A double act, some new names, and a tragic accident shaped the broadcast section of the 2018 SJA British Sports Journalism Awards, sponsored by Canon and European Professional Club Rugby.
The desperately sad death of Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha brought out the best in journalists covering the horrendous helicopter crash and that was reflected in the choice of winners.
Sky Sports reporter Rob Dorsett was named Broadcast Journalist and dedicated his award to the Leicester players, staff and fans when he was collected his prize at the Westminster Bridge Park Plaza on Monday night.
And BBC Radio Leicester won the Radio Sport Factual or Feature category for a moving live programme from the King Power stadium, including interviews with players in tears and a gut-wrenching interview with ‘Mr Leicester’ Alan Birchenall.
So to the double act. Ed Chamberlin and Francesca Cumani of ITV Sport were named joint Broadcast Presenters of the year for their innovative coverage of racing.
The shortlist revealed an extraordinary width and depth to the broadcast entries, as well as a brand new category – Sports Pundit. Osi Umenyiora (Whisper Films) was the inaugural winner. Sadly he could not be there but his excuse is a good one – he is climbing Kilimanjaro for charity.
John Murray of BBC Radio 5Live paid wonderful tribute to Barry Davies as he collected the Sports Commentator award for the second time. Lizzie Ammon, Times cricket writer, presented John with his prize.
There is not a sports journalist in the world who failed to like the late Bobby Robson and the man was captured perfectly by Noah Media Group (pictured below) in their documentary Bobby Robson More Than a Manager. Their hard work has been recognised. Noah Media won the Television Sport Factual or Feature and the Broadcast Production Team categories.
Teamwork was the name of the game at talkSPORT, who won the SJA British Sports Journalism award for Radio Sport Live Broadcast and at Sky Sports, whose coverage of cricket gave them the Television Sports Live Broadcast award
RELATED NEWS
- Media release: Winners of the British Sports Journalism Awards 2018
- The winning photographers
- Young writer, photographer and broadcast winners 2018
- 2018 photography shortlists
- 2018 writing shortlists
- 2018 broadcast shortlists
- About the SJA British Sports Journalism Awards
- Past winners
- New sports pundit category
- New sports paper format
2018 SJA BRITISH SPORTS JOURNALISM AWARDS WINNERS
Doug Gardner Award for Services to Sports Journalism and the SJA
Winner: Barry Davies
SJA Sports Writer of the Year 2018 (The John Bromley Trophy)
Winner: Paul Hayward – The Telegraph
SJA Sports Photographer of the Year 2018 (The Ed Lacey Trophy) sponsored by Canon
Winner: Mark Thompson – Getty Images
SJA Sports Newspaper of the Year 2018
Winner: Daily Mail
Highly commended: The Telegraph
Highly commended: The Sunday Times
Broadcast Sports Presenter
Winner: Ed Chamberlin & Francesca Cumani – ITV Sport
Highly commended: Adrian Durham – talkSPORT
Highly commended: Hazel Irvine – BBC Sport
WRITING AWARDS
Cricket Journalist
Winner: Scyld Berry – The Telegraph
Highly commended: Paul Newman – Daily Mail
Highly commended: Michael Atherton – The Times
Football Journalist
Winner: Daniel Taylor – The Guardian
Highly commended: Jonathan Northcroft – The Sunday Times
Highly commended: Sam Wallace – The Telegraph
Regional Journalist
Winner: Neil Allen – Portsmouth News
Highly commended: James Olley – The Evening Standard
Highly commended: Jon Colman – Cumbrian Newspapers
Rugby Journalist sponsored by European Professional Club Rugby
Winner: Owen Slot – The Times
Highly commended: Mick Cleary – The Telegraph
Highly commended: Stephen Jones – The Sunday Times
Special Sports Edition
Winner: 100 Greatest Heavyweight Boxers – Boxing News
Highly commended: Lev Yashin: From bullet maker to Balon d’Or Winner – BBC Sport
Highly commended: World Cup 2018 – The Telegraph
Specialist Correspondent
Winner: Jonathan McEvoy – Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday
Highly commended: Ewan Murray – The Guardian
Highly commended: Matt Majendie – The Evening Standard
Sports Columnist
Winner: Jonathan Liew – The Independent
Highly commended: Daniel Taylor – The Guardian
Highly commended: Marina Hyde – The Guardian
Sports Feature Writer
Winner: Donald McRae – The Guardian and Observer
Highly commended: Alex Mead – The Rugby Journal
Highly commended: Neil Squires – Daily Express
Sports News Reporter
Winner: John Richardson – Sunday Mirror
Highly commended: David Conn – The Guardian
Highly commended: Neil Ashton – The Sun
Sports Scoop
Winner: James Olley – The Evening Standard – Wembley for Sale
Highly commended: Every Premier League club asked to cough up £250,000 in golden handshake for Richard Scudamore – Matt Lawton – Daily Mail
Highly commended: Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona – Lee Clayton – Daily Mail
Sports Website
Winner: MailOnline
Highly commended: The Independent
Highly commended: The Times
Young Sports Journalist of the Year (Ian Wooldridge award)
Daniel Matthews (Daily Mail and Mail Online)
Highly commended: Luke Brown (Independent
BROADCAST AWARDS
Broadcast Journalist
Winner: Rob Dorsett – Sky Sports News
Highly commended: Des Kelly – BT Sport
Highly commended: Richard Conway – BBC Sport
Broadcast Production Team
Winner: Bobby Robson: More than a Manager – Noah Media Group
Highly commended: World Cup 2018 – BBC Sport
Highly commended: Leicester City Helicopter Crash – Sky Sports News
Radio Sport Factual or Feature
Winner: Football Forum – BBC Radio Leicester
Highly commended: Pep Music – BBC Radio 5Live
Highly commended: Super G: How Geraint win the Yellow Jersey – BBC Sport Wales
Radio Sport Live Broadcast
Winner: Sri Lanka Cricket Tour – talkSPORT
Highly commended: World Cup 2018 – talkSPORT
Highly commended: World Cup 2018 – BBC Radio 5Live
Sports Commentator
Winner: John Murray – BBC Radio 5Live
Highly commended: Guy Mowbray – BBC Sport
Highly commended: Mike Costello – BBC Radio 5Live
Sports Pundit
Winner: Osi Umenyiora – Whisper Films
Highly commended: Alex Scott – BBC Sport
Highly commended: Nasser Hussain – Sky Sports
Television Sport Factual or Feature
Winner: Bobby Robson: More than a Manager – Noah Media Group
Highly commended: McAteer: Through the Storm – Liverpool Football Club
Highly commended: Shoulder to Shoulder – TBI Media and 3 Rock Productions for BT Sport
Television Sport Live Broadcast
Winner: Cricket – Sky Sports
Highly commended: Royal Ascot Gold Cup Day – ITV Sport
Highly commended: Winter Paralympic Games for Channel 4 – Whisper Films
Young Sports Broadcaster of the Year
Jasper Taylor (Sky Sports News)
Highly commended: Michael McCann (Freelance)
PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS
Away from the Action
Winner: Eddie Keogh – Freelance
Highly commended: Edward Whitaker – Racing Post
Highly commended: Marc Aspland – The Times
Sport Picture
Winner: Mark Thompson – Getty Images
Highly commended: Richard Pelham – The Sun
Highly commended: Anna Gowthorpe – Freelance
Canon Sports Portfolio
Winner: Julian Finney – Getty Images
Highly commended: Alex Livesey – Getty Images
Highly commended: Clive Mason – Getty Images
Specialist Sports Portfolio
Winner: Mark Thompson – Getty Images
Highly commended: Alex Whitehead – SWpix
Highly commended: Edward Whitaker – Racing Post
Football Portfolio
Winner: Julian Finney – Getty Images
Highly commended: Eddie Keogh – Freelance
Highly commended: Michael Regan – Getty Images
Young Sports Photographer of the Year
Naomi Baker (Getty Images)
Highly commended: Jack Thomas (Getty Images)