Broadcasters get chance to compete for SJA Awards - Sports Journalists' Association

The 2014 winners of the SJA’s awards for the leading sports broadcasters will have to enter their work to compete for our judges’ approval.

BBC Radio's Alison Mitchell was the SJA's Sports Broadcaster of the Year for 2013. In 2014, she an other top broadcasters are invited to enter their work — BBC Radio’s Alison Mitchell was the SJA’s Sports Broadcaster of the Year for 2013. In 2014, she an other top broadcasters are invited to enter their work

The Sports Journalists’ Association’s committee has taken the decision to open up its annual British Sports Journalism Awards to more broadcasting categories, and for the first time to invite entries from all broadcasters working in radio, television or online, to put forward their best work.

“We’re always looking to improve our sports journalism awards, and the time has come to open them up for broadcasters to enter their work for the first time,” Janine Self, the SJA’s deputy chair, said.

The SJA has been holding sports broadcasting awards since 2005. In the past, the SJA membership has voted for their favourite broadcasters and programmes of the year. But with a digital entry process and a panel of volunteer judges with an impressive background in sports broadcasting, the 2014 sports broadcast awards will be judged on their comparative merits.

The broadcaster category has been split in two, for sports presenter and broadcast journalist, recognising the differing demands of the two roles. And for the radio and television categories, there is now separate categories for documentaries and live coverage. Programmes in these four categories can be entered if they have been first shown online.

“This means that we have more broadcast categories than ever before,” said Self. “Importantly, we have broadcast presenter and broadcast journalist categories, giving us the opportunity to recognise the masters of both those different, demanding skills.

“We’re encouraged by the enthusiastic response we’ve already had from broadcasters wanting to enter the SJA British Sports Broadcasting Awards, and from those senior figures in the business who have agreed to be our judges for the first time, in what we think is an exciting innovation.”

The SJA British Sports Journalism Awards are sponsored by BT Sport; the sponsors play no part in the judging process in any broadcasting categories.