3 days ago
ABC Tasmania reporters win 12 of 15 categories at MEAA state media awards
The ABC has won 12 of the 15 categories at this year's Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA) Tasmanian Media Awards on Friday night, with April McLennan taking out the prestigious journalist of the year award.
The judges said Ms McLennan brought "compassion and sensitivity" to her body of work in investigative reporting, noting in particular her work focused on women who have experienced traumatic births at the Launceston General Hospital (LGH), which they said shone "a light on the hospital's failures to respond to the women's concerns".
ABC Tasmania news editor Emily Bryan said Ms McLennan's body of work exemplified her investigative skill and commitment to delivering public interest journalism.
"Some of her stories involved more than a year of research, verification, legal advice and building trust with vulnerable sources," Ms Bryan said.
Ms McLennan also won awards in the categories of arts reporting, for her work on Tasmania's Arts Underbelly, and public service journalism, for her body of work.
The ABC's Airlie Ward was the recipient of the Keith Welsh Award for Outstanding Contribution to Journalism.
The lifetime achievement award is a peer-nominated prize which, for more than four decades, has been awarded annually to journalists who have made the "most outstanding contribution" to the craft.
"For decades, Airlie has been a trusted face and voice for the ABC's audiences — an accomplished broadcaster and storyteller whose love and care for the state of Tasmania shines through in her work," Ms Bryan said.
"As audiences and the ABC have moved to digital platforms, Airlie has embraced new forms of storytelling, most recently as the host of our weekly news podcast, TassieCast.
Another ABC winner on the night was Jessica Moran — one of the co-recipients of last year's journalist of the year award — who won best news story for her coverage of allegations of animal mistreatment at Tasmania's then-largest puppy farm.
Eliza Kloser was recognised as best new journalist for her body of work throughout the year, while video journalist Luke Bowden took out the award for best news image for his body of work.
Adam Holmes won best feature, documentary or current affairs for his investigation into the collapse of Tasmanian builder GJ Gardner Homes Hobart, and the award for excellence in legal reporting for his body of work.
State political reporter Lucy MacDonald won the health reporting category for her investigation into LGH staff who broke their silence over reporting practices following allegations the former head of medical services falsified death certificates.
And state political reporter Adam Langenberg was also a prize winner, taking out the comment and analysis category for his political analysis over the year.
A new category introduced for this year's awards, the coverage of a breaking news event, was also won by the ABC.
Daniel Miller, James Dunlevie, Loretta Lohberger and Adam Langenberg won the award for their coverage of the 2024 Tasmanian state election.
Winners from other news organisations included James Bresnehan from The Mercury, who won best sports coverage, and Bob Burton from the Tasmanian Inquirer who won the science, technology and environment category.
Luke Slattery won the freelance journalist award.
