October , 2010
News Limited chairman and chief executive John Hartigan today announced the names of 59 finalists in the 2010 News Awards.
The major prize, the Sir Keith Murdoch Award for Excellence in Journalism, will be contested by Anthony Klan, Paul Maley and Cameron Stewart, all of The Australian, and Paddy Murphy from the Herald Sun.
The finalists for Newspaper of the Year for the most improved masthead are The Advertiser, The Australian and the Herald Sun, all of which vied for the title last year. Mr Hartigan, one of the 49 editors and former editors who helped judge more than 500 entries, said competition in some categories was especially intense.
“The judges had an agonising time in Scoop of the Year, and I’m delighted about that,” he said. “Scoops are our lifeblood at News and this year our journalists broke many of the best. It was almost impossible to choose between some of them, a great problem to have.”
The strong competition continued in other categories, such as Specialist Writer of the Year. “As well as breaking news, our role is increasingly to unravel and simplify the complexities of specialist topics to readers,” said Mr Hartigan. “Clearly, we’re doing a great job.”
He said the new category, Digital Journalism of the Year, also attracted impressive entries. “Despite the challenges of transforming our newsrooms for multiple platforms, our journalists are thriving, not only coping with new technologies but being more creative with them,” Mr Hartigan said. “We’re breaking news as always, but offering more with it.”
All finalists and their partners will be invited to the black tie News Awards dinner at Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art on Friday, October 29.
Now in its sixth year, the event for 250 guests will be attended by News Corporation chairman and chief executive Rupert Murdoch, his family, editors and executives. The winner of the Sir Keith Murdoch Award recieves $15,000, while individual category winners receive $5000 each. The Young Journalist of the Year is seconded to one of our newspapers in London or New York for up to three months.
Mr Hartigan congratulated the finalists. “You have beaten the best of your colleagues to get this far,” he said. “You should be as proud of yourselves as I am of you all.”
2010 News Awards Finalists
(Names in alphabetical order)
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Sturt Krygsman, The Australian
Judges described Sturt as “exceptionally skilful and gifted” for the way he cut to the core of an issue and then made it funny. His quirky approach included tycoons parachuting from the GFC, only to land in a hungry, bearish share market.
Eric Lobbecke, The Australian
Eric’s illustrations were among the most definitive and memorable of the year, from an icy Kevin Rudd on climate change to Rudd the Napoleon in retreat. His Peter Garrett as a pink bat defined the failure of the home insulation program.
Will Pearce, The Daily Telegraph
Will’s ability to decipher complex detail and be creative with it is a rare combination. Judges were impressed by his talent for grasping the newsworthiness of a topic, such as a 60-page climate change document, and translating it into stunning visuals.
BUSINESS JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Andrew Burrell, The Australian
Judges praised Andrew’s talent for breaking great news stories and crafting them well. He revealed Tony Abbott’s plans to change welfare for the under 30s, while his profile of Woodside chairman Don Voelte had the kind of sharp eye for detail that others miss.
James Chessell, The Australian
James dominated his media round with remarkable access to otherwise elusive subjects, as his insightful interview with Kerry Stokes proved. Judges praised his ‘complete mix’ as a newsbreaker and authoritative analyst with top sources and a great writing style.
Susannah Moran, The Australian
Susannah impressed judges with the tenacity and patience with which she unravelled complex issues into readable exclusives. Her series of revelations about the tax fight over the Myer millions was the result of forensic investigation and patient footslogging.
CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR
The Advertiser’s Internet Censorship campaign
SA Attorney-General Michael Atkinson’s bid to muzzle political comment during the State election sparked an aggressive campaign that mobilised social networks so fast, it was only a day before his credibility was blown and the government capitulated.
The Australian’s Schools Watch campaign
Anthony Klan’s relentless pursuit of a story being ignored by other media exposed the failures, waste and mismanagement of the $16.2 billion schools stimulus package, Building the Education Revolution.
The Daily Telegraph’s I Promise campaign
This ambitious road safety campaign led ultimately to fewer road deaths, which police attributed to the paper’s efforts. It embraced print, online, television and radio, enlisted high profile ambassadors and attracted key support from major organisations.
CARTOONIST OF THE YEAR
Mark Knight, Herald Sun
Mark’s astonishing output of great cartoons proved his talent for joining seemingly unrelated events to make a witty point. His Julia Gillard images punctured a tired campaign cliché, while his view of the Melbourne Storm controversy was perfectly tuned.
Jon Kudelka, The Australian
Jon’s work stood out for its funny but cynical bite and frequent hidden depth, avoiding the obvious angle to tap the nuances of an issue. Importantly, his view often contributed to public debate, as his Double Drop-off and Move Forward cartoons showed.
Peter Nicholson, The Australian
Peter’s mature insight and economy of words delivered a portfolio that was as cutting and skilful as ever. His shot at Godwin Grech navigated a tricky line: it was funny without being offensive, while his Bob Hawke Narcissus cartoon was delightfully disrespectful.
CHAIRMAN’S AWARD
The finalists and winner will be announced at the News Awards on October 29.
COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR
Macarthur Chronicle
Covering a vital area of Sydney, the paper has established itself as an authoritative voice which champions its community with great newsbreaking and campaigns. Judges described it as confident and assured, with a strong understanding of its audience.
The Noosa Journal
The loss of Noosa’s local council through amalgamation left the community looking to The Journal as its voice on local issues. The paper delivered in spades, seizing and leading campaigns and generating unusually strong reader involvement.
Port Douglas and Mossman Gazette
The paper took on a competitor and had the confidence to produce a glossy tourist magazine to distribute nationally and in New Zealand. Its readership area has some of the richest holidaymakers and poorest residents, yet the paper engages both with strong campaigns and innovation – all on a tiny budget.
DESIGNER OF THE YEAR
Adam Lloyd, The Sunday Times
Adam’s bold designs demand the reader’s attention every time. With smart and daring graphics and imaginative use of type and photography, his style is punchy, fresh and interesting. Judges loved his spread on made-to-order babies.
Jack Milenkovic, GQ
A major relaunch under Jack’s art direction helped transform the magazine into a slicker men’s lifestyle title with rising circulation. Judges said Jack’s use of 3D art to create the magazine’s signature look was a fantastic initiative.
Lily Perthuis, news.com.au
Lily’s digital creativity produces designs that successfully involve online readers to the fullest. Her interactive display on the Oscars was inventive and entertaining, and judges described the design on her feature, I was a Commie, as outstanding.
Highly commended:
Matt Pike, AdelaideNow
DIGITAL JOURNALISM OF THE YEAR
AdelaideNow, for its coverage of the South Australian election
The site broke new ground for newspapers with live broadcasts during the campaign and on election night, fun online polling, Facebook marketing and personalities interacting on Twitter. Importantly, the coverage had a journalistic substance that is rare in this arena.
theaustralian.com.au, for coverage of the spill, the election & national affairs
The Australian showcased its slick new-look national affairs section with rolling online coverage of Kevin Rudd’s ousting. Scooping even ALP members with its call on the leadership spill, its authoritative reporting and commentary led the national debate.
heraldsun.com.au team for its thunderstorm coverage and iPhone apps
When the ‘super-cell’ thunderstorm swept through Victoria, the Herald Sun digital team sprang into action with amazing results. Its live chat attracted 17,000 viewers and 2,700 comments within hours. Judges also praised the team’s SuperCoach and SuperFooty iPhone apps, which sold more than 40,000 copies to top the iTunes charts.
Fiona Hudson, heraldsun.com.au for Melbourne’s parking secrets
After using FOI to get the city council’s database of 240,000 parking tickets, Fiona produced an interactive map showing where and when parking inspectors were most vigilant. Judges called it a perfect example of using multi-media to bring a story alive.
FEATURES JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR Matthew Condon, QWeekend (Courier-Mail)
From his perceptive profile of the motor dealer at the centre of the Utegate affair to his sensitive recreation of the suicide of a Queensland policeman accused, then cleared, of corruption, Matthew’s work commands attention. Judges said his work was a joy to read.
Trent Dalton, QWeekend (Courier-Mail)
A previous winner and two-time finalist for this award, Trent’s work is often refreshingly uplifting. Judges were “blown away” by his Story of a Man and Story of a Woman, while his account of a euthanasia support group was a confronting but remarkable piece.
Amanda Watt, QWeekend (The Courier-Mail) From pollution in the Noosa Hinterland to the death of a homeless man in a Brisbane park, Amanda has a tremendous talent for story-telling across a diverse range of subjects. Judges said her harrowing child porn feature was also a standout.
HEADLINE WRITER OF THE YEAR
Luke McIlveen, The Manly Daily
Last year’s winner continued his run of imaginative and funny headlines with puns such as The Fresh Feud People for a story on local uproar over a new Woolworths store, and Breathtaking Views for a report on a housing development next to a sewerage plant.
Ken Robinson, The Gold Coast Bulletin
Ken summed up the federal leadership spill in just two brilliant words, Julia Seizer, and delivered brilliantly with Better Red than Dead for a story on Labor’s choice of Julia Gillard over Kevin Rudd for PM.
John Whistler, Sunday Mail, Adelaide
John’s work is consistently amusing and thoughtful about the headline as much as the story. Classics include A Job for Special Branch for a story on CCTV cameras hidden in trees and They Can’t Handle the Tooth for one on waiting lists for dental treatment.
MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR:
Australian Country Style With great design, quality editorial and a deep understanding of its audience, Australian Country Style is reinvigorating itself. The results: readership is growing; sales are up 6.6 per cent and it maintains a huge 46 per cent subscription base in a niche market.
GQ Australia
The small team at GQ has transformed it into Australia’s No.1 premium men’s lifestyle title. With a new emphasis on strong journalism, a website, a digital app, a redesign and a high-profile events program, GQ has seen a 110 per cent increase in readership.
MasterChef
Beating stiff competition to win the right to publish, MasterChef delivered circulation that more than doubled expectations. Judges praised its strategic positioning for longevity beyond the TV show, and its creative adaptation of broadcast concepts for print.
Vogue Australia
The magazine had a standout year with its 50th anniversary edition being the highest selling issue, driving a 64 per cent increase in newsstand sales five months later. Among many wins was a cover of such originality that it became an international talking point.
NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR
The Advertiser
The Advertiser has undergone an internal revolution and “reinvented itself to the point where it doesn’t act like a newspaper any more”, judges said. The paper’s AdelaideNow website increased readership by 42 per cent while a host of changes in editorial, advertising and distribution “seriously challenged the way we sell newspapers”.
The Australian
With a major redesign that forged new sections in-paper, a new online national affairs section and the launch of the country’s first newspaper app for the Apple iPad, The Australian has had a huge year. Its consistently strong journalism increasingly sets the media agenda. Weekday sales are up 3 per cent.
Herald Sun
Reaching 1.3 million Victorians a day, the Herald Sun is more nimble than ever, reacting swiftly to major news with special afternoon editions and multi-media packages. Its website and its Supercoach and Superfooty iPhone apps are reaching new audiences, while new marketing partnerships have delivered a 29 per cent lift in revenues.
A regional newspaper
The winner of Regional Newspaper of the Year is an automatic finalist for this award.
PHOTOGRAPH OF THE YEAR
Adam Elwood, Preston Leader
Adam’s picture of a policeman poised to shoot an injured kangaroo as a tram approaches is photojournalism at its best. Judges praised his clever crop of the policeman’s head, saying it dehumanised the action and made it more chilling.
Phil Hillyard, The Daily Telegraph
When a red dust storm hit Sydney, photo opportunities were at every turn, so it took a canniness to deliver an iconic picture of the event. Phil’s image of a swimmer against a backdrop of the Harbour Bridge was beautifully composed and technically brilliant.
Brad Hunter, Northern District Times
The line-up of the five coffins of the murdered Lin is an epic photo. Judges commented that while the funeral delivered many great pictures, Brad’s preparation and lateral thinking created an image that captured the enormity of the tragedy better than any other.
PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR:
Phil Hillyard, The Daily Telegraph
Phil gained exceptional access to Julia Gillard in the week after the leadership spill and then developed her trust for a unique essay of images that give vivid insight into our first female prime minister, catching her in private moments away from the campaign throng.
Gregg Porteous, The Daily Telegraph
A finalist last year, Gregg’s diverse portfolio shows a profound knowledge of lighting and composition and a deep understanding of his subjects. His initiative in getting the right shot of Zoran the tiger, and an Olympian training underwater, are proof of his mastery.
Gary Ramage, News Group photographer
Few photographers can beat Gary’s endurance in pursuit of the shot. His image of teen sailor Jessica Watson off Cape Horn was a needle-in-haystack find involving three attempts and protracted negotiation, while his moving essay on child victims of the Afghanistan war also involved considerable risk and absolute determination.
REGIONAL NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR
There are two finalists.
Geelong Advertiser
The Addy is a powerhouse with a 75 per cent market penetration in print, a rising online audience and Twitter followers who deliver stories. Judges joked that the paper is “having far too much fun”. To support the Geelong Cats, it banned black – rival Collingwood’s colour – from the paper’s pages, a talking point among editors globally.
The Weekly Times
A finalist in this category last year, the paper goes from strength to strength, having re-energised its traditional brand with new inserted magazines and sections, a vibrant website and a more sophisticated approach. Readers have noticed: circulation is up, advertising revenue is growing, and 91 per cent of Victorian farmers now read the paper.
SCOOP OF THE YEAR
Mike Hurst, The Daily Telegraph
Mike’s pursuit of the truth about South African champion sprinter Caster Semenya delivered a world exclusive revealing she is neither a man or a woman. The story shook up world athletics, and reporters internationally, proving Mike’s stature in the field.
Geraldine Mitchell, Herald Sun
Geraldine revealed that Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon went out to dinner during the Black Saturday bush fires, a scoop with massive consequences. The Royal Commission recalled Nixon to give evidence and she subsequently resigned.
Cameron Stewart, The Australian
After sitting on the story for five days to protect national security, Cameron exposed details of the Operation Neath counter-terrorism raids on the morning they happened. Judges called it a powerful scoop of enormous national importance.
Highly commended:
Paul Maley, The Australian
Padraic Murphy, Herald Sun
Joe Spagnolo, The Sunday Times
Rhett Watson, The Daily Telegraph
THE SIR KEITH MURDOCH AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN JOURNALISM
Anthony Klan, The Australian
Anthony’s persistent investigation into the Federal Government’s Building the Education Revolution scheme exposed one of the biggest wastages of government money in the nation’s history. The series shifted public opinion about the BER, sparked a $14 million inquiry and highlighted flaws in the procurement methods of governments nationwide.
Paul Maley, The Australian
Paul’s news breaks dominated a turbulent year for politics. He got public servant Godwin Grech on the record over a faked email in the Utegate scandal and blew the whistle on the government for not revealing four Tamil asylum seekers rescued by the Oceanic Viking were known as national security threats, before they were flown to Australia.
Padraic Murphy, Herald Sun
Paddy delivered a portfolio of outstanding scoops, headed by his revelation that police were paying school fees for the daughter of gangland killer Carl Williams, which ran on the day he was murdered in prison. He also delivered an important account of a father’s three decades of abuse of his daughter, and the failure of authorities to act.
Cameron Stewart, The Australian
Cameron’s revelations of a massive secret counter-terrorism investigation presented a complex balance of journalistic integrity versus national security and the public’s right to know. More than a year later, the aftermath of the story continues, having led to scrutiny for the first time of the lack of accountability of police oversight groups.
SPECIALIST WRITER OF THE YEAR
Justine Ferrari, The Australian
Last year’s winner remains unstoppable in her education round. A brilliant interpreter of complex policies for the lay reader, her newsbreaking and analysis sparks national debate and frequently influences public policy.
Grant McArthur, Herald Sun
Grant has broken a swathe of world exclusives on his Melbourne medical round, from the tale of how a terminally ill baby was saved by an experimental treatment to his scoops on the surgery that separated co-joined twins Trishna and Krishna. Judges praised Grant for “newsworthy stories that are also uplifting – a rare combination.”
Dennis Shanahan, The Australian
The paper’s political editor is stronger than ever. He revealed Liberal Party moves against leader Malcolm Turnbull six weeks before his downfall, and broke the story on the resources super-tax on profits.
Highly commended:
Jessica Johnston, The Gold Coast Bulletin, formerly of Townsville Bulletin
Ian McPhedran, national defence writer
Joe Spagnolo, The Sunday Times
SPORTS JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Mark Robinson, Herald Sun
In addition to plentiful exclusives, such as revealing the end of Jason Akermanis’ career at Western Bulldogs and Kevin Sheedy’s move to Sydney, Mark’s online column The Tackle attracts 80,000 views a week, while his Best of the Blog boosts print readership.
Phil Rothfield, The Daily Telegraph
Phil broke some of the biggest rugby league stories of the year, from Ricky Stuart’s walkout as coach of the Cronulla Sharks to Mark Gasnier’s NRL comeback. His piece on league identity Greg Pierce’s battle against cancer is a compelling tribute to courage.
Nick Tabakoff, The Daily Telegraph
From unmasking the identity of Australia’s biggest punter to exposing a fraudulent trade in items endorsed by Sir Donald Bradman, Nick has a strong portfolio of exclusives – enhanced by his remarkable ability to persuade people to talk on the record.
Highly commended:
Peter Badel, Sunday Mail, Brisbane
James Phelps, The Daily Telegraph
Andrew Webster, The Daily Telegraph
YOUNG JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Melissa Davey, Northern District Times
Melissa showed initiative across her portfolio, with judges particularly impressed by her coverage of the murder of five members of the same family. By skilfully developing the trust of orphaned daughter Brenda Lin, she scooped everyone with exclusive interviews.
Rosie Squires, The Sunday Telegraph
Going undercover as a volunteer in an aged care home, Rose delivered a powerful first-hand account and secret pictures. Judges said her exposés on rogue cab drivers and backyard fashion sweatshops “displayed all the traits we want in future journalists”.
Lanai Vasek, The Australian
Lanai’s strong portfolio includes her courageous exploration of the case files of her mother’s mental illness and her own life in foster care from the age of five. Powerful and moving, the story also highlights the flaws of the mental health system.
Ends
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