Trial
Broadcaster: BBC One West
Nominees:
BBC South East Today - Various reports
ITV News Tyne Tees - Mothballed

“A horrific murder which had shocked and saddened a city formed the tragic backdrop to this winning entry. The nature and details of the crime meant the programme had to get the tone just right. This Points West special, featuring an exclusive sensitive interview with the parents of the victim and the murderer, was a polished piece of regional journalism at its best.”

Network Presenter of the Year: Julie Etchingham

Title: ITV News At Ten; ITV Leaders' Debate; ITV Election 2015; The Tonight Programme; Exposure
Broadcaster: ITV
Nominees:
Matt Frei - Channel 4 News
Victoria Derbyshire - The Victoria Derbyshire Programme

“The winner of this award demonstrated every aspect of the range of skills required from today's top news presenters – complete command of the studio, whether in the midst of a fast-breaking story or conducting an important interview; unflappable live presence on location; the ability to write and report well too; and in the case of this year's winner the all-round talent to make a bit of history as well… as the first woman to present a general election leaders’ debate in this country.”

News Channel of the Year: Sky News

Nominees:
Al Jazeera English
BBC News Channel

“The winner was felt to have developed still further as a channel, completely professional as ever, covering news as it happened but now also breaking its own exclusive stories, offering more analysis, stand-out reporting and innovative coverage of special events.”

News Coverage - Home: Thomas Cook

Title: ITV News
Production Company: ITN
Broadcaster: ITV News
Nominees:
Immigration Faultlines - Channel 4 News
NHS Crisis - 5 News

“The past year was heavily dominated by International News but there was very strong domestic coverage too. The winning entry was centred on a good old fashioned exclusive, built on a hunch and confirmed by top quality research and a classic doorstep.”

News Coverage - International: Tunisia

Title: Sky News Programming
Broadcaster: Sky News
Nominees:
Coverage of ISIS - CNN
Terror in Paris - Channel 4 News

“In a year where the competition between news organisations produced excellent coverage of major international stories, the winner of this category stood out as the best by far on one particular story. Excellent first use of eyewitness video, compelling story-telling, strong background analysis and follow-ups. This was all angles covered TV news.”

News Technology: The Care Calculator

Title: BBC News
Broadcaster: BBC
Nominees:
Two Billion Miles - Channel 4 News
Election Screens - Sky News Programming

“The judges thought the winning entry was a superb piece of public interest journalism. It combined journalistic expertise and insight with technical innovation to produce a tool of value and interest to every family in the country.”

Regional Presenter of the Year: Stewart White

Title: BBC Look East (Norwich)
Broadcaster: BBC One
Nominees:
Riz Lateef - BBC London News TV
Nina Hossain - ITV News London

“A natural storyteller with a commanding presence on screen, his forensic interviewing techniques provide a masterclass for any aspiring TV journalist.”

Scoop of the Year: The Closure of Kids Company

Title: Newsnight
Broadcaster: BBC Two
Nominees:
Spotlight: Public Figures
The Unmasking of Jihadi John

“The winner produced a number of scoops on what became one of the stories of the summer. Originally working in collaboration with others, they dedicated resources and effort over a period of time to deliver original reporting and, ultimately, major revelations - undeterred by the involvement of one of their organisation's own executives.”

Specialist Journalist of the Year: Nima Elbagir

Broadcaster: CNN International
Nominees:
Gary Gibbon - Channel 4 News
Carrie Gracie, BBC China Editor

“The work of the Specialist Journalist of the Year took this person to some of the darkest and most difficult places to report on in the past twelve months. The judges thought the winner demonstrated great determination and bravery as well as deep humanity. She highlighted the plight of young people moving between continents and had the language skills to follow their journey in a way that no-one else could achieve.”

Television Journalist of the Year: Alex Crawford

Title: Sky News Programming
Broadcaster: Sky News
Nominees:
Nima Elbagir
Matt Frei - Channel 4 News

“To win the award of Journalist of the Year always requires something special and never more so than this year. For many months the news was dominated by the astonishing stories of refugees trying to reach Europe. There was outstanding reporting by many top correspondents but none matched the work of this year's winner.”

The Independent Award: Tracking down Macedonia's migrant kidnap gang

Title: Channel 4 News
Production Company: Ramita Navai Productions
Broadcaster: Channel 4
Nominees:
Manhunt: Closing in on a British Paedophile - Channel 4 News
Unreported World: The City that Beat ISIS

“The winning entry exposed an organised criminal network of people smugglers kidnapping and extorting money with virtual impunity from migrants crossing from Greece into Macedonia en route to Serbia. Reporter Ramita Navai found evidence of corruption by local police and customs officials turning a blind eye to the trade. The film had a significant impact in Macedonia and put pressure on the authorities to take action.”

Young Talent of the Year: Benjamin Zand

Title: The Victoria Derbyshire Programme
Broadcaster: BBC Two
Nominees:
Mike Smith - Channel 4 News
Dalton Bennett

“The judges liked everything about the winner, the stories he’d found, the way he filmed them - normally on his own - and the way he told them. They found him original, fresh, provocative, versatile, and, of course, creative.”

Judge's Award: Jackie Faulkner, Sky News

Nominees:

“It goes to one of the people who think they will probably never have a chance of coming up on this stage to collect an award, the unsung heroes of our business, the people who make things happen behind the scenes and without whom nothing much would happen in front.

This particular person has been in the business for almost forty years, mostly working for one broadcaster but often for the benefit of all broadcasters, persuading rival news organisations to co-operate yet still compete on their coverage of everything from the day-to-day to wars, revolutions, royal wedding and funerals.

Those rivals have been happy for her to negotiate on their behalf with government departments, palace officials and church administrators knowing that she does it with professionalism, fairness, courtesy and generosity of spirit.

In her main day job she has supported her own people in the field, overseen technical innovation, encouraged the careers of those in operational and engineering, all done with energy and dedication.”

Following a review, and extensive discussions with the news organisations, this year has seen a number of changes to the awards criteria, including the introduction of two new categories, Breaking News – which recognises the speed with which news organisations can react to unexpected events – and Interview of the Year.

Stewart Purvis, Chair of the Awards said: “Significant changes have been made in many of the RTS Television Journalism Awards categories this year and extra opportunities have been opened up for newer news organisations and independent producers – for example in the Current Affairs categories, an extra entry has been granted to all broadcasters provided that extra entry is an independent production.”

If you wish to view the awards criteria, please click here.