Walkley Award finalists have been announced, with the winners to be named at the Awards ceremony in December. Radio finalists include three reporters from ABC Radio Current Affairs programs, one from ABC Radio Queensland, one from Radio National and on from SBS.
The list of radio finalists is below.
Wars, the federal election and crises at sea provided the backdrop for many of the entries that made it through to the finals of 55th Walkley Awards, alongside personal tales of struggle, corruption and tragedy.
Media Alliance federal secretary Christopher Warren says the standard of journalism across the more than 1000 entries is remarkable. “Looking at the work from this year, journalistic excellence it is to be found more than ever across new media platforms… the work of finalists shows that the traditional skills remain at the heart of good journalism.”
All finalists go forward for judging by the Walkley Advisory Board across 34 categories in print, radio, television, photography and all media. Winners will be announced at the Walkley Award Gala Ceremony at the Crown Ballroom in Melbourne on Thursday, December 9.
Radio News and Current Affairs Reporting
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Matthew Brown, AM, ABC Radio, “Marriott Hotel bomber streamed live video to his handlers”
In a series of reports around the subject of last year’s Marriot Hotel bombings, Brown uncovered the changing methods of terror recruitment and investigated a distressing trend of recidivism among Indonesia’s terror convicts.
Stephen Long, PM, ABC Radio, “Long term returns not so super”
Long challenged the superannuation industry’s claims and spin to highlight failings within Australia’s retirement savings system.
Sally Sara, PM, ABC Radio, “Abdul’s Story – Afghan Hospital”
Sara gained access to one of Afghanistan’s busiest combat hospitals to bear witness, under harrowing circumstances, in a place where the civilian death toll far outnumbers military casualties.
Radio Feature, Documentary or Broadcast Special
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Charlotte Glennie, ABC Radio, “Queensland Justice”
An investigation of an anomaly in Queensland’s justice system that treats 17-year-old offenders as adults.
Kristina Kukolja, Worldview, SBS Radio, “Echoes of Srebrenica”
Survivors of the Srebrenica massacre, now living in Australia, speak for the first time, 15 years on. It is a story of the burden of memory and the importance of justice and truth.
Sophie Townsend, 360, ABC Radio National, “Cancer as a Battleground”
An examination of the effect of using the language of war in the treatment of cancer. Battle language does not allow for the admission of fear and depression.
The full list of finalists across all media is at the link below.