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West dominates WA Media Awards

Steve Pennells

Journalists from The West Australian have been recognised for their outstanding work and have taken many of the major prizes in the WA Media Awards.

The Arthur Lovekin Award for Excellence in Journalism presented by the University of WA, was won by Steve Pennells from The West Australian for his series on “Syria's Refugee Crisis” at an awards ceremony last night.

Pennells also won the Best Print/Text Feature Writing and Best Feature Photographic Essay awards and shared the prize for Best Television/Audio-Visual Journalism - Best News Story or Feature for the Syrian stories.

Pennells won the Best Social Equity Report award and

The Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance announced the 2013 West Australian Media Awards – the pre-eminent state-based awards promoting journalistic excellence in print, broadcast and digital media platforms.

The annual awards celebrate quality journalism and reward media professionals whose commitment and excellent media coverage best informs and entertains West Australians.

This year’s WA Media Awards saw almost 200 entries being considered by the judges who were greatly impressed by the high quality of the submissions. The winners were announced this evening at the awards’ cocktail presentation atthe Art Gallery of WA.

Luke Eliot, Gary Adshead, Amanda Banks, Rhianna King and Gabrielle Knowles, of The West Australian won the Best Print/Text News Report for “Underworld link to Rotto mystery”, “Drugs and murder” and “Police swoop”.

Andrew Probyn was recognised for Best Political Report and Cathy O'Leary won Best Health/Medical Report. Nick Evans was recognised for his business reporting and sports reporter Steve Butler also received an award.

The winners of the Daily News Centenary Prize for the WA 2013 Journalist of the Year are Kirsti Melville and Meri Fatin from the 360documentaries program on ABC Radio National for their two part series: “Red Dirt Dreaming”. They receive a trophy and $1000.

The judges’ said of their work: “Red Dirt Dreaming… was a tour de force of explanatory journalism in the red dirt of the Kimberley and the Pilbara. It gave voice to the many sides of often divisive arguments in these remote regions about resource development and mining and its impact on local communities, the indigenous population, cultural heritage and the environment.

“What impressed most was the storytelling, packaged so perfectly for radio that it was gripping from start to finish on a multi-dimensional matter of significant public and political importance. Kirsti Melville and Meri Fatin’s account had delicately revealed layers that took the listener deeper into the economic, social, political and cultural dimensions of the issue,” the judges said.

The Clarion Award for the Most Outstanding Contribution to Journalism was won by freelance journalist Tony Malkovic.

The Arthur Lovekin Award for Excellence in Journalism presented by the University of Western Australia, was won by Steve Pennells from the West Australian for his series on “Syria's Refugee Crisis”.

WA MEDIA AWARD WINNERS

The WA 2013 Journalist of the Year – The Daily News Centenary Prize


Winner: Kirsti Melville and Meri Fatin, 360documentaries, ABC Radio National: “Red Dirt Dreaming” (Pt 1: The Kimberley and Pt 2: The Pilbara)

Most Outstanding Contribution to Journalism- The Clarion Award


Winner: Tony Malkovic

Best Print/Text News Report


Winner: Luke Eliot, Gary Adshead, Amanda Banks, Rhianna King and Gabrielle Knowles ,The West Australian: “Underworld link to Rotto mystery”, “Drugs and murder” and “Police swoop”
Finalists: Cathy O'Leary, The West Australian: “Kids let down”, “Not coping” and “More space please”

Steve Pennells, The West Australian: “Inside Bali’s lethal alcohol trade”, “I was poisoned at bar with Liam” and “Bar still serving methanol drinks”

Best Print /Text Feature Writing

Winner:: Steve Pennells, The West Australian: “Untold crisis”, “Crippled by torture, yet still defiant” and “General’s plea for assistance; a fitting epitaph”
Finalists:
Billy Rule, The Sunday Times: “Battles of Troy”

Paige Taylor, The Australian and www.theaustralian.com.au: “Don't give up on them”

Best Three Headlines


Winner:David Cusworth, The Sunday Times: “Bondi, James Bondi”, “Mer-made fit for porpoise” and “Mums is the word”
Finalists: Paul Barry, The Weekend West: “Big Bang theory”, “Cox’s plate “and “ King Arthur slain”

Sheryl- Lee Kerr, The Sunday Times Magazine: “These fruits are made for walking”, “Rebel with a course” and “Van Go”

Suburban – Best Three Stories or Feature


Winner: Anne Gartner, Community Newspaper Group – Guardian Express ,Canning Times: “HIV hits new high”, “Mayor in hot seat” and “A kiss ends on the time out mat”
Finalists: Sarah Brookes, The Echo Newspaper: “Asbestos exposed”, “What a waste” and “Pre-primary skills tested”

Rashelle Predovnik, The Echo Newspaper: “Preventing deaths”, “Another one bites the dust” and “QBE backflips on claim”

Best News Photograph


Winner: Colin Murty, The Australian: “Final Journey for Policy Failure's littlest victim”
Finalists Daniel Wilkins, The Sunday Times: “Ricky Ponting's final innings was almost destined to end in heartache

Stewart Allen, The Sunday Times: “My private hell”

Best Feature Photographic Essay


Winner: Steve Pennells, The West Australian: “The Syrian crisis”
Finalists:
Ian Munro, West Weekend Magazine: “High hopes”

Daniel Wilkins, The Sunday Times: “Beneath the ink”

Television/Audio-Visual Journalism – Best News Story or Feature


Winner: Steve Pennells, Paul Walker and Richard Cunningham; Seven Network: “Refugee Crisis”, “No-man's land” and “War torture”

Finalist: Rob Scott, Channel 7, 6PM News: “Romance scam”

Ryan Emery, NITV News and SBS World News Australia: “Indigenous reburial”

Radio/Audio Journalism - Best News Story or Feature


Winner: Kirsti Melville and Meri Fatin, 360documentaries, ABC Radio National: “Red Dirt Dreaming” (Pt 1: The Kimberley and Pt 2: The Pilbara)
Finalists: Meri Fatin, John McGlue, Rosemary Greenham and Ian Church; 720 ABC Perth and ABC Local Radio right around WA, abc.net.au/perth, 7.30 WA on ABC TV: “Real People, Real Lives - Inside WA's aged care system”

Emma Wynne, ABC Perth online and 720 ABC Perth radio: “Parents' fear of vaccinations nearly killed their son”

Best Multi-Media Report or Series


Winner: Jerrie Demasi, WAtoday.com.au (Fairfax): “Raiding the dark animal underbelly of wildlife trafficking” and “Skull is removed, brains eaten alive': dark trade in our backyard”
Finalists:
Christopher Manly, Adam Vou, Joey Catanzaro and Clarissa Phillips; thewest.com.au: “Eric Edgar Cooke - The night caller”

Christopher Manly, Joey Catanzaro, Adam Vou, Lee Griffith and Steve Pennells; thewest.com.au: “Bali remembered”

Best Broadcast Camerawork

Winner: Carl Nelson, Network Ten: “Cyclone Rusty”
Finalists: David Brooks, GWN7 News:“Glen Iris fire”

Craig Shaw, Channel 7, Today Tonight: “Rocky the rock lobster”, “Airline kitchens” and” Aircraft technology”

Best Political Report


Winner: Andrew Probyn, The West Australian: “Barnett's gas hopes all at sea” , “$40b gas hub dead” and” Canberra floats WA carrot for Browse gas”
Finalists: Joe Spagnolo, The Sunday Times: “Hames caught over claims”, “Following the Hames script” and “Matter of principal”

Steve Butler, The West Australian: “Footy's role in Barnett's rise” and “McGowan will make his mark”

Best Health/Medical Report


Winner: Cathy O'Leary, The West Australian: “Kids let down”,” Not coping” and “More space please”
Finalists: Katie Robertson, The Sunday Times: “Queuing up to be cured”

Tracy Moran, Channel 7, 6PM News: “Mental health beds”

Best Science and Environmental Report


Winner: David Weber, ABC Radio, TV news and online: “Wilderness society action”, “Ramifications from trial” and “James Price”

Finalists: Cathy O'Leary, The Weekend West: “Tiny bug could be key to beat asthma”

Chris Campey, GWN7 News Bulletin: “Reefs”

Business, Economics or Finance Report


Winner: Nick Evans, The West Australian: “The Russian spy and the WA nickel mine”, “Payments to shadowy units hurt Norilsk “and Norilsk threatens to close mine
Finalists: John Flint, The Sunday Times: “Gas Saviour now a pipe dream”, “Super basin that overwhelms the rest” and “Dead and buried”

Jonathan Barrett and Luke Forrestal; The Australian Financial Review: “Wild, west and very wealthy” and “Prospector's case prompts change to law”

Best Sports Report


Winner: Steve Butler, The West Australian: “To hell and back”
Finalists: Alex Massey, North West Telegraph: “Footy road to redemption”

Yasmine Phillips, The Sunday Times: “In the game of the father”

Best Social Equity Report


Winner: Steve Pennells, The West Australian: "Untold crisis", "Crippled by torture, yet still defiant" and "General's plea for assistance a fitting epitaph"
Finalists: Colleen Egan, The West Australian :“Concern over toddler's death”, “What happened to Kaylee?” and” Relatives 'not always best”

Emily Moulton, The Sunday Times and Perth Now: “Slap in the face”, “Bloody attacks on the rise” and “Domestic violence laws set for revamp”

Regional and Community – Best Three News Stories or Features


Winner: James Purtill, The West Australian and The Kalgoorlie Miner: “Signs of life”, “Lost prospector's wife feels strain” and “Abandoned hope”
Finalists: Sophie Gabrielle, Avon Valley Gazette and The Sunday Times: “Hospital Shock - Northam woman dies: Husband seeks answers”, “Third death at hospital: Nurse dies after headache remedy” and “Families consider law suit”

Chris Campey, GWN7 News Bulletin: “Offenders”, “Burning” and “Stolen Wages”.

Best Culture and Arts Report


Winner: Kristy Symonds, The Sunday Times and Perth Now: “Backstage Pass/Working in a WAAPA Wonderland”
Finalists: Chris Campey, GWN7 News Bulletin: “Mowanjum”

David Weber, 7.30 WA and then ABC News 24, and ABC online: “Mike Dorsey”

Best Columnist - The Matt Price Award


Winner: Jonathan Barrett, The Australian Financial Review and AFR online: “An easy job, but only one man can do it”, “How to change human behaviour: one cone at a time” and “Humanity is dual in nature: good and evil are in us all”
Finalists: Ros Thomas and Tony Thomas; The Weekend West: “Lament for fatherhood lost”

Andrea Burns, The West Australian: “Nothing private about domestic aggression”

Best New Journalist or Cadet


Winner: Rachel Cary, GWN7 News: “Asylum seeker shock”, “Couple's close call” and “Nora Allen tribute”
Finalists: Sophie Gabrielle, Community Newspaper Group: “Hospital - Northam woman dies: Husband seeks answers”, “Third death at hospital: Nurse dies after headache remedy” and “Avon Valley could become dumping ground”

Meilin Chew, GWN7 News 5.30 bulletin: “Quad biker found”, “Family pleads for help” and “Regan’s Battle”

Outstanding Journalism Student Award


Winner: Syan Dougherty, Edith Cowan University: Body of Work.
Finalists: Claire Thompson, Edith Cowan University: Body of Work.
Hayley Francis, Edith Cowan University: Body of Work.