West reporter's contribution lauded
The West Australian's Neale Prior has been rewarded for his contribution to WA journalism with the Clarion Award at the WA Media Awards last night.
The Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance, the union and professional association for Australia’s journalists, awarded the 2014 West Australian Media Awards for work 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.
The winners were announced at the awards’ gala function in the Geoff Gibbs Theatre at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.
The judges noted Prior had a: “selfless attitude to his high-calibre work; journalistic versatility; acumen for finding industrial solutions and the healthy respect of his colleagues.”
Jonathan Barrett of the Australian Financial Review was named 2014 Daily News Centenary Prize Journalist of the Year. Barrett also won the award for Social Equity Report and Best Print/Text Feature Writing for his story in the AFR Weekend: “The Intersection”. The judges said Barrett “captured in one powerful and compelling piece the whole suite of virtues so strongly present in a number of entries this year.”
Barrett also won the award for Business Economics or Finance Report for “Digging Up Home Truths”.
The judges noted that Barrett’s win was earned against “some of the best entries” they had seen in recent years, particularly from the ABC’s Caitlyn Gribbin and industry veteran Geof Parry of Seven News.
Gribbin won Best News Story or Feature in TV/Audio-visual Journalism and Best Health/Medical Report for her ABC 7:30 story “Who is Doctor Nitschke advising?” She also won the award for Radio News Story or Feature for her ABC Local Radio story: “The Kununurra Midnight Prowlers”. Parry won Best Political Report for his Seven News Perth exclusives: “Troy Buswell’s Big Night Out”.
Cathy Saunders and Martin Saxon won the award for Best Print/Text News Report for their Sunday Times story “Blood & Money”. Sharon Smith of The West Australian won Best News Photograph for “The Shark Cull Begins”.
Journalists and photographers from WA Newspapers were recognised for their work.
West photographer Sharon Smith won Best News Photograph and Steve Pennells won for Best Feature Photographic Essay.
Canberra-based Andrew Probyn received the Matt Price Award for Best Columnist for his columns in The West Australian and Steve Butler was awarded for Best Sports Report.
Kalgoorlie Miner journalist Michael Dulaney was recognised for his work on a regional newspaper.
