The ABC has won seven out of 13 categories at the Tasmanian Media Awards, including journalist of the year for Jessica Moran and Chris Rowbottom.
Moran and Rowbottom won for their body of work on Tasmania’s racing industry.
Along with their ABC colleagues Andy Burns and Charlotte King, they also took home best news story, best sports coverage and public service journalism at the awards announcement in Hobart on Friday night.
The ABC’s Clancy Balen was named best new journalist, with the judges praising his finessed work and use of new media platforms. Adam Langenberg won best health reporting for his ability to break high-quality health stories as well as sensitively tell the stories of those affected by health system failures, while Selina Ross was declared the winner of the best arts reporting prize thanks to an array of exclusive stories that appealed to a broad audience.
The judges said the body of work that won Moran and Rowbottom the Journalist of the Year Award was based on solid, fearless journalism.
“Curiosity sparked their initial interest, their investigations led to a range of solid, news-breaking reports which are an exemplar of quality public interest journalism,” the judges said.
“Their reporting involved ‘mud on boots’ journalism, the cultivation of dozens of sources, and the use of Right to Know laws — which unveiled uncomfortable truths in a lucrative industry.”
The ABC fielded a total of 34 finalists in the awards, which recognise creative and courageous acts of factually based journalism that seek the truth and give new insight to an issue.
The full list of ABC finalists and winners:
2024 JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
• Jessica Moran, Chris Rowbottom, ‘Tasmania’s Racing Industry’ — WINNER
Judges’ citation: “Chris and Jess’s reports were based on solid, fearless journalism. Curiosity sparked their initial interest, their investigations led to a range of solid, news-breaking reports which are an exemplar of quality public interest journalism. Their reporting involved ‘mud on boots’ journalism, the cultivation of dozens of sources, and the use of Right to Know laws — which unveiled uncomfortable truths in a lucrative industry.”
BEST NEW JOURNALIST
• Clancy Balen – WINNER
Judges’ citation: “The judges have awarded Clancy Balen the title of Best New Journalist for his outstanding contributions to the field. His stories, crafted with a finesse that belies his newcomer status, captivated the judges with their depth, clarity, and relevance. The judges were also impressed with Clancy’s use of new media platforms, seamlessly integrating multimedia elements to enhance the storytelling experience.”
• Rebecca Pridham – FINALIST
BEST NEWS STORY
• Chris Rowbottom, Jessica Moran, Andy Burns, Charlotte King, Andy Burns, ‘Inside a Racing Juggernaut: How One Trainer Dominates the Nation’s Harness Industry’ – WINNER
Judges’ citation: “‘Inside a racing juggernaut’ broke open Tasmania’s troubled harness racing industry, sending shockwaves through sporting circles and beyond. The story showcased in-depth research and hard-won insider knowledge and triggered legal action and inquiries that continued more than a year later. Its compelling presentation ensured a broad audience.”
• Jano Gibson, ‘Collision Course: The debacle impacting Australia’s Antarctic icebreaker’ – FINALIST
ARTS REPORTING
• Lucille Cutting – FINALIST
• Selina Ross, body of work – WINNER
Judges’ citation: “The judges were unanimous in naming Selina Ross first for her very strong intention to take her audience deeper, for her endeavours to appeal to different audiences, and for going the extra mile in achieving exclusivity, fairness and balance. Successful in pitching all three stories, Selina’s reports enabled arts stories to achieve a well-deserved wider relevance.”
SPORTS COVERAGE
• Jessica Moran, Chris Rowbottom, Andy Burns, Charlotte King,‘Stacking the Odds: Inside a Tasmanian harness racing juggernaut’ – WINNER
Judges’ citation: “Exceptional example of persistence, attention to detail and newsroom teamwork to break an exclusive story with widespread and ongoing ramifications beyond the racing industry. The reporters are to be commended for their curiosity being piqued by a daily news event that spawned such significant reports, on the back of admirable tenacity and commitment.”
• Chris Rowbottom, body of work – FINALIST
HEALTH REPORTING
• Adam Langenberg – WINNER
Judges’ citation: “High-level mix of news breaking on this critical round, with a human touch. Excellent use of contacts and knowledge of issues to break stories while bringing the reader into the lives of people affected by the state’s health crisis. Well written, researched and presented.”
• Fiona Blackwood – FINALIST
• Kim Napier, Breaking the Silence – FINALIST
PUBLIC SERVICE JOURNALISM
• Jessica Moran, Chris Rowbottom, Andy Burns, Charlotte King, ‘Stacking the Odds: Inside a Tasmanian harness racing juggernaut’ – WINNER
Judges’ citation: “The team who worked on the winning entry displayed considerable fortitude, determination and endurance. What began with a routine report on an accident in a regional area, unfurled into a multi-faceted, months-long investigation that hinged on gaining the trust of key sources in an environment famed for its distrust of the media. Its impact is clear, ongoing and demonstrates the continued importance of old fashioned, shoe leather journalism.”
• Jano Gibson, ‘Collision Course: The debacle impacting Australia’s Antarctic icebreaker’ – FINALIST
BEST NEWS IMAGE
• Maren Preuss, ‘Year in Review’ – FINALIST
COMMENT AND ANALYSIS
• Adam Langenberg, Tasmanian Political Analysis – FINALIST
EXCELLENCE IN LEGAL REPORTING
• Adam Holmes – FINALIST
• April McLennan – FINALIST
FEATURE, DOCUMENTARY OR CURRENT AFFAIRS
• Piia Wirsu, Grant Walter, Blythe Moore, Liz Gwynn, Helen Shield, ‘Expanse: From the Dead’ – FINALIST
SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT
• Jano Gibson, ‘Collision course: The debacle impacting Australia’s Antarctic icebreaker’ – FINALIST