WHEN STARS ARE FORMED A FANTASTIC AWARD, CELEBRATING YOUTH JOURNALISM RECOGNITION NOT JUST FROM PEERS, BUT FROM LEADING JOURNALISTS ACROSS THE INDUSTRY #30TOWATCH JUDGES A COMPETITION THAT’S RIGOROUS, THAT’S TOUGH, AND REALLY MEANS SOMETHING STORIES THAT MADE IMPACT, STORIES THAT PEOPLE REMEMBERED #30TOWATCH JUDGES FOREWORD The 30“ To Watch: Young Journalist Awards exist because we believe passionately that young talent is reshaping the news industry, and those journalists’ achievements must be celebrated and rewarded. ” Ian Kirby Head of Strategic Media Unit, Engine MHP The head of MHP’s Strategic Media Unit, Ian Kirby, reflects on why, despite gloomy headlines, these awards are a reassuring sign that the future of UK journalism is in good health. The 30 To Watch: Young Journalist Awards exist because we believe passionately that young talent is reshaping the news industry, and those journalists’ achievements must be celebrated and rewarded. After a difficult decade, shaped by the accelerating decline in newspaper circulation, the rise of ‘fake news’ and attacks on journalism by politicians – some parts of the news media industry are beginning to show encouraging signs of recovery. After years of losses, The Guardian turned a working profit. Regional news’ decline is starting to bottom out, with some innovative editors finding new ways to reach their audiences and a growth in community newspapers replacing older traditional titles. Radio has begun a renaissance, with talented younger reporters dominating high-profile slots that have for too long been held by older, less innovative colleagues, and podcasting enjoying strong growth. The rapid rise at the BBC of Tina Daheley, who is presenting this evening’s 30 To Watch Awards and is one of the most listened-to presenters on British radio, is a great example of this. The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism reported last year that the appetite for digital news continued to grow rapidly, with more people prepared to pay for news in a format that suited them. The bottom line is this: there is more news in the UK than ever before and it is being consumed in more ways. FOREWORD continued DIFFERENT BROADCASTERS (INCLUDING PODCASTS) The entries for this year’s awards reflect In addition, we are grateful to Angus the breadth of the news industry’s MacSwan, Chief Desk Editor – EMEA output, from photo essays on India’s at Reuters, who reviewed entries in the race to become a global economic Foreign and International category; Jo powerhouse to gritty investigations into Willey, a freelancer who has written on knife crime in the UK. This year the 30 To health for a wide variety of titles; Liam Watch judges assessed a record 1,850 Kennedy, Editor of Investments and pieces of work from 395 entrants and Pensions Europe; and Debbie Ramsay, were blown away by the variety and Editor at BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat and quality of work submitted. 1Xtra News. To select the winners, we initially It was a difficult process and all our assessed work against five criteria – winners showed they have huge promise impact, imagination, innovation, for the future and we shall follow their integrity and impression - to determine careers with interest. which entries really stood out. Then our I believe journalism is the best career in external judges, all experienced the world. There is nothing else to match journalists, picked the final 30 To Watch, the thrill of seeing the story you have from whom we selected our eight Gold sweated over, or that simply landed in Winners (one in each category). your lap, dominating the news agenda. We are very grateful to our external And it is a job that often carries great ENTRIES judging panel for their help and risk. The death of 29-year-old Lyra expertise in selecting this year’s 30 McKee, shot while covering a riot in To Watch winners. It was particularly Londonderry, demonstrates this. pleasing to welcome four former 30 The murder of a reporter by terrorists To Watch Gold Winners on to our panel. in the United Kingdom is a stark warning They were Peter Campbell, Motor that seeking the truth is not universally Industry Correspondent at the Financial welcomed, but it must continue, without 143 Times; Finola Miles, Senior Producer for fear or favour. ITV News; Tolani Shoneye, freelancer MEN and host of The Receipts podcast; and John Stevens, Deputy Political Editor at the Daily Mail. 252 WOMEN 27 143 25 DIFFERENT MEDIA BRANDS ENTRIES FROM BROADCASTERS REPRESENTED INTERNATIONAL (INCLUDING PODCASTS) PUBLICATIONS 395 1850 ENTRIES IN 30 TO WATCH ARTICLES 8 DIFFERENT AND MATERIALS CATEGORIES IN NUMBERS SUBMITTED FOR JUDGING ENTRIES 143 MEN 169 8 NATIONAL JUDGES 252 UK TITLES WOMEN RECORD ENTRIES REFLECT RICH DIVERSITY OF JOURNALISM OUR SPEAKERS TINA TONY DAHELEY GALLAGHER Tina is the main news Tony has been the Editor-in- presenter on Zoe Ball’s Chief of The Sun newspaper Breakfast Show on Radio 2 . since 2015. His illustrious She joined the BBC in 2007 journalistic career also and has established herself includes the editorship of as an accomplished the Daily Telegraph and a presenter working across year as Joint Deputy Editor “ news, sport and current of the Daily Mail. He has Bizarre, brilliant, affairs. She has presented delivered numerous scoops BBC Breakfast, The Victoria throughout his newspaper erudite, brash, thoughtful Derbyshire programme and career. In 2009, while the main BBC News bulletins, Deputy Editor of the and passionate. as well as being a news Telegraph, Tony led the presenter on Radio 1 and paper’s award-winning Radio 1Xtra. Tina is also one coverage of the MPs’ of the regular hosts of the expenses scandal. Today Programme’s ” Beyond Today podcast. Tina Daheley photo credit: Joseph Sinclair Adam Batstone Director of Strategic Media Unit, Engine MHP In 2012, when MHP staged the first ever We are deeply indebted to the efforts of Callum Mason revealed the extent to 30 To Watch: Young Journalist Awards, our external judges, who volunteered to which travel and hotel booking websites things were rather different than they give their time to do this. Many of them are misleading customers in his series are today. Back then the entries were are former 30 To Watch winners who for Money Saving Expert. chosen by MHP staff, who picked out the appreciate the value of recognising For the first time, 30 To Watch has a names of young reporters and writers young talent and encouraging people Foreign and International category. they admired and who looked like they at the beginning of their careers. Entries were judged by experienced may be under 30 years old. The work submitted is an interesting foreign correspondent Angus MacSwan In the intervening seven years, things have reflection of the times that we are living of Reuters and MHP Media Director, Keith come a long way. Journalists nominate in. Frequently, those issues can be Gladdis, who reported from around the themselves (or in an increasing number depressing; for example, the proliferation world while at the Daily Mail. They were of cases, are nominated by their peers), of knife crime, particularly among young impressed by Sarah Maslin’s work for the competition is more intense and the people in urban areas. From our winners, The Economist in Latin America, where judging process is far more rigorous. And the work done by Noel Phillips for the she covered issues including El Salvador’s what that means for the 30 journalists BBC Victoria Derbyshire programme or gang problem, and Joe Wallen’s reporting whose work we are celebrating this by Kumba Kpakima for Sky News has told for the Telegraph on the abuse of evening is that they can be extremely this story from the perspective of those migrants in Morocco. proud of winning a 30 To Watch Award. living on the margins of society. The UK news agenda in 2019 has been One aspect of the awards that remains Mental health has also been a recurring dominated by Brexit and plenty of entries unchanged – and is a key element of their theme. The scale of the problem facing in the Politics, Financial and Business value – is our intention to identify young people of all ages is daunting – perhaps categories reflected that fact. Matthew rising stars who show plenty of promise, we should take comfort from the fact that Dathan in The Sun chronicled the behind- but are not necessarily well-known taboo subjects are now being openly the-scenes wrangling as Theresa May tried names. We are also committed to discussed. Eve Simmons’ article for the to persuade MPs to back her deal. The ensuring that 30 To Watch remains free Mail on Sunday about normalising talking BBC’s Joe Miller exposed the shambolic to enter. Life’s hard enough on a junior to strangers was a great example of contract plan for Seaborne Freight. reporter salary without having to pay an unusual approach to the subject. Ashna Hurynag is a winner in the Business to enter awards. And we are equally And the issue of bullying and harassment and Consumer category for her work for committed to recognising journalists featured a lot among the entries. Laura regional ITV News. Ashna’s investigations working outside the mainstream media Hughes at the Financial Times and Jen span a variety of topics but our judges – whether that means from trade titles, Frost from Insurance Post highlighted the were impressed with her work, which a lesser-known website or publication, gloomy reality of life for many women in lifted the lid on our plastic pollution or an emerging format like a podcast. junior roles at Westminster and the Bank problem, and asked whether best This year’s awards have attracted a of England.