Walkley Awards

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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.

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.[3] 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.

Categories

General

Print

  • News Report(ing)
  • Three Headings
  • Newspaper Feature Writing
  • Magazine Feature Writing
  • News Photography
  • Cartoon(ing)
  • Artwork
  • News Photography
  • Daily Life Photography
  • Sports Photography
  • Photographic Essay
  • Editorial Graphics and Design

Radio

  • News Reporting
  • Current Affairs Reporting
  • Feature, Documentary or Broadcast Special

Television

  • News Reporting
  • Current Affairs (less than 20 minutes)
  • News and Current Affairs Camera Work
  • Current Affairs, Feature, Documentary or Special (more than 20 minutes)

All Media

  • Best Use of Medium
  • Coverage of Suburban or Regional Affairs
  • International Journalism
  • Coverage of Asia-Pacific Region
  • Business Journalism
  • Investigative Journalism
  • Coverage of Indigenous Affairs
  • Coverage of Sport
  • Social Equity Journalism
  • Commentary, Analysis, Opinion and Critique
  • Broadcast Interviewing

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

Controversy

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

In 2006 the Walkley Awards ceremony descended into chaos[4] when Glenn Milne physically and verbally attacked rival journalist Stephen Mayne live on stage.[4]

As presenter Mayne prepared to present an award to Morgan Mellish of The Australian Financial Review,[5] a "red-faced"[4] and "seemingly intoxicated"[6] 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,[5] screaming at Mayne that he was "a disgrace".[4]

"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,"[6] said Mayne, who suffered a sore ankle from the altercation.[7]"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."[6]

Milne charged at Mayne a second time before being restrained by security,[8] who ejected the disheveled Milne from the event.[5] Mayne then gathered himself at the microphone, jokingly quipping "That is the former Sunday Telegraph political correspondent Glenn Milne, sponsored by Fosters."[6]

The following day, Milne apologised for the outburst, admitting he was drunk and had taken migraine pills.[9]

See also

  • List of awards
  • Prizes named after people

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. ↑ Official list of 2008 award winners
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Crikey! News Limited journalist makes a night of it". The Age. 1 December 2006. Retrieved 23 July 2007. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Milne's Mayne event". The Australian. 1 December 2006. Retrieved 20 July 2007. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 "Glenn Milne apologises for Walkleys outburst". ABC 'The World Today'. 1 December 2006. Retrieved 20 July 2007. 
  7. ↑ "Award for best TV biff". The Daily Telegraph. 2 December 2006. Retrieved 20 July 2007. 
  8. ↑ "Embarrassments: Gotcha! Live and dangerous". The Sydney Morning Herald. 1 December 2006. Retrieved 20 July 2007. 
  9. ↑ "Milne apologises for Walkley outburst". NineMSN. 1 December 2006. Retrieved 20 July 2007. 

External links

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