I was surprised by the tenacity and the subject matter chosen by the journalists.

GILLIAN JOSEPH Presenter of UK

INTERVIEWED IN MAY 2020

What are your overall impressions of the world. People coming together to tell a the Prize finalists? story can give one story various and unusual elements. The standard was really high. The journalism had rigour. I was very impressed with the Some video entries finalists in general and was quite taken aback by the bravery of the story selection, particularly were fantastic at in certain climates where journalists might be telling the story repressed or face reprisals for the stories they through how they report on. were shot, the angles I was pleasantly surprised by the tenacity and and the sections the subject matter chosen by quite a few of the which had visuals journalists. They made really interesting and with no script. really brave choices. As a TV presenter, do you believe What do you make of the winners? the Natali Prize helps to promote What strikes you about their stories in broadcast journalism in the digital era? particular?

The winning stories were all well told, with a lot From my point of view, there could be more of originality. The Best Emerging Prize winner broadcast entries. Although, this is biased discussed migration, and even if the topic was coming from a broadcast background. well known, how she approached it and the It is a different discipline because you are voices that you heard from were different to including the visual. Some of the entrants the traditional lines of the story. were fantastic at this, not only telling the story I was also impressed by the collaborative through the script, but also through the visual elements of the Europe prize winner, which aspect: how they were shot, the angles and the explored the life-threatening dangers faced by sections which had visuals with no script. This journalists reporting on mining issues across was very powerful.

Discover the #NataliPrize Community at ec.europa.eu/international-partnerships/lnp 1. Broadcast journalism allows you to enter ring true unless we actually see them. So, this is the minutiae of lighting, sound and scripting. very powerful. Scripting for television is very different to scripting for radio or even print journalism. I The Natali Prize community is wasn’t able to explore these kinds of nuances obviously a mix of written and as much as I would have liked, as there wasn’t broadcast journalism. Do you think thatmuch broadcast material available. they complement each other in any way to shed light on sustainable development topics? I was quite taken aback by the bravery In terms of the jury alone, we have all had of the story selection, different experiences so we were able to provide particularly in certain very different perspectives. I think this enriched climates where and informed the debate, enabling us to often journalists might see more clearly behind the story. For instance, face reprisals. one member came from a Middle Eastern background and one of the stories looked at How does TV or radio broadcast enrich equality for women in the Middle Eastern Arab the storytelling of and shed light on speaking countries. It was good to listen to that sustainable development issues? perspective, as it put the story into context, telling us how women are perceived in general, why this story might be surprising and perhaps As any form of journalism does. I suppose with why it was not. television in particular, images are retained It was great to speak to so many different people sometimes more readily than with the written with a common cause in terms of journalism on word, because it is visual, something you can development issues, yet with quite different record and retain through the minds’ eye. I think perspectives. It was really informative and this is really important, it adds so much. enriching. We didn’talways agree, but it was nice People always remember the films that they to have different perspectives and to realise have seen of children in particular, in war torn that you do not always have to agree, nor come situations or in famine. . You remember that one to the same opinion. It would be much less child and you have that visual constantly in your interesting if you did to be honest. mind. This is why I love meeting people from all over Pictures are so strong. A picture can be the the world, of different cultures and religions, equivalent of one thousand words. Just one because I learn something all the time. I like shot can remain with you for life, so it is people to challenge me. “Why do you think that?” important society has these mediums as a way “You think this because…” “That perspective you of hammering home a story. Whilst I think this have carried around for fifty years is wrong, or is really important, it is not to say that a print uninformed because…”. It is about learning and article cannot be equally as persuasive and accepting different points of view, realising effective. However, ultimately, I think society is what might not be of importance to me initially, quite visually inclined, sometimes things do not may be something I need to pay attention to.

Discover the #NataliPrize Community at ec.europa.eu/international-partnerships/lnp 2. Are you inspired by the Natali Prize being about individuals, it is about considering winners to push for more sustainable the wider population, the consequences for the coverage in your own work? country or city, whatever or wherever it is. The prize makes you realise that there are I have always been interested in sustainable stories underneath our noses which we have development. This question is one I might no clue about, because we are keyed into the ask in relation to stories where sustainable majority narrative. We are told in Africa there is development issues are not initially apparent. I famine and there is war, but there is so much might ask what does this mean in terms of the more to that continent. It is not a country as it wider picture? How can development be brought is described as many times. There are so many into play in this context? Is it relevant? It might nuances and differences that have not been be something that I think about a bit more to explored, yet we too often fall into this lazy be honest. All it really is, is about broadening shorthand of war, famine and corruption. So perspective. Rather than stories necessarily yes, it was eye-opening.

ABOUT

The Lorenzo Natali Prize was launched in 1992 to recognise and celebrate excellence in reporting on sustainable development issues. The Prize also gives a voice to those whose vital message is often overlooked or ignored. It was created by DG DEVCO, and named after Lorenzo Natali, a precursor of European development policy.

Gillian Joseph has more than 30 years of broadcast experience and has reported from locations across the globe including Northern Ireland, South America and Africa. She presents Sky News at Breakfast and before presented the news on BBC Breakfast and on BBC London.

Gillian started her broadcasting career with the BBC in Manchester before working as a radio reporter and producer with Radio Merseyside. In 1998, Gillian began working as a reporter and newsreader on BBC Radio 1. She reported for the BBC’s Black Britain programme, the One and Six O’Clock News and Newsnight. She also presented for BBC London and 5 Live.

Discover the #NataliPrize Community at ec.europa.eu/international-partnerships/lnp 3.