News

Vote here for the SJA broadcast awards

PHILIP BARKER fires the starter’s gun for voting to begin to choose the outstanding television and radio sports programmes of 2013 and the Sports Broadcaster of the Year

Voting is now open for the three broadcast categories in our 2013 SJA British Sports Journalism Awards.

These broadcasting awards remain the only categories which are voted for by the entire SJA membership. Once again we’re after your top three in each category – Television Sports Programme, Radio Sports Programme and Sports Broadcaster of the Year. It is an open vote – you choose who you vote for.

Ben Gallop and Clare Balding collect the Television Sports Programme of the Year trophy on behalf of the BBC from Debbie Jevans, now the chief executive of the organising committee for the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England, after having previously worked at the London Olympic organisers
Ben Gallop and Clare Balding collect the Television Sports Programme of the Year trophy on behalf of the BBC from Debbie Jevans, the chief executive of the organising committee for the Rugby World Cup

It has been a year of change , not least for our 2012 SJA Broadcaster of the Year Clare Balding, who threw her hat into the ring with the BT Sport, the new players in sports television.

There was no World Cup or Olympic Games in 2013, but no year which featured a British Lions tour and back-to-back Ashes cricket series could be described as quiet. Our 2012 radio winners Test Match Special had a particularly busy time of it.

Twelve months ago, the BBC won our television programme award for their coverage of the London 2012 Olympics, but this time around they face a fierce challenge to retain their crown.

The winners in the three categories will be announced at our SJA British Sports Journalism Awards dinner, which is being staged at the Grand Connaught Rooms in central London on Monday, March 24.

As a prompt, no more, we’ve compiled a list of six of the best in each – but the final choice is yours.

Television Programme of the Year

  • British Lions 2013 – Sky Sports
  • Sports Life Stories – ITV 4
  • Transfer deadline day – Sky Sports News
  • Life’s A Pitch – BT Sport
  • Formula One – Sky Sports
  • Paralympic World Championships – Channel 4

Radio Programme of the Year

  • British Lions in Australia – Talk Sport
  • Woodward’s World Cup – BBC 5 Live
  • My Sporting Life – Talk Sport
  • What Germany Did Next – BBC 5 Live
  • James Hunt – Pitstop Playboy – BBC 5 Live
  • The Day Sport Changed Forever – BBC 5 Live

Sports Broadcaster of the Year

  • Simon Brotherton (BBC/BT Sport)
  • Mike Costello (BBC)
  • David Lloyd (Sky Sports)
  • Stan Collymore (Talk Sport)
  • Alison Mitchell (BBC)
  • Adrian Durham (Talk Sport)

Voting online is quick and easy and, once you’ve made your selections, takes just a couple of minutes.

But you must be a fully paid-up SJA member.

Past winners of the SJA British Sports Broadcasting Awards

Televsion Programme of the Year

2012 London Olympics (BBC)
2011 Test Cricket (Sky Sports)
2010 Test Cricket (Sky Sports)

Radio Programme of the Year

2012 Test Match Special (BBC)
2011 BBC 5 Live – Depression in Cricket
2010 Test Match Special (BBC)

Sports Broadcaster of the Year

2012 Clare Balding
2011 Mark Pougatch
2010 Jonathan Overend
2009 Jeff Stelling
2008 Jeff Stelling
2007 Jeff Stelling
2006 Jeff Stelling
2005 Jeff Stelling


UPCOMING SJA EVENTS

Mon Mar 24: SJA British Sports Journalism Awards, Grand Connaught Rooms, London
Mon Apr 14: SJA Spring Golf Day: Croham Hurst GC, Surrey. Booking details to be announced