Walkley Awards

The annual Walkley Awards, under the administration of the Walkley Foundation for Journalism, are presented in Australia to recognise and reward excellence in journalism. Finalists are chosen by an independent board of eminent journalists and photographers. The awards cover all media including print, television, radio, photographic and online media. They can be regarded as the Australian equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize.[1][2] The 33 categories judged in 2008 embraced news and feature writing; artwork, cartoons and photography; radio and TV reporting and interviewing; business, international and sport, indigenous affairs, social commentary and investigative journalism. A non-fiction book category is open to media and non-media authors. The Gold Walkley is the most prestigious award, being chosen from all category winners. The awards have been archived by the Pandora Archive since 2002.[3]

History

Awards were instituted in five categories in 1956 by businessman Sir William Walkley, founder of Ampol Petroleum Ltd. After his death, the awards were handled by the Australian Journalists' Association which, in 1992 was merged into the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance. In 2000, the Alliance voted to establish a Walkley Foundation. In that same year, the Walkley Awards were merged with the Nikon Press Photographer of the Year Awards.

Awards

In November 2008, 34 awards were presented.[4] Excepting the non-fiction book award, only work published by Australian-based media organizations is eligible for the prizes. Entries are initially evaluated by a jury on newsworthiness, research, writing, production, incisiveness, impact, public benefit, ethics, originality, innovation and creative flair—or other relevant criteria in respect of graphics and electronic media. The jury will then shortlist three entrants to the Walkley Advisory Board, who will then select the best entrant in each category, as well as the winner of the "Press Photographer of the Year", "Journalism Leadership Award" and the "Gold Walkley".

The finalists are formally announced in October of each year, and the awards are presented at a formal ceremony in late November or early December.

The 2015 ceremony was held on 3 December 2015 at Crown Casino in Melbourne and was broadcast through an online live stream, as well as on A-PAC.[5] In 2016, the event moved to the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, with the event again broadcast on A-PAC and live streamed online[6] as well as on the Sky News Election Channel.[7]

Categories

General

Print

Radio

Television

All Media

Entries are authorised by their editor or producer. Entries (video, text, etc.) are accompanied by a 200-word entrant statement.

List of recipients

Year Category Award Name Status Media
1. 2014 Freelance Journalist of the Year Debra Jopson Winner
2. 2013 Senior Leadership Gerard Ryle Winner
3. 2013 All Media Coverage of a Major News Event or Issue Richard Baker, Nick McKenzie, Caroline Wilson, John Silvester, Jake Niall and The Age team[8] Winner The Age
4. 2008 Radio Best Radio Feature, Documentary or Broadcast Special Colm McNaughton, Tony MacGregor and Russell Stapleton Winner ABC Radio National

Controversy

Image of the infamous altercation between Glenn Milne (right) and Stephen Mayne (left) (2006)

In 2006 the Walkley Awards ceremony descended into chaos[9] when Glenn Milne physically and verbally attacked rival journalist Stephen Mayne live on stage.[9]

As presenter Mayne prepared to present an award to Morgan Mellish of The Australian Financial Review,[10] a "red-faced"[9] and "seemingly intoxicated"[11] Milne lurched onto the stage before launching a tirade of verbal abuse at Mayne; Milne then lunged at Mayne and pushed him off the stage,[10] screaming at Mayne that he was "a disgrace".[9]

"I could see from his sort of wild eyes, and his red face, that he was clearly very drunk, and I thought, you know, heck, this is going to be out of control,"[11] said Mayne, who suffered a sore ankle from the altercation.[12]"And next thing I know, I'd been shoved off the stage and I was hurtling through the air, in a four-foot drop onto the floor."[11]

Milne charged at Mayne a second time before being restrained by security,[13] who ejected the disheveled Milne from the event.[10] Mayne then gathered himself at the microphone, jokingly quipping "That is the former Sunday Telegraph political correspondent Glenn Milne, sponsored by Fosters."[11]

The following day, Milne apologised for the outburst, admitting he was drunk and had taken migraine pills.[14]

See also

References

  1. ↑ The Walkley Foundation. The Walkley Awards – history, retrieved 6 December 2006.
  2. ↑ AAP MediaNet Media Release: The Walkley Awards, retrieved 6 December 2006
  3. ↑ "Walkley awards". Pandora. National Library of Australia and partners. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  4. ↑ Official list of 2008 award winners Archived 22 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine.
  5. ↑ Knox, David (23 October 2015). "Walkley Awards 2015: nominees". TV Tonight. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
  6. ↑ Knox, David (21 October 2016). "2016 Walkey Awards: nominees". TV Tonight. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
  7. ↑ Knox, David (2 December 2016). "Airdate: 2016 Walkley Awards". TV Tonight. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  8. ↑ "WALKLEY WINNERS ARCHIVE". The Walkley Foundation. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "Crikey! News Limited journalist makes a night of it". The Age. 1 December 2006. Retrieved 23 July 2007.
  10. 1 2 3 "Milne's Mayne event". The Australian. 1 December 2006. Retrieved 20 July 2007.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "Glenn Milne apologises for Walkleys outburst". ABC 'The World Today'. 1 December 2006. Retrieved 20 July 2007.
  12. ↑ "Award for best TV biff". The Daily Telegraph. 2 December 2006. Retrieved 20 July 2007.
  13. ↑ "Embarrassments: Gotcha! Live and dangerous". The Sydney Morning Herald. 1 December 2006. Retrieved 20 July 2007.
  14. ↑ "Milne apologises for Walkley outburst". NineMSN. 1 December 2006. Retrieved 20 July 2007.
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