Winners of the 45th Northern NSW Journalism Awards announced

Monday, 23 July 2012

Rosemarie Milsom is the 2012 Northern NSW Journalism Awards Journalist of the Year. The multi-skilled Newcastle Herald journalist took out the major honour alongside the awards for The Tom Barrass Award for Regional Journalism, and Feature Writing, Commentary, Analysis, Opinion & Critique.

The judges said: “Rosemarie Milsom’s feature piece stood out in a category boasting a number of strong entries. At its core it is an old-fashioned love story, but it is so much more than that. Rosemarie spent 80 hours with a family of African refugees reunited after years of being forced to live apart because of political unrest and violence in their native Congo. What results is a beautifully-written, poignant and informative piece of writing, with Simon De Peak’s powerful photography proving the perfect accompaniment.”

Other major winners were Ava Benny Morrison from The Northern Star who took out the award for PF Adams Young Journalist of the Year & Simone De Peak from the Newcastle Herald who took out the Best Feature Photographer and was also a joint recipient of The Tom Barrass Award for Regional Journalism with Milson for their piece, “Out of Africa.”

Winners were announced at a Black White and Red themed dinner at The Pavillion Function Centre, Tamworth on Saturday, July 20.

Acting Media Alliance federal secretary, Paul Murphy, said: “In a changing media landscape, regional journalists perform a crucial public service – they are the people who keep their communities informed. They are a vital lifeline for many, and show extraordinary tenacity and versatility, crafting some of the finest journalism we have in this country.”

The Northern NSW Journalism Awards are held every year in draw their nickname – the Prodis – from the “Provincial District” of the Australian Journalists’ Association (now the Media Alliance). The region stretches from the Hawkesbury to the Queensland border, and to the Northwest of the state.

Category winners are as follows:

2012 Journalist of the Year: Rosemarie Milson (Newcastle Herald)

Most Outstanding Contribution to Journalism: Not awarded in 2012

PF Adams Young Journalist of the Year Award: Ava Benny Morrison (The Northern Star)

The Tom Barrass Award: Simone De Peak (Newcastle Herald) & Rosemarie Milson (Newcastle Herald)

Best Print News Report: Ben Smee (Newcastle Herald), Crisis

Best Print Feature Writing: Rosemarie Milson (Newcastle Herald) Winding Road

Best News Photography: Peter Lorimer (Daily Telegraph) Northern NSW Flood Disaster

Best Sports Photography: Grant Robertson (The Northerm Daily Leader ) The Ultimate TackleBest Feature Photography: Simone De Peak (Newcastle Herald) Out of Africa

Best Television News Report: Nicola Strohal, Ben Sutton and Steve Moroney (Prime 7 News) Coverage of the Death of Snr Cst David Rixon

Best Television Current Affairs or Feature: Blake Doyle (NBN) Bosslift-Timor

Radio News and Current Affairs Report : Jill Emberson, Lucia Hill and Ben Millington (1233 ABC Newcastle) Hooked on Heroin-Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3

Commentary, Analysis, Opinion & Critique: Rosemarie Milsom (Newcastle Herald)  Bump in the Baby Club

Best Investigative Journalism: Giselle Wakatama  (ABC Newcastle) The Baby Snatchers   

Best Use of the Medium: Catherine Marciniak (ABC) Laid Off: Time is on my Side             

Best Broadcast Camerawork: Peter McDonald (NBN) Boss Lift  

For more information call Anna Magnus on 0423 363 725