2023 Winners & Judges Comments
Gold Award - John Godel - BJTC
Jon is currently inspiring the next generation of broadcast journalists in his role as the chief executive of the BJTC.
He started his journalism career in the 1980s as a newspaper reporter for Bedfordshire On Sunday before moving into commercial radio. He worked at Chiltern Radio and Northants FM and in 1996 was appointed Group News Controller for the Kiss Network.
Jon spent 12 years at ITN, nine of which as the Editor of IRN, and during this time was one of the architects of the Awards celebrating commercial radio news and sport. He has spent the past decade at the BJTC which supports courses that are shaping the next generation of broadcast journalists.
Jon is currently inspiring the next generation of broadcast journalists in his role as the chief executive of the BJTC.
He started his journalism career in the 1980s as a newspaper reporter for Bedfordshire On Sunday before moving into commercial radio. He worked at Chiltern Radio and Northants FM and in 1996 was appointed Group News Controller for the Kiss Network.
Jon spent 12 years at ITN, nine of which as the Editor of IRN, and during this time was one of the architects of the Awards celebrating commercial radio news and sport. He has spent the past decade at the BJTC which supports courses that are shaping the next generation of broadcast journalists.
News Team of the Year (Over 1.5m TSA) - Global’s Newsroom North West
This team expertly handled several high-profile national news stories on their patch. They sensitively reported the impact of gun crime; all the more acute after a child was shot in her home and a young woman was murdered on Christmas Eve. The team took their audience on a journey through the challenges of food poverty, the sadness of a terror attack anniversary and the joy of Champions League glory before it turned sour for the fans. They pushed the boundaries with location reports, creative use of sound, original journalism, and first-rate digital content. An outstanding effort by journalists at the top of their game.
This team expertly handled several high-profile national news stories on their patch. They sensitively reported the impact of gun crime; all the more acute after a child was shot in her home and a young woman was murdered on Christmas Eve. The team took their audience on a journey through the challenges of food poverty, the sadness of a terror attack anniversary and the joy of Champions League glory before it turned sour for the fans. They pushed the boundaries with location reports, creative use of sound, original journalism, and first-rate digital content. An outstanding effort by journalists at the top of their game.
News Team of the Year (Under 1.5m TSA) - Hallam FM News Team - Hallam FM
This was an entry which went above and beyond to bring context and understanding to a significant local story. It used empathy and the team explored a variety of original angles with great clarity. It showed a first-class local news service.
Best News Story or Coverage - The Champions League Final - Global's Newsroom North West
This team owned the story from Liverpool to Paris and back again with meticulous planning, excellent newsgathering, and a dogged pursuit of the key angles.
They managed to capture the excitement of the build up to the match before pivoting skilfully to tell the story of the difficulties experienced by fans outside the stadium. All presented thoughtfully and responsibly. A Champions League winning entry!
Reporter of the Year (National) - Tom Dunn – Global's Newsroom North West
Tom is an outstanding journalist who excels in any situation. Whether it’s the reporting the celebratory build up to Champions League Final or the chaotic scenes in Paris created by poor policing, Tom gets under the skin of the story and puts audio from the people involved front and centre. He brings creativity and empathy to the stories he reports and never forgets the human emotions and consequences of those affected. A brilliant allrounder who is comfortable whether it’s live reporting on major breaking stories or recorded reports of his original journalism. Tom’s passion for the communities he broadcasts to shines through and made his entry a real pleasure to listen to.
Reporter of the Year (Regional) - Kathy Green - Greatest Hits Radio York & North Yorkshire
In what was an extremely competitive field, Kathy Green stood out with her ability to deliver a broad range of original journalism in a highly engaging fashion. Her exclusive reporting on children arrested for drug offences, county lines and her investigation into cold call scams demonstrated a keen eye for unique content, both digitally and on air. Kathy’s reporting was underpinned by how stories impacted local people and her skill at switching to lighter features in a colourful way is why judges felt she exemplified the all-round qualities of a top regional reporter.
Best Sports Coverage - The 2022 UEFA Champions League Final – TalkSPORT
Talksport were able to adapt their Champions League final coverage to take the listener in to the heart of a breaking news story. The coverage was expertly anchored and the producer who turned into a reporter provided on the spot reporting that other major news outlets missed. There were powerful interviews and neat analysis from guests. An excellent entry and deserved winner.
Best News Special or campaign - Simon’s Legacy: Paddleboard Safety Campaign – Andrew Kay, Hits Radio Network South West
They devised a simple, locally relevant campaign, backed it for two years and delivered national change. It almost certainly saved lives. Reporter Andrew Kay brought all sides of the industry together and got Simon’s legacy raised in parliament. It sounded like the whole station “owned” the story so in a strong category this was the deserved winner.
Best Interview - Manx Radio: Whispicity
The judges felt the interview enabled the listener to learn more about Cody himself, shedding light on why he was such an important person to those who had known him. It was a piece that explored grief and loss, but in a way that left the listener with a sense of warmth and affection and positivity in how his memory was being honoured and preserved.
Newsreader of the Year (National) - Alice Young - Global's Newsroom London
Alice has a friendly yet authoritative delivery which fits perfectly with the Heart brand. She is clearly not afraid of going against the conventional news agenda; leading her bulletins with stories that she knows will resonate with Heart listeners, such as Britney having a baby. The judges were impressed with the added-value Alice provided while covering a range of historic events on location. She used richly descriptive yet clear language to paint a vivid picture for the listener back home.
Newsreader of the Year (Regional) - George Painter - Global's Newsroom West
George knows his audience inside-out and has an instinctive gift of understanding not only which stories matter most to them, but also how they will react. He has the confidence and skill to deliver a tongue in cheek top line about the Tory Party leadership because he knows that what really matters is the weather! The death of the Queen was an international moment, but for so many of us it was also a time when we reflected on the passing of a much-loved grandparent of our own; George put this simply in a very touching bulletin. His creative use of audio, clever writing and engaging delivery make him relatable without letting his personality overshadow the story.
Newcomer of the Year - Rebecca Brady - Global's Newsroom South
Rebecca's entry included a brilliant range of stories, including some powerful original storytelling. Her delivery and presence are commanding. Her broadcasting skills shone through in this entry, as well as her digital video which was an interesting watch.
Student Journalist of the Year Supported by the BJTC - Tom Nunan - City, University of London
‘Elder and Better’ is a smartly constructed piece of audio that immediately captures the listener’s attention with the use of sound from the start. Tom’s journalism is a powerful and moving take on a well-documented issue, mental illness, but what makes it all the more compelling is how it draws upon the experiences of his elderly grandfather Malcolm. As well as taking the listener on a personal journey, Tom demonstrates journalistic integrity and maturity through well sourced statistics and enlightening interviews. An incredible piece of reporting.