Press Releases
23rd Workworld Media Awards winners announced
Tuesday, 19 January 2010
Christine George
For immediate release
23rd Workworld Media Awards winners announced
Tonight (19 January), the finalists and winners of
23rd Workworld Media Awards were announced in a ceremony at The Work Foundation where the keynote address was given by Greg Dyke, former BBC director general and chair of the British Film Institute.
By opening his speech with congratulations for the winners, he warned that the rest of his address would be somewhat gloomy in outlook. He focussed on the very difficult times ahead for journalism, “largely because the economic model which has sustained professional journalism over the past half century or more is under threat.” He talked of newspaper sales “generally falling with some in freefall” and of the trend for most traditional advertising which has sustained newspaper journalism shifting to the online world. With diminishing revenue from sales coinciding with declining revenue, he flagged up a similar trend in advertiser funded radio and television where viewing figures for national and regional news are in sharp decline. “Traditional news through traditional outlets is increasingly the preserve of the over-50s,” he claimed.
Run by The Work Foundation for over two decades, and this year
sponsored for the first time by EDF Energy, these prestigious awards honour outstanding written and broadcast journalism covering work, management, business and economics.
The distinguished panel of judges were Rosemary Bennett, social affairs correspondent of The Times; Anthony Browne, director of policy at the Mayor of London’s Office; Richard Donkin, journalist and author of The Future Of Work; Baroness Denise Kingsmill of Holland Park; David Lloyd, professor of journalism at City University and formerly of Channel 4; Martin Shankleman, BBC employment correspondent and Jeff Prestridge, personal finance editor from the Mail on Sunday, with Will Hutton as chair of the judges.
The Work Foundation executive vice chair Will Hutton said, “Last year’s entry bag reflected some profound attempts to get to grips with the financial crisis. This year, as well as a continuation of some excellent reporting on banks, bankers and bonuses, we have seen shift towards much greater attention given to the real economy and the impact of the recession on business, employment and working lives. But it was hard for the elephant in the room to be avoided with more than a trillion pounds spent on the bank bail out, the biggest nine-month rise in the stock market since 1693 and the anguished debate about how and when to exit from the extraordinary stimulus.
“And the various entries reflected an almost cosmic confrontation between the forces that believed the crisis and its aftermath would sow the seeds of a different sort of capitalism, and those who believed that while it was a serious interruption it would soon be business as usual.”
EDF Energy CEO Vincent de Rivaz said, "EDF Energy is delighted to sponsor the Workworld Media Awards which builds on our ongoing support of excellence in journalism and our relationship with The Work Foundation. Media and business have a vital role to play in raising awareness and setting the scene for our long term sustainable future. That is why it is so important the Workworld Media Awards recognise good journalism in this area."
The winners, with judges’ comments follow below:
Columnist of the Year Award
Simon Caulkin, former management editor at The Observer, now freelance
“For his gripping, well-written and insightful writing. Simon combines depth of knowledge with an ability to bring alive whatever subjects he covers.”
Journalist to Watch Award
Emily Ford, The Times
“For her tight, interesting and nicely written copy and for the way she has imaginatively tackled unusual issues.”
Broadcast News Reporter of the Year Award
Faisal Islam, Channel 4 News
“His excellent writing converts abstract economics to something accessible to all, informing viewers in a compelling and original way.”
The judges also wanted to give a special commendation to Emma Simpson of BBC TV News
“For the accomplished way she manages to pack into a very short report not only an individual’s compelling story but also for how she weaves in the wider economic context.”
Online Journalist of the Year Award
Clare Matheson, BBC News Online
“What makes her work really stand out is the verve, energy and sheer unusualness she brings to the subject. She gets great interviews and brings a quirky magic to the reporting of business issues online.”
The judges also wanted to give a special commendation to Anthony Reuben, BBC News Online “for his terrific and consistently thorough reporting and use of the medium.”
Feature Writer of the Year Award
Philip Thornton, Freelance
“For his wide-ranging, crisp and well-written pieces across a variety of different outlets.”
Broadcast Programme of the Year
Business Daily, BBC World Service
“For some brilliant and groundbreaking reporting on global business issues that always seems to manage to be both eye-opening and well-judged.”
Reporter of the Year Award
Edmund Conway, The Daily Telegraph
“For his exclusive scoops, tremendous variety and for consistently delivering good solid stories that tick all the boxes in the sought out criteria.”
Lifetime Achievement Award
Alan Jones, The Press Association
“Alan is well-known, well-liked and well-respected widely among his peers, and especially by those who know a bit about work, employment and trade unions. He has been with his employer for 28 years. He’s astonishingly productive – the quantity of high quality copy he turns out is breathtaking. He’s astonishingly quick – and he more or less delivers an instant turnaround on most stories. And he’s astonishingly knowledgeable – not that many people these days actually understand how trade unions work, as he does.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
• The Work Foundation first launched the Workworld Media Awards in 1987. More information on the awards available at www.theworkfoundation.com
• The Work Foundation is the leading independent authority on work and its future. It aims to improve the quality of working life and the effectiveness of organisations by equipping leaders, policymakers and opinion-formers with evidence, advice, new thinking and networks.
Media enquiries:
Christine George, 020 7976 3554 or 07711 168169 cgeorge@theworkfoundation.com