[press release from ABC]
ABC journalists and crews collected nine Walkley Awards for Excellence in Journalism, at last night’s 53rd awards ceremony in Melbourne.
All three radio categories were won by ABC journalists, and China Correspondent Stephen McDonell won two awards.
McDonell was awarded for ‘Radio News Reporting’ for his stories from the earthquake epicentre in China’s Sichuan Province, as well as for ‘Coverage of the Asia Pacific Region’, with cameraman Robert Hill, for their TV reports leading to the Beijing Olympics.
Radio Current Affairs journalist Rachael Brown won for her report on the case of a Victorian dermatologist who pleaded guilty to digital rape and indecent assault and continued practicing, and the legal action taken by victims against the Medical Practitioners’ Board.
Tony MacGregor, Colm McNaughton and Russell Stapleton from ABC Radio National’s Radio Eye program were awarded the prize for best ‘Radio Feature, Documentary or Broadcast Special’, with their documentary ‘Awakening From History’, which explored the inter-generational trauma resulting from Northern Ireland’s conflicts.
For the second year running, cameraman Andrew Taylor won another Walkley for ‘Television News and Current Affairs Camera’ for his work on Australian Story, ‘Show of Force Part 2’.
Four Corners’ Morag Ramsay and Debbie Whitmont received the award for ‘Television Current Affairs, Feature, Documentary or Special (more than 20 minutes)’ for ‘The Newman Case’, which found new evidence that resulted in an inquiry into the murder of Labor MP John Newman.
The ‘Best Use of Media’ category was awarded to Ruth Fogarty, Kate Wild and Marian Wilkinson, for the Four Corners Broadband Edition, ‘Tipping Point’, featuring the program’s Arctic journey that explored the impact of climate change on sea ice.
Australian Story took out best ‘Sport Feature Coverage’, two years running with Ben Cheshire, Quentin Davis and Peter Wilkins’s report, “She’s Not There”. The story looked at the controversy surrounding rower Sally Robbins and the women’s 8 team. It was the first time that those involved had spoken on television about what happened that day at the Athens Olympics.
ABC’s Political Correspondent Chris Uhlmann received the award for ‘Broadcast Interviewing’ for his interview with MP Jackie Kelly about the distribution of fake Federal election pamphlets.
The Director of ABC News, John Cameron, said: “Last night’s results show ABC’s strength in news and current affairs coverage across radio, TV and online.”