Page 31 - AIB | The Chanel | Issue 1 2012

THE CHANNEL | ISSUE 1 2012 | 31
Thie 2011 single news award attracted entries covering a
wide range of national and international events and the
shortlist included eight stories that delivered high
impact coverage with context and explanation for
viewers who may not have been familiar with the
circumstances surrounding a particular story.
Our judges looked at the different presentation
styles and took into account producers' varying
budgets but in every case were looking for clear,
concise, unflustered, accurate reporting and analysis.
The top award in this category went to CBS for The
Relentless Enemy produced for 60 Minutes, reporting
from Afghanistan on the challenges facing the US
Army as they try to maintain - and spread - peace
across Taliban-controlled areas of the country.
The judges said that this was highly engaging
reporting with excellent camera work – a very smooth
and professional production. Nobody could get closer
to the story in Afghanistan than Lara Logan and the
CBS crew who delivered a gripping yet measured
report. There was breathtaking footage captured in
extremely difficult and dangerous situations.
Highly commended
BBC World News
Japanese earthquake and tsunami
The judges said that the coverage was very emotional and
made for gripping television. Importantly, the coverage
succeeded in personalising the tragedy of a nation.
NHK
Departing in Dignity
NHK provided a one-off story of the Japanese earthquake
and tsunami that no other broadcaster appears to have
covered. It is the story of a mortician with a difficult task:
to make a mother killed in the tragedy fit for her children
to see months after her death. NHK succeeded in telling
this unusual story tastefully.
Entries for our radio news award covered different
stories to those seen on television and succeeded in
demonstrating that radio retains a remarkable power
both to deliver breaking news and considered
reporting and analysis.
The shortlist narrowed the field to five completely
different stories and the judges were unanimous in
their decision that the top award should go to BBC
Radio 5 Live for its AV: Mock Election experiment on
the Victoria Derbyshire show.
The programme staged, in advance of the UK's
referendum on whether to adopt the "alternative vote"
electoral system, a mock election involving listeners
and political candidates. It was a simple format that
really worked, said the judges, providing a unique way
of educating listeners while delivering comprehensive
treatment of the issue. The programme had excellent
audience engagement and production values as well
as a clear focus that brought the subject alive.
Highly commended
BBC Burmese
Release of Pro Democracy Leader
Aung San Suu Kyi
Our judges said that this brought the listeners close
to the action and let them feel as though they were
part of something momentous. They said that this
programme is the best advertisement there can be for
continued funding of BBC World Service, delivering
engagement, conveying the drama and producing
coverage with no staff actually on the ground.
Voice of America
Coverage of the Egyptian revolution
This well-produced, well-crafted coverage left our
judges wanting more as they heard from protestors
on the street in reports that brought the sense of
hope of the young protestors in Cairo alive.
Clearest coverage of a
single news event - TV
CBS
Clearest coverage of a
single news event - radio
BBC Radio 5 Live
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Top Victoria
Derbyshire
hosting the 5 Live
Mock AV Election
Above Lara
Logan in
Afghanistan