Category: News

Date: 25.02.2005
Printable version

The BBC won 10 of the 16 awards at the Royal Television Society (RTS) Television Journalism Awards 2003/2004 last night (Thursday 24 February) - the biggest success for a single broadcaster since 2000.

The BBC News accolades included News Programme of the Year, Current Affairs - Home, Current Affairs - International, Specialist Journalism, News - Home, Young Journalist of the Year and News Event.

BBC ONE's Ten O'Clock News was named News Programme of the Year and was, in the view of the judges, "a programme at the top of its form".

The flagship news bulletin also shared the News Event award with Panorama, for Hilary Andersson's reporting on the Darfur crisis in Sudan.

Andersson's cameraman for the Darfur coverage, Panorama's Fred Scott, was named Camera Operator of the Year.

Panorama also took the Current Affairs - Home award for the investigation into the Hutton proceedings.

Described by the judging panel as a "tour de force", Panorama Special - A Fight to the Death was presented by John Ware, who dedicated the award to the BBC commenting that no other media organisation would have permitted such a programme to be made.

Panorama also scooped the Specialist Journalism award, with reporter Sarah Barclay recognised for her "real commitment. and hunger to uncover new facts" in her examination of premature births.

The BBC's Current Affairs team also took the International prize for the This World - Access to Evil documentary.

Presented by Olenka Frenkiel, the programme reported from one of the world's most secretive nations, North Korea, and was cited as "standing out from the rest" by the RTS judges.

Reporter Alex Millar extended the BBC Current Affairs success story when he was named the Young Journalist of the Year for his work on BBC THREE documentaries, including an investigation into the world of football agents.

Other BBC News successes included BBC Wales Today, which received the National and Regional Daily News Magazine award, and BBC TWO's flagship news programme, Newsnight, which took the News - Home award.

Newsnight was also joint winner of the Innovation prize, sharing the award with Guardian Films for the Salam Pax blogging story.

And there were further victories at the RTS London awards where BBC London News won News Story of the Year for the second year running.

BBC London's Andrew Winstanley once again picked up the award for Reporter of the Year.

Helen Boaden, BBC Director of News, says: "This is our best result for years. In a very tough year for journalism, we are extremely proud that the BBC has been recognised in this way.

"The comments from the judges demonstrate that our commitment to high quality, original and independent journalism of integrity and flair really packed a punch."