Talented media students have received prizes at Teesside University’s annual Journalism Awards.
The event, which was hosted by Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie, took place at the Students’ Union Love it Lounge on the Teesside University campus as part of ExpoTees.
Journalism students received awards based on exceptional work produced during the past academic year.
The winners receive a week’s work experience at the company which sponsors the individual award.
Winners were commended for the skills learnt on the BA (Hons) Journalism and the BA(Hons) Sports Journalism degree courses.
Among the awards were Broadcast Journalist of the Year, Best Feature Writer and Blogger of the Year.
Prizes included a number of work placements with The Gazette, The Northern Echo and The Hartlepool Mail along with work experience at Sky Sports News, The Sun’s Fabulous Magazine; Mirror Online; Global FM; BBC Tees and TV station Made in Teesside.
A number of special academic awards were also given out, including the NCTJ Prize for the student with the highest overall marks while training for the National Council of Journalism qualifications.
Keith Downie is Sky Sports News Reporter for the North East.
He is the man on the ground in these parts, breaking football stories involving Newcastle, Middlesbrough and Sunderland.
Whether it’s manager sackings, new player signings or the annual battles with relegation, Keith is kept busy by the region’s three football clubs.
He has reported from court in the Adam Johnson trial, broke the news as Sam Allardyce got the England job and was on hand as Rafa Benitez arrived on Tyneside to take over at Newcastle.
In the January & summer transfer windows Keith presents from the SkyPad in the London studio all the latest transfer dealings from clubs in England and Europe, as well as providing goal updates on Sky’s Soccer Saturday.
Hannah McMahon, Course Leader for Journalism in the School of Computing and Digital Technologies, said: “These awards recognise the hard work and excellent calibre of our current journalism students and the students were thrilled to be awarded their prizes by Keith.”
“I would like to thank all of the media organisations who generously contributed prizes to this celebration of our students’ achievements.”
Below is a list of the winners
NCTJ Prize Winner: Kelly Aitkin
Blogger of the Year – sponsored by Teesside University’s Corporate Communications.
Winner: Tommy Longworth
Content Producer of the Year – Sponsored by Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (mima).
Winner: Ellie Roper
Feature Writer, sponsored by The Northern Echo
Winner: Sian Palmer-Brown
Multimedia Journalist of the Year, sponsored by The Gazette
Winner: Lauren Heslop
Community Reporter of the Year, sponsored by The Hartlepool Mail
Winner: Hannah Conway
Sky Sports News Award
Winner: Sam Blacklock
Lifestyle Reporter, sponsored by The Sun’s Fabulous Magazine
Winner: Samantha Hall
All Round Reporter of the Year, sponsored by Mirror Online
Winner: Sam Fletcher
Audio Journalist of the Year, sponsored by Global FM
Winner: Eden Lewis
Video Journalist of the Year, sponsored by Made in Teesside TV
Winner: Daniel Ragusa
Digital Communications Student of the Year sponsored by Harvey and Hugo PR
Winner: Sophie Wheadon
Creative Communications Campaign sponsored by Publicity Seekers PR.
Winner: Christine Candeland
Outstanding Contribution to Campus Life Award, sponsored by Teesside University
Winner: Heidi Spencer
Public Relations Student of the Year – sponsored by DTW PR Agency
Winners: Emma Morton and Ellie Dalton
Broadcast Journalist of the Year – sponsored by ITV News Tyne Tees
Winner: Heidi Spencer
Blogger of the Year – sponsored by Middlesbrough FC Foundation
Winner: Cameron Calvert
Ali Brownlee Award – sponsored by BBC Tees.
Winner: Adam Hassell
Journalism Awards Final Project – Sponsored by Visualsoft.
Winner: Sport Uncovered – George Crabb; Luke Gray; Joe Robertson; Sam Blacklock
