The final set of shortlists for the 2016 SJA British Sports Journalism Awards – those for the sports broadcasting categories – are published today.
Some of the best-known names in British broadcast sports journalism are in contention, along with some talented fresh faces.
Leicester City’s extraordinary achievement to win the Premier League, for example, has brought recognition for BBC Radio Leicester’s long-serving Ian Stringer, shortlisted in the Sports Commentator category. BBC East Midlands are hoping to win the Television Sport Factual or Feature prize with 5000/1: How Leicester City Beat the Odds while BBC Radio 5Live are also nominated for their coverage of Leicester’s triumph.
Last year’s Sports Commentator award went to Martin Tyler of Sky Sports and he is shortlisted again but will face competition from Alison Mitchell, who won our Broadcaster of the Year award in 2013, not to mention talkSPORT duo Jim Proudfoot and Sam Matterface and the BBC’s Andrew Cotter, John Murray and Stringer.
Another of our former winners, 2014 Presenter of the Year Eleanor Oldroyd, is shortlisted in the same category with Osi Umenyiora of Whisper Films, BBC colleagues Mark Chapman and Dan Walker, talkSPORT’s Jim White and Mark Saggers. A truly heavyweight line-up.
Richard Conway, current Broadcast Journalist of the Year, flies the flag for the BBC against BT Sport’s Des Kelly and Andy May, and Paul Kelso of Sky News.
The Radio Sport Live Broadcast category sees a diverse entry, including BBC Somerset’s Yeovil Town Ladies, to Live @ Wimbledon Radio from IMG Productions, who were highly commended last year.
Winners and highly commended entries in all categories will be revealed at the 40th staging of the British Sports Journalism Awards, supported by Ladbrokes and The National Lottery, at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge on Monday 27 February 2017. Jim Rosenthal will host the ceremony.
SJA Broadcast awards co-chairman Philip Barker said: “The glory of Rio, the ups and downs of Euro 2016 and Leicester’s ultimate tale of the unexpected jostle for position. Quality and diversity have once again been the watchwords of this year’s nominees.
“The SJA broadcast awards have come a long way since they were introduced in 2005. Back then, the results were based on the votes of a ballot of members. Now with a panel of judges of each category, they have become an essential and authentic part of our SJA Sports Awards with a standard of entries to match.
“For instance, there’s a fascinating and eminently watchable mix in Factual Television, a timely examination of Chinese football by Richard Conway whilst Leicester legend Alan Birchenall tells the story of that Championship season in Jackanory style for BBC East Midlands.
“The Guardian’s David Conn is at the heart of a searing piece in reaction to the Hillsborough verdict. Skysports’ offerings include Martin Brundle making a helicopter ride to Bernie Ecclestone’s coffee plantation in Brazil and a fascinating clip of a schoolboy Ronnie O’ Sullivan is just one of the delights from Deadpan Films as they spotlight snooker in their series on sporting mavericks for ITV.
“In our Radio factual category, BBC producer Pat Nathanson secured an exclusive interview with Allen Stanford, still serving a 110 year sentence in an American Prison. It provides the starting point for a studio discussion on one of the most bizarre matches in recent cricket history.
“Kelly Cates was a fascinating choice to anchor 5Live’s Hillsborough: The truth. An eyewitness on that terrible day in 1989, she found herself in the unusual position of interviewing her dad Kenny Dalglish for this programme.
“Marieke Vervort’s story made uncomfortable listening at times. A Belgian Paralympian she has a degenerative disease and signed papers for euthanasia. Eleanor Oldroyd’s sensitive reporting captured the highs and lows of Marieke’s story in Fight to the Finish.”
THE SHORTLIST
Broadcast Journalist
Richard Conway – BBC Sport
Des Kelly – BT Sport
Paul Kelso – Sky News
Andy May – BT Sport
Broadcast Sports Presenter
Mark Chapman – BBC Sport / BBC Radio 5Live
Eleanor Oldroyd – BBC Radio 5Live
Mark Saggers – talkSPORT
Osi Umenyiora – Whisper Films
Dan Walker – BBC Sport
Jim White – talkSPORT
Radio Sport Factual or Feature
BBC – Colour Race and Quotas: Crossing Continents
BBC Radio 5Live – Fight to the Finish: The Story of Marieke Vervoort
BBC Radio 5Live – Anthony Foley: The Munster Man
BBC Radio 5Live – Hillsborough: The Truth
BBC Radio 5Live – Allen Stanford: Life Behind Bars
talkSPORT – Kick Off: Sexual Abuse in Football
Radio Sport Live Broadcast
BBC Somerset – Yeovil Town Ladies
BBC Radio 5Live – Leicester City’s title win
BBC Radio 5Live – Olympics
IMG Productions – Live @ Wimbledon Radio
talkSPORT – Cheltenham
talkSPORT – Euro 2016
Sports Commentator
Andrew Cotter – BBC Sport
Sam Matterface – talkSPORT
Alison Mitchell – Freelance
John Murray – BBC Radio 5Live
Jim Proudfoot – talkSPORT
Ian Stringer – BBC Radio Leicester
Martin Tyler – Sky Sports
Television Sport Factual or Feature
Barney Spender & Roddy Gibson – The Road to Sparta
BBC – Chinese Football – Building A Dynasty
BBC East Midlands – 5000/1: How Leicester City Beat the Odds
Deadpan Films – The Mavericks
Guardian – Hillsborough: The Anatomy of a Disaster
Sky Sports – Bernie at Home
Sky Sports – England in the 90’s
Sky Sports – Imran
Sky Sports – The Jackman Affair
Television Sport Live Broadcast
BBC Sport – Olympics
BT Sport – UEFA Champions League Final
BT Sport – UEFA Champions League Goals Show
Sky Sports – England v Pakistan T20 International
Sky Sports – Leicester City Title Day
Sky Sports – The Open
If you want to be part of our 40th awards presentations, being staged for the first time at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, you are advised to book your tickets now, as demand is expected to be high and there are limited places available.
SJA members get a massive discount on their tickets, and can also bring a partner or colleague with guest tickets on special offer. For full details visit our ticket-booking site here: www.sjabritishsportsjournalismawards.co.uk
- 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 Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. If you would like more information about The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity or to make a donation online visit their website by clicking here: www.royalmarsden.org