A MULTI award-winning TV investigation about the financial problems that afflicted Rangers Football Club last year has added yet another prize to its collection, with victory at the Royal Television Society Journalism Awards.
‘Rangers: The Men who Sold the Jerseys’ was named winner this evening of the Nations and Regions Current Affairs and News Event title.
The programme was made by BBC Scotland investigations correspondent, Mark Daly, and among the awards it has previously picked up is a Scottish BAFTA, towards the end of last year.
He is pictured at the Scottish BAFTAs.
Meanwhile, Alex Thomson, chief correspondent of Channel 4 News, was named Television Journalist of the Year. Thomson also extensively covered the Rangers story.
Daly’s programme is also a winner of Foreign Press Association Media Award.
In response to this latest win, John Boothman, head of News and Current Affairs at BBC Scotland, is quoted in a BBC statement as saying: “I’m delighted the team has won this prestigious award for their compelling investigation. The revelations made a big impact, casting fresh light on one of the most significant sports stories in recent years.”
The winners’ list reads:
Young Journalist of the Year
Ciaran Jenkins – Channel 4 News, ITN for Channel 4 News
Say the judges: “…an impressive and entertaining story-teller who can uncover original stories as well as cover the on-the-day news. His personal touches in the report about unemployment in Merthyr Tydfil turned what could have been an ordinary report into something much more human and memorable.”
Nominees
Mark Lowen – Newsgathering, BBC News
Sophy Ridge, Sky News
Nations and Regions Current Affairs and News Event
BBC Scotland Investigates: Rangers – The Men Who Sold The Jerseys, BBC Scotland
Say the judges: “The jury unanimously felt this was a superb piece of investigative reporting, presenting a complex story of financial chicanery, personal ambition and sporting hubris in a compelling and dramatic manner. The story, vividly told by reporter Mark Daly, captured the sense of loss and betrayal felt by Rangers fans and set the news agenda in the Scottish media for weeks.”
Nominees
Hillsborough – The Truth At Last, ITV Granada
Spotlight: Sean Quinn’s Missing Millions, BBC Northern Ireland
Nations and Regions News Programme
London Tonight, ITN for ITV News
“The jury felt the winning entry captured the essence of community involvement and support for the London Olympics and was local reporting at its best. It also brought an international perspective to a long running story of child torture and witchcraft and showed how the team had built long term relationships with key witnesses who had been in the news over many years.”
Nominees
BBC Look North (Yorkshire Edition), BBC Yorkshire
Granada Reports, ITV Granada
Regional Presenter of the Year
Stewart White – BBC Look East, BBC East
“It was the strength of this broadcaster’s tape in last year’s national presenter award that helped persuade the RTS to introduce this new regional category. This submission was no less brilliant, displaying skill, versatility, fluency, warmth and a devastating interviewing technique with a smile from someone who’s been a household name in their region for decades.”
Nominees
Lucy Meacock – Granada Reports, ITV Granada and ITV News
Donna Traynor – BBC Newsline, BBC Northern Ireland
News Coverage – International
Syria, BBC News
“The entries for International News Coverage included several examples of extraordinarily dramatic events that had clearly required great skill and exceptional courage to cover. The winning entry displayed outstanding courage in its eye-witness reporting from the front line but also great humanity in its portrayal of ordinary people caught up in the midst of a violent civil war.”
Nominees
Marikana Mine, South Africa Reuters World News Express and Reuters Live Service
The Syrian Uprising, CNN International
News Coverage – Home
Savile, ITN for ITV News
“To remain consistently ahead of the competition in covering the UK’s most impactful news story of the year is a remarkable achievement. At the heart of this entry is Lucy Manning’s relentless journalistic determination as well as her compassion for all concerned. Revelation followed revelation, scoop followed scoop in this exemplary news coverage.”
Nominees
The Hillsborough Inquiry, ITN for Channel 4 News
The Manchester Shootings, BBC News
Current Affairs – Home
Exposure: The Other Side of Jimmy Savile, ITV Studios for ITV1
“This was an outstandingly strong field of really well made impactful current affairs films. [The winner] broke one of the most important stories of the year – which even now shows few signs of receding from public view and which others had shied away from running”
Nominees
Exposure: Banaz – An Honour Killing, Hardcash Productions/Fuuse for ITV1
Panorama: The Mind Reader – Unlocking My Voice, BBC Current Affairs for BBC One
Current Affairs – International
This World: Inside the Meltdown, Quicksilver Media in association with Mongoose Pictures for BBC and WGBH
“In a year which saw more than its share of conflict around the world and much courageous and commended reporting from the frontline, this compelling epic tale stood out for the judges. The courage on display here came from the programme’s contributors. The story started with a natural disaster that in itself grabbed the world’s headlines, and then nearly turned into a global catastrophe.”
Nominees
Panorama: Homs – Journey Into Hell, BBC Current Affairs for BBC One
People & Power – Pirate Fishing 2, Grain Media for Al Jazeera English
Innovative News
No Go Britain, ITN for Channel 4 News
“The winning entry stood out for the novel way in which it helped to give a new look at one of the year’s big stories. It built upon the strength of crowd sourcing and social media and then added the clout of a broadcaster to build up the channel’s continued commitment to people with disabilities in the year of the Paralympics.”
Nominees
50 States: 50 Voices, Sky News
The Olympic Torch Relay, BBC News for BBC
Camera Operator of the Year
Darren Conway (DC) – Newsgathering, BBC News
“The winner’s work in Syria was extraordinary, not just for its stunningly crafted images, but for the fact they were composed and shot in the heat of fierce fighting. He consistently displays bravery, quick-thinking and complete technical mastery.”
Nominees
Mani – Channel 4 News, ITN for Channel 4 News
Andy Portch, Sky News
The Independent Award
Horror of Homs, ITN for Channel 4 News
“A moving and supremely honest film made by French photographer “Mani” who captured, over a period of several weeks, the reality of day-to-day life – and death – in the Syrian city of Homs. The Jury was unanimous in the view that Mani’s film pierced through all other coverage from the beleaguered City and defined the Syria conflict for millions of people.”
Nominees
Africa Investigates: The Spell of the Albino, Insight News TV for Al Jazeera English
Unreported World: Terror in Sudan, Quicksilver Media for Channel 4
Daily News Programme of the Year
Channel 4 News, ITN for Channel 4 News
“The coverage in the winning entry shone with personality, vigour, robustness and cheekiness – demonstrating a programme with a fresh sense of confidence.”
Nominees
BBC News at Ten, BBC News
ITV News at Ten, ITN for ITV News
Scoop of the Year
Exposure: The Other Side of Jimmy Savile, ITV Studios for ITV1
“Jury members thought the winner was a sensation without ever being sensationalist. They felt an investigative challenge which had defeated other media organisations over decades had been achieved with commitment, skill and sensitivity. The programme-makers had given a voice to victims who had always been denied one, with unprecedented impact across many British institutions. The RTS ‘Scoop of the Year’ was the biggest UK news story of 2012 – ‘The Other Side of Jimmy Savile’ from ITV’s Exposure.”
Nominees
Al Jazeera Investigates – What Killed Arafat?, Al Jazeera English
Panorama: The Mind Reader – Unlocking My Voice, BBC Current Affairs for BBC One
News Channel of the Year
CNN International
“This was a strong year for the winner. The Jury praised the channel for its distinctive coverage and energetic and vivid reporting. They were ahead of the curve in Pakistan, interviewing Malala, the young woman who was shot by the Taliban, before she was injured; and their interview with FIFA President Sepp Blatter became a major news story revealing racism in football at the highest level.”
Nominees
BBC News Channel, BBC News
Sky News
Specialist Journalist of the Year
Jeremy Bowen – Middle East Editor, BBC News
“An award-winning entry from a highly distinguished journalist who has shown total mastery of his brief in bringing to viewers superb story-telling coupled with insightful and nuanced analysis of one of the most turbulent and complex parts of the world. His excellent work across the region was topped this year by his authoritative and compelling reporting from both sides of the conflict in Syria.”
Nominees
Lucy Manning – ITV News, ITN for ITV News
Pedro Pinto, CNN International
Television Journalist of the Year
Alex Thomson – Channel 4 News, ITN for Channel 4 News
“The winner is without question one of the UK’s leading correspondents. With a portfolio of coverage from Syria to door stepping Kelvin Mackenzie over Hillsborough, to Glasgow Rangers, he displays great range and versatility with a knack for finding strong angles and compelling stories. He brings real authority and storytelling skills to whatever he covers.”
Nominees
Lucy Manning – ITV News, ITN for ITV News
Paul Wood – Newsgathering, BBC News
National Presenter of the Year
Jon Snow – Channel 4 News, ITN for Channel 4 News
“…consistently in a class of his own. Beautiful writing, unequalled versatility and the sense he is as enthusiastic, inquisitive and committed to quality journalism as ever in his long career.”
Nominees
Jon Sopel – BBC News Channel, BBC News
Jeremy Thompson, Sky News
Judges’ Award
Susannah Schofield, John Schofield Trust
“The Award this year goes to someone who isn’t even a Journalist – but her contribution to journalism over the last year has been remarkable. At the beginning of [the] ceremony, Ciaran Jenkins was awarded a bursary by the John Schofield Trust to mark his winning of the Young Journalist Award.
“The Trust has been going since shortly after John’s death, but last year his widow Susie led an overhaul of its main purpose, and launched a pioneering mentoring scheme for young broadcast journalists. For the first time, seasoned and senior practitioners from across the industry agreed to mentor the leading lights of the future.
“Mentors include top correspondents, anchors, editors and producers. By the end of the second year, there will have been nearly seventy pairings – all designed to give those young journalists a real insight into the top levels of our trade. Here’s a short film, behind the scenes at the Trust.”
Lifetime Achievement
Richard Tait CBE
“The winner of this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award has had a strong influence on British broadcast journalism across multiple channels and in many different capacities. He has been editor of BBC Newsnight, of Channel 4 News and Editor in Chief of ITN.
“He has been a stalwart defender of thoughtful independent journalism throughout his career. He is, we think, the only person to edit an election night programme for both the BBC and ITV. While at ITN he resolutely stood up for the organisation’s journalism when – for example with the Serbian Camps – it came under attack. He recognised early the potential of digital technology – making ITN pioneers in desk top editing among other innovations.
“After retiring from editing and management he was called in by Michael Grade to join the BBC Governors as a wise editorial head on the Board of BBC Governors, surviving the arrival of the BBC Trust to become the lead Trustee on editorial issues until last year.
“He was a member of the Independent Review of Government Communications chaired by Bob Phillis in 2003 and was a member of the Hansard Society’s Commission on Parliament in the Public Eye. In addition he has played a leading role with developing journalism safety around the world, has actively worked for media rights with the International Press Institute and has helped guide the next generation of journalists as Professor of Journalism at Cardiff University.
“Beyond all this, he has been a warm and supportive colleague and mentor to many generations of journalists across all organisations. He has also chaired the RTS Journalism Awards.”
