KENNEDY AWARDS Excellence in Australian Journalism 10th Anniversary Sponsorship Prospectus DIMITY CLANCEY AND LAURA MANGHAM OF A CURRENT AFFAIR WIN THE 2020 MIKE WILLESEE AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING NIGHTLY CURRENT AFFAIRS THE HISTORY OF THE KENNEDY AWARDS NAMED after the trailblazing indigenous journalist Les Kennedy, the Kennedy Awards were initially conceived in 2011 to recognise excellence in New South Wales journalism. Almost immediately the Kennedys were shaped by the nature of the entrants - attracting journalists from the likes of Four Corners, 60 Minutes, The Australian, A Current Affair, 730 Report, SBS and the Financial Review to become a truly independent, national celebration of Australian journalism. The awards were created by journalists for journalists - open to all-comers with no agendas or historical obligation to affiliation. A decade later the Kennedys have become the Australian media's night of nights - celebrated for their inclusiveness, independence, respect for the past and the value of fostering the next generation of the nation's finest journalists. SANDRA SALLY (RIGHT) PRESENTS THE HARRY POTTER AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING TV NEWS REPORTING J U N E 2 0 2 0 . Les Kennedy THE INSPIRATION OF THE KENNEDY AWARDS Les Kennedy was never in the officers' mess of journalism - and nor did he want to be. He loved nothing better than excelling on the road as a leader of other "shoe leather" journalists. Proud of his indigenous heritage, Les' awareness of his past and the pride he took in it were the twin chambers of a big, generous heart. It was his fabled generosity that fuelled a selfless devotion to a long list of protégés. When he could easily have focused on his own path to even greater success he was preoccupied with blazing trails for others in an often ruthless industry of giant egos too eager to diminish colleagues in the blind pursuit of self-interest. The awards named in his honour have been utterly faithful to the spirit of Les Kennedy’s passion for solid camaraderie -and his total rejection of a mercenary cohort obsessed with a win-at-all costs stampede to the top. Even in death Les floats above them all - a decade after his premature departure from liver cancer at the age of 53. Les literally reported until the end, leaving his hospital bed at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital to arrive in the Fairfax newsroom with an exclusive story from one of his many trusted police contacts. The awards, foundation and scholarship for indigenous journalists named in his honour are a formidable enough legacy, exceeded only by the memories of those lucky enough to have known and admire the man, father, friend, rascal, rebel and reporter. THE KENNEDY PRIZE The prestige of the Gold Spirax for Journalist of the Year has been determined by the quality of winners since 2012. In the inaugural year of the Kennedy Awards, Kate McClymont of The Sydney Morning Herald won for her coverage of the Independent Commission Against Corruption. In 2013 Joanne McCarthy of The Newcastle Herald was voted the winner for exposing child abuse that led to the creation of a Royal Commission. Adele Ferguson, of the Melbourne Age won the 2014 Gold Spirax for a series of investigative stories that led to a Senate investigation into unethical banking practices, affecting more than half a million Australians. The 2015 title was awarded to Caro Meldrum-Hanna of the ABC’s Four Corners program, which exposed entrenched animal cruelty within the greyhound racing industry. Adele Ferguson won her second Gold Spirax in 2016. The Nine Network’s NSW Political Editor Chris O’Keefe was awarded the prize in 2017, presented by Lifetime Achievement Award winner and current chair of the ABC Ita Buttrose. The following year The Daily Telegraph’s Sharri Markson won the award for exposing a scandal that led to the downfall of a Deputy Prime Minister – and in 2019 Anne Connolly (right) took the prize after her ABC investigations into abuse and neglect in nursing homes led to a Royal Commission. In 2020 Nick McKenzie won the Kennedy Prize for his series of groundbreaking stories for Nine's 60 Minutes and The Age. OUTSTANDING TEAM PLAYER SCOOP OF THE YEAR OUTSTANDING TV NEWS CAMERA COVERAGE THE KENNEDY PRIZE WINNERS JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR HONOUR ROLL 2020 WINNER NICK MCKENZIE 2017 WINNER CHRIS O'KEEFE 60 MINUTES, THE AGE NATIONAL NINE NEWS 2019 WINNER ANNE CONNOLLY 2015 WINNER CARO MELDRUM-HANNA ABC INVESTIGATIONS ABC FOUR CORNERS/ 730 2018 WINNER SHARRI MARKSON 2013 WINNER JOANNE MCCARTHY THE DAILY TELEGRAPH THE NEWCASTLE HERALD 2014/16 WINNER ADELE FERGUSON 2012 WINNER KATE MCCLYMONT FOUR CORNERS, THE AGE THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD THE KENNEDY AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT CELEBRATING THE OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS OF OUR LEADERS 2020 JOHN HARTIGAN 2018 JANA WENDT FORMER NEWS CORP CEO TV JOURNALISM LEGEND 2019 BRIAN HENDERSON 2017 ITA BUTTROSE LEGENDARY NEWSREADER LEGENDARY TRAIL BLAZER FOR WOMEN IN MEDIA 2016 JOHN SMITH 2013 HARRY POTTER THE DAILY TELEGRAPH PICTORIAL EDITOR VETERAN TEN NETWORK CRIME REPORTER 2015 IAN HEADS 2014 PHIL CORNFORD DISTINGUISHED SPORTS JOURNALIST LEGENDARY NEWSPAPER REPORTER KENNEDY AWARD FOR YOUNG JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY 2019 ANGE MCCORMACK 2 TRIPLE J 2018 LUCY CORMACK THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD 2017 JACK MORPHET THE DAILY ADVERTISER 2016 ERYK BAGSHAW 2020 LAUREN GOLMAN ROSIE SQUIRES THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH A CURRENT AFFAIR, NINE NETWORK 2013 RICK MORTON 2015 TAYLOR AUERBACH 2014 JOEL TOZER THE AUSTRALIAN THE DAILY TELEGRAPH SBS OUR PARTNERS THE KENNEDY FOUNDATION The Kennedy Foundation‘s been fundraisers such as the Newsroom Battle recognised as Australia’s media charity of the Bands - raising $20,000 for former supporting media professionals in Channel TEN news director and Daily hardship since registration with the Telegraph reporter Kevin Hitchcock, Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits who'd been battling painful quadriplegia Commission on March 3rd, 2014. since an accident more than 20 years earlier. The foundation was first established from humble beginnings in November The foundation's charitable origins can 2013 thanks to the commitment and be traced to a pub meeting in Sydney in vision of Les' close friends and February 2012 when those close to the colleagues Adam Walters, Steve Barrett late Les Kennedy - who had tragically and the pro bono legal services of died the previous year - hooked-up with Sydney law firm Kennedys, organised his former editors, other colleagues and family to discuss a perpetual tribute. by Racing NSW CEO Peter V'Landys. They realised that while other states and The foundation became an official territories had their own journalism charity to provide financial and other awards there was nothing in NSW to supports to media representatives who recognise the achievements of news had fallen on hard times due to illness, media pros in Australia’s most injury, grief and unemployment. competitive news market. The foundation board moved to The Kennedy Awards was born and maintain its commitment to other quickly went from strength to strength - charities such as the children’s cancer attracting more than 500 and 600 entries charity RedKite and the Aboriginal a year from the finest journalists in Medical Service - the then incumbent Australia to become a truly national beneficiaries of funds raised by the event. Kennedy Awards for Excellence in NSW Journalism. A cold call to the makers of Les' fabled notepad led to the creation of the Spirax Apart from staging the annual NRMA trophy, now a coveted symbol of quality Kennedy Awards and associated events Australian journalism - thanks to the the foundation produced other incredible generosity of foundation sponsors ACCO Brands, formerly known as Pelikan Artline. ITA BUTTROSE THE LOCKYER FAMILY LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD KENNEDY AWARDS BY EXCELLENCE IN JOURNALISM NUMBERS SINCE 2012 COMPASSION IN CONFIDENCE 5000 $645,000 ENTRANTS DONATED by the Kennedy Foundation in From 300 entries in 2012 the fulfilling our mission to support popularity of the Kennedy Awards colleagues in hardship and grew quickly to double that number indigenous Australians, and help in attracting the very best of charities in the wider community Australian journalists in the nation's while promoting and celebrating most competitive news markets excellence in journalism 350 35 EVENTS WINNERS STAGED The Spirax Trophy - based on the including nine world class gala notepad that never left Les presentation ceremonies, annual Kennedy's possession - has become launch event and finalists a coveted symbol of quality announcement functions, The Australian journalism Power of the Lens photographic exhibitions, Sydney Media Club luncheons and fundraisers for colleagues in hardship KENNEDYAWARDS.COM.AU THE KENNEDY FOUNDATION Compassion in Confidence The Kennedy Foundation is a registered charity, providing financial support and other assistance to news media professionals facing hardship, while promoting excellence in journalism. The foundation has also supported the wider community - raising funds and awareness for indigenous students, children with cancer and their families and medical research. Since the inaugural gala in 2012 the Kennedy Awards and the foundation have generated: $200K $170K $80K for media professionals in prize money and grants to for the Charles and their families in promote excellence in Perkins Trust for Indigenous hardship journalism Students and Young People $75K $30K $90K for the Aboriginal to the University of for the Children's Cancer Medical Service