Awards with clout

The on-stage spat between Crikey contributor Stephen Mayne and Daily Telegraph political columnist Glenn Milne during the 2006 Walkley Awards telecast has received almost 200,000 views on YouTube. A similar clip on the award broadcaster SBS’s website was also popular with web surfers, and the whole telecast was repeated on Sky News on Foxtel the following Sunday.

The 2006 Gold Walkley Award winners were ABC TV’s Liz Jackson, Lin Buckfield and Peter Cronau, for the Four Corners story on East Timor, “Stoking the Fires”. Michelle Grattan, political editor of The Age and political commentator with ABC Radio National’s “Breakfast”, won the Walkley for journalistic leadership. 

Colleen Egan, investigative journalist with The Sunday Times in Perth, won the Walkley for outstanding contribution to journalism. Kate Geraghty of The Sydney Morning Herald is the 2006 Nikon-Walkley Photographer of the Year.

The awards raised $4000 for the Alliance Safety and Solidarity Fund which provides assistance to journalists in need in the region. The full list of winners is at www.walkleys.com.

Best of the West

Western Australia’s media workers were honoured for outstanding work at the 2006 WA Media Awards, announced at a gala ball in November. More than 330 Alliance members and friends attended the James Bond-themed event, which was held at Perth’s Burswood Resort.

The West Australian’s Steve Pennells won the Lovekin Prize for his stories on the Third World living conditions endured by Aborigines in Halls Creek. His reports also took out the Walkley for social equity journalism.

The Sunday Times’ Colleen Egan won the Daily News Centenary Prize for her stories on the imprisonment of an innocent man, Andrew Mallard. Egan subsequently won the Walkley Award for most outstanding contribution to journalism for her work on the Mallard case.

Entries open for Tassie awards.

Now in its 28th year, the Tasmanian Media Awards promote, recognise and celebrate excellence in local reporting, fostering pride and ingenuity within the Tasmanian media.

This year there will be 16 awards, including the Keith Welsh Award for outstanding contribution to Tasmanian journalism.

The 2006 awards will be presented at a Gala Awards Presentation Dinner at the Hobart Function Centre, Elizabeth Street Pier, on March 17, 2007.

Entry forms can be downloaded from the Alliance website: www.alliance.org.au.

SA Media Awards

Entries are now open for the 2007 SA Media Awards.

The awards celebrate quality journalism and reward media professionals whose commitment to excellence in media coverage best informs South Australians.

This year there are 32 awards up for grabs across all media, including reporting, photography, artwork, camera, freelancing and public relations. In 2007, the awards have expanded to incorporate the SA Youth Media Awards (formerly administered by the SA government’s Office for Youth) in presenting two new categories: best coverage of youth affairs and best young journalist.

An award for commentary, analysis, opinion and critique has also been introduced to recognise the particular talents of leader writers, opinion columnists and reviewers covering the arts, sport, business and politics.

For entries, contact Astrid Crago at the Media Alliance on (08) 8223 6055 or go to www.samediaawards.com.au. Entry is free for members.

Entries close at 10am, Tuesday, February 27. The winners will be presented at the 2007 SA Media Ball at the Adelaide Festival Centre, Saturday, April 28.