No sooner has the Sports Journalists’ Association staged its British Sports Awards gala than it is deep into preparations for its other great event of the year, the British Sports Journalism Awards.
“We had a record 500 entries for the 2014 awards,” says Tom Clarke, our distinguished chairman of judges.
“The indications are that there will be even more for the 2015 awards.”
The SJA has recognised the ever-changing nature of sports journalism by adding Multi-media Sports Package to the categories. This award is for the creative use of a variety of media – words, images, graphics, video and audio – in covering a sports event.
“Most of the tweaks we have made result directly from the feedback on the 2014 awards and from our consultation with sports editors and heads of sport,” says Clarke.
Clarke has recruited an expert panel of judges, the majority being sports journalists past and present, and the others including distinguished journalists in other fields, and some of the sportspeople we write about.
What about criticism that the awards are skewed against the red-tops?
“If anything, you might even say that the red-tops are skewed against the awards. For the 2014 awards, there were only 17 entries from the red-tops.
“You’ve got to be in it to win it,” Clarke says.
Entries for the 2015 SJA British Sports Journalism Awards, with categories for photography and broadcasting as well as sports writing and editing, close slightly earlier this year, on January 13. SJA members benefit from a special discount on their entry fees.
The awards dinner, sponsored by BT Sport and supported by Ladbrokes, Laureus and The National Lottery, will be staged at a new venue, the Lancaster London Hotel, on Monday February 22.
- For full details of categories and entry forms, click here
- Check out the 2014 British Sports Journalism Awards results and report here
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- The SJA is the largest member organisation of sports media professionals in the world. Join us: Click here for more details
- This year, the SJA’s nominated good cause is The Journalists’ Charity. To find out more and how you can donate on a one-off or regular basis, go to www.journalistscharity.org.uk
UPCOMING SJA EVENTS
2016