WINNERS REVEALED
Coverage of the Southport stabbings, the life of Rugby League legend Rob Burrow and the shocking ways in which gangs are exploiting vulnerable people in north west England have all been recognised at the Commercial Radio News Awards in association with IRN and Sky News.
It was a memorable night for Chris Chambers from Global’s Newsroom North West who was named Regional Reporter of the Year. The judges said he was a ‘versatile reporter who fearlessly covered a wide range of stories from crime and hard-hitting content to politics and entertainment.”
Chambers’ story about the burial of stillborn children in mass graves across England won the ‘Best News Special’ award with judges describing it as a ‘heart wrenching piece of journalism that began as a local story and turned into a national scandal.’
He was also behind Global’s Newsroom North West’s success in the ‘Best Interview’ category in which a vulnerable young woman tells him of her abuse and torture at the hands of gangs in ‘Red Rooms’ on the dark web. Chambers’ ‘eye-opening, original’ journalism ‘exposes the existence of red rooms and the gangs behind them’ according to the judges.
The same newsroom’s reporting of the Southport stabbings resulted in winning the ‘Best News Story or Coverage’ award for its ‘high impact, heartbreaking storytelling on one of the most distressing stories of the year.’
The event, which celebrates journalism, production and presentation in commercial radio news and sport was hosted by Sky News Daily podcast presenter Niall Paterson at Sky’s west London HQ.
Bauer Media Audio enjoyed success in the ‘News Team of the Year’ categories.
Hits Radio North East News was heralded as a team which ‘demonstrates pride in its region and a knowledge of what’s important to its audience’ as it won in the ‘over 1.5m TSA’ category.
In the ‘under 1.5m TSA,’ Forth 1’s News Team was rewarded for its ‘quality journalism, creative treatments, impactful audio and sparkling writing.’
Bauer’s Georgie Prodromou was the winner of the inaugural ‘Specialist Reporter of the Year.’ The judges cited her ability to ‘make politics relatable to her audience whether in her interviews with Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak during the election campaign or when joining Jordan and Perri in the KISS breakfast studio.’
The ‘National Reporter of the Year’ prize was awarded to Henry Riley from LBC and LBC News with judges describing him as someone who brings ‘an incredible energy and flair’ to his work and someone with a ‘brilliant knack of bringing stories alive.’
Greatest Hits Radio’s coverage of ‘The Life and Legacy’ of the rugby league legend and Motor Neurone Disease campaigner, Rob Burrow, won the ‘Best Sports Coverage’ award. GHR’s reporting on his death featured ‘strong interviews and powerful storytelling’ which raised ‘important questions’ according to the judges.
Micky Welch from Hits Radio North East retained his ‘Regional Newsreader of the Year’ title. ‘An impressive, creative, engaging newsreader’ who ‘delivers relatable bulletins with power and punch’ was the verdict from the judging panel.
For the second time in three years, Alice Young from Global’s Newsroom London, was named ‘National Newsreader of the Year.’ She was described as a ‘first class newsreader’ and one whose ‘use of audio within her bulletins shows great creative flair and pace.’
Bronwen Weatherby from Global’s Newsroom Wales was the winner of the ‘Newcomer of the Year’ award with judges saying she ‘oozes original journalism’ and finds local angles on national stories while also being a rigorous live interviewer.’
The Student Journalist of the Year award – supported by the Broadcast Journalism Training Council - was won by Ellie Hayns from The University of Salford for her personal documentary on autism which judges praised for its ‘genuinely innovative production’ and ‘brilliant use of sound’ resulting in ‘something truly thought-provoking and even profound.’
The final presentation of the night was made to Rob Waller who was the recipient of the Gold Award for an outstanding contribution to commercial radio news and sport.
The current News Content Editor for Clyde 1 and Greatest Hits Radio Glasgow recently celebrated 28 years working at Clyde where he continues to broadcast on the breakfast show. He is an award-winning journalist who has been responsible for several radio documentaries as well as producing and presenting Bauer’s weekly topical phone-in show, ‘Scotland’s Talk In.’
He runs the newsroom’s student placement programme, encouraging and inspiring the next generation of journalists.
IRN Editor and Head of Audio at Sky News, Dave Terris said:
“In what was a relentless 2024 with two elections, two ongoing wars and two major sporting events, commercial radio news teams amplified the power of high quality local and national journalism for the benefit of record audiences tuning in.
Congratulations to all the winners and nominees who have been instrumental in maintaining those standards as the industry continues to evolve and transform.”
IRN Managing Director, Tim Molloy said:
“The success of these awards is in highlighting how radio journalists strive every year to really engage with the issues that are important to their local audience, including some very impressive investigations in the News Special and Reporter categories. All of which highlights how vital local radio journalism is in helping to maintain commercial radio’s image as a trusted medium.”
The winners list in full:
IRN Gold Award
Rob Waller
News Team of the Year (Over 1.5m TSA)
Hits Radio North East News – Bauer Media Audio
News Team of the Year (Under 1.5m TSA)
Forth 1 News Team – Bauer Media Audio
Best News Story or Coverage
Southport Stabbings – Global’s Newsroom North West
Reporter of the Year (National)
Henry Riley – LBC and LBC News
Specialist Reporter of the Year
Georgie Prodromou – Bauer Media Audio
Reporter of the Year (Regional)
Chris Chambers – Global’s Newsroom North West
Best Sports Coverage
The Life and Legacy of Rob Burrow – Greatest Hits Radio, Bauer Media Audio
Best News Special
Mass Graves – Chris Chambers, Global’s Newsroom North West
Best Interview
Red Rooms – Global’s Newsroom North West
Newsreader of the Year (National)
Alice Young – Global’s Newsroom London
Newsreader of the Year (Regional)
Micky Welch – Hits Radio North East, Bauer Media Audio
Newcomer of the Year
Bronwen Weatherby – Global’s Newsroom Wales
Student Journalist of the Year - Supported by the BJTC
Ellie Hayns – The University of Salford
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