Seven West Media scores in Walkley Award Nominations
The Seven Network has been recognised for its excellence in journalism with two Walkley Award nominations.
Seven News reporters Bryan Seymour, Megan Miller and Alison Sandy are finalists in the TV News Reporting category for their piece “Australia's Child Brides”.
The report delved into the shocking number of Australian girls forced into arranged marriages.
"The piece was well researched, with time and effort dedicated to gathering crucial information through the FOI process and footage from a case before court,” the judges said about the story that lifted the lid on the practice in Australia’s backyard.
“This is an important story with a high public impact.”
The story took 12 months to get to air, with Seymour, Miller and Sandy overcoming legal challenges and pulling together the work of a number of colleagues in three states.
Dozens of Australian child brides forced into illegal marriages
Thirty child sex slaves rescued in undercover operation
Sunday Night's Matt Doran has also been nominated for his report on human trafficking in Haiti under the TV Current Affairs category.
Walkley judges described Doran’s report as a “personal crusade” that smashed a human trafficking network.
“With excellent production values this undercover sting revealed the harrowing trade and inside the safe house for the rescued child sex trafficking victims,” the panel said in their summation.
Craig McPherson, Seven’s Director of News and Public Affairs, said: “Determination and devotion best sums up the Seven News and Sunday Night nominations.”
Mr McPherson said Doran’s eight-month investigation involved great personal risk to expose an unfathomable child-sex trade operation in Haiti.
“Matt went undercover to get inside the centre of the dangerous cartel,” Mr McPerson said.
“This is an extraordinary investigation culminating in a dramatic high seas sting, bringing down the human trafficking syndicate.
“More importantly his personal crusade was instrumental in the direct rescue of 30 children,” he said.
Meanwhile Seven West Media's The Sunday Times has also been recognised, with associate editor Billy Rule's story on a WA shark attack victim nominated as well.
Judges described Rule’s feature piece as a “gripping, raw read” that “made you almost feel as though you were out on the ocean just moments after the horrific shark attack occurred”.
The 62nd Walkley Awards ceremony will be held on November 29 in Brisbane.
