Sky News

Winners of the RTS Television Journalism Awards 2021 announced

The virtual celebrations were hosted by Mishal Husain, Presenter, BBC Radio 4 and BBC News at Ten.

This year, the ‘Judges’ Award’ was given to all the technical teams in recognition of the ingenuity, innovation and speed they demonstrated this year to keep journalism on the air.

Broadcasters and news providers aim to attract more senior staff of colour

A picture of Ronke Phillips, smiling

Opening the discussion, ITN CEO Rachel Corp said diversifying ITN had been hugely important for many years. She explained: “There are some great initiatives going on. I think everyone would agree that our newsrooms and our content are unrecognisable compared with not very long ago. But, clearly, there is stuff that needs to change.”

How broadcasters made the 2024 leadership debates

In the UK, television coverage of general elections came into its own in the 1960s. It would take another 50 years before leaders’ debates finally made their debut on the nation’s TV screens. Even then, they almost didn’t happen.

“It literally fell into place as the election campaign started but it was very, very close. There was a very difficult moment at the end of the process where it looked as if it would fall apart,” recalls Sue Inglish, former BBC Head of Political Programmes and a key figure in ensuring that live debates became part of British political media culture.

TV turns up the election heat

Beth Rigby talks to Keir Starmer in front of a graphic for Sky News, below a large picture of the number 10, the same on the door of 10 Downing Street

Rishi Sunak’s announcement that we would have a general election on 4 July was a big surprise to voters, journalists and even his own MPs. A high-stakes gamble. Though not a surprise for some insiders who are alleged to have bet on the timing.

In TV newsrooms that May morning most eyes had been on an earlier scandal – watching former Post Office CEO Paula Venells finally, for the first time, give her tearful, tight-lipped evidence to the public inquiry. A searing watch on a rainy day.

TV Diary: Trevor Phillips

Over the New Year, a big birthday, celebrated by a return to my childhood home, Guyana. We spent a week in the rainforest, among the red howler monkeys, screaming pihas and spectacled caiman. Under the canopy, it’s a noisy, hostile environment, mostly populated by wild pigs, giant snakes and spiteful, buzzing insects. The gag about my Sunday-morning job interviewing politicians writes itself.

Craft and resolve: Ash Atalla, Clare Richards, Inzamam Rashid and Steve Hughes deliver RTS Student Masterclasses 2023

Inzamam Rashid talks to Helen Scott on stage at the RTS Student Masterclasses 2023

The RTS Student Master­classes drew a crowd of more than 300 this month to hear four of the industry’s top talents talk about their careers and offer first-hand advice on how to make a start in television.

Journalism

Inzamam Rashid, a Sky News correspondent based in the north of England, told the packed Journalism masterclass: “I always wanted to do the news, [as] a reporter, a newsreader or [working] behind the scenes.”

John Ryley on fearless journalism

John Ryley gestures while holding a microphone

The recently departed Head of Sky News was in combative mode as he outlined three recommendations to improve British broadcast journalism.

First, John Ryley said: “Broadcasters should start reporting on the Royal Family with the same rigour as they treat every [other] story on the news agenda.… They are too supine, too incurious, too compliant.