Acclaimed documentary photojournalist David Hurn and political journalist Martin Shipton were the headline winners at the Journalist Charity’s Wales Media Awards 2024, held in Cardiff on November 15th.
David Hurn won the Outstanding Contribution to Journalism award for a near-70 year career during which he took some of the most iconic images of the era.
Martin Shipton of Nation Cymru won two awards – Journalist of the Year and Political Journalist of the Year – for his coverage of the scandal surrounding the fall of Vaughan Gething from his role as First Minister of Wales.
Outstanding Contribution to Journalism
The trophy was presented to David Hurn by Christine Warwick, Chair of the Journalists’ Charity. The citation was made by photojournalist Glenn Edwards, a protege of David Hurn.
He said: “David has been accurately described as the nation’s most important living photographer. An acclaimed member of the world famous Magnum Photos co-operative, David has documented everything from the Hungarian Uprising, the Aberfan disaster and anti-Vietnam War protests in London to James Bond and the Beatles.
“He has photographed some of the world’s biggest stars of their era including Jane Fonda, Audry Hepburn and Michael Caine. And only this year, he was busy photographing scenes around the Principality Stadium at the Taylor Swift concert.
“David has produced work that is of lasting cultural and social significance – instantly recognisable images familiar to millions. These achievements, as well as his important role in setting up the school of documentary photography in Newport, make him a truly distinguished exponent of his art.”
Journalist of the Year and Political Journalist of the Year
Martin Shipton’s two awards were the result of his dogged pursuit of the story surrounding donations received by the former First Minister of Wales Vaughan Gething during his leadership campaign.
Elis Owen, a senior member of the Journalists’ Charity’s Wales Committee, said: “These awards recognise Martin’s efforts in breaking the biggest Welsh story of the year. The downfall of the First Minister shook the political establishment of the nation. All the news media can be proud of their role in exposing a scandal and holding the powerful to account. Without their actions the story would not have received the prominence that it did.
“Leading from the front – and facing down hostility from some of the political establishment – Martin Shipton acted in the finest traditions of public service journalism.”
Record number of entries
Around 200 guests from the Welsh media and sponsor organisations attended the event at Cardiff’s Parkgate Hotel which was hosted by the BBC’s Lucy Owen and ITV’s Jonathan Hill.
The awards’ headline sponsor was National Lottery operator Allwyn with support sponsor Creative Wales as well as a number of other sponsor companies.
An experienced panel of Judges chose the winners from nearly 200 entries – a record for the awards, now in their 10th year.
Both Welsh and English language entries were received from across broadcast, print and online publications.
Among the other winners were: ITV Wales’ Marina Jenkins, voted Television News Journalist of the Year; BBC Wales’ Dafydd Pritchard, Sports Journalist of the Year; and Nation Cymru’s Delyth Hughes, recipient of the Feature Writer/Columnist trophy for the second year running.
The South Wales Argus was named Daily/Sunday Newspaper of the Year and the Western Telegraph was the winner of the Weekly Newspaper of the Year. The award for Online News Site of the Year went to Wales Online.
A BBC News Wales investigation, My Sperm Donor and Me, looking at the controversial issue of donor identity, won the award for Television News and Current Affairs Programme of the Year with Mark Drakeford: Legacy of a Leader? taking the prize for the best Audio News and Current Affairs Programme.
ITV Cymru Wales’ Tom Atkins was voted Young Journalist of the Year.
Carenarfon-based Papur Dre was the winner of the Community Journalism of the Year award – recognition of the important role played by Welsh language community publications known as Papurau Bro.
The trophy for the new category of Podcast of the Year was awarded to BBC Cymru Wales for its series The Crossbow Killer, the story of a brutal and baffling murder on Anglesey.
Pictures from the night can be found HERE
Full list of winners/ Rhestr llawn o’r ennillwyr:
- Young Journalist of the Year
Newyddiadurwr Ifanc y Flwyddyn
Tom Atkins
- Weekly Newspaper the Year
Papur Newydd Wythnosol y Flwyddyn
Western Telegraph
- Television News Journalist of the Year
Newyddiadurwr Newyddion Teledu y Flwyddyn
Marina Jenkins
- Television News and Current Affairs Programme of the Year
Rhaglen Newyddion a Materion Cyfoes y Flwyddyn
My Sperm Donor and Me
- Television Camera Operator of the Year
Gweithredwr Camera Teledu y Flwyddyn
Jacob Martin
- Stills Photographer of the Year
Ffotograffydd Llonydd y Flwyddyn
Rob Browne
- Sports Journalist of the Year
Newyddiadurwr Chwaraeon y Flwyddyn
Dafydd Pritchard
- Specialist Journalist of the Year
Newyddiadurwr Arbenigol y Flwyddyn
Katie Fenton
- Self-shoot Journalist of the Year
Newyddiadurwr Hunan-Saethu y Flwyddyn
Tom Brown
- Online News Site of the Year
Safle Newyddion Ar-lein y Flwyddyn
Wales Online
- News Writer of the Year
Awdur Newyddion y Flwyddyn
Conor Gogarty
- Political Journalist of the Year
Newyddiadurwr Gwleidyddol y Flwyddyn
Martin Shipton
- Feature Writer/Columnist of the Year
Awdur Nodwedd/Colofnydd y Flwyddyn
Delyth Hughes
- Ed Townsend Student Journalist of the Year
Myfyriwr Newyddiadurwr y Flwyddyn Ed Townsend
Cian Tookey
- Daily/Sunday Newspaper of the Year
Papur Dyddiol/Sul y Flwyddyn
South Wales Argus
- Community Journalism of the Year
Newyddiaduraeth Gymunedol y Flwyddyn
Papur Dre
- Audio News Journalist of the Year
Newyddiadurwr Newyddion Sain y Flwyddyn
Gemma Dunstan
- Audio News and Current Affairs Programme of the Year
Rhaglen Newyddion a Materion Cyfoes Sain y Flwyddyn
Mark Drakeford: Legacy of a Leader?
- Podcast of the Year
Podlediad y Flwyddyn
The Crossbow Killer
- Journalist of the Year
Newyddiadurwr y Flwyddyn
Martin Shipton
- Outstanding Contribution to Journalism
Cyfraniad Eithriadol I Newyddiaduraeth
David Hurn
