SJA BRITISH SPORTS JOURNALISM AWARDS 2014: The short-lists – Broadcasting
Some of the biggest names in British sports broadcasting feature on the short-lists for the SJA’s British Sports Journalism Awards, which are revealed here today.
Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker, 2013 SJA Sports Broadcaster of the Year Alison Mitchell, TalkSport’s Stan Collymore and BBC sports editor Dan Roan are among the on-screen talents that have made it through the judging process in this, the first year that the Sports Journalists’ Association has invited entries for its broadcasting categories.
The Sports Photography and Sports Writing category short-lists of the SJA British Sports Journalism Awards were announced earlier this week, with the winners in all categories set to be named at a gala dinner, sponsored by BT Sport, to be staged at the Grand Connaught Rooms in London’s Covent Garden on Monday, March 23, where the SJA President, Sir Michael Parkinson, and Jim Rosenthal will welcome nearly 400 guests to celebrate excellence in sports journalism.
The SJA’s British Sports Journalism awards date back to 1976, and the past winners include some of the biggest names in British sports writing, photography and broadcasting. The sports broadcasting categories are among the SJA’s newest awards, having been launched only in 2005. Past winners have included Clare Balding, Jeff Stelling and Mark Pougatch.
But this year we had expanded the section to six awards, recognising live broadcasts in television and radio, sports documentaries on TV or radio, and the best sports presenters and broadcast journalists.
As may have been anticipated, there’s formidable quality entries from coverage of the football World Cup, Commonwealth Games and Formula 1 motor racing, and the BBC and ITV have plenty of contenders for prizes.
But encouragingly for the organisers, there’s plenty of representation for other broadcasters, including TalkSport, the independent producers Sunset and Vine, and two local stations, BBC Radio Oxford and BBC Radio Leeds, are also mixing it with the “big boys” with the quality of their work through their short-listed entries in the radio sports documentary category (for the 3:39.4 programme about the first sub-four-minute mile at Iffley Road) and radio live coverage (for the Grand Depart of the Tour de France in Yorkshire).
BT Sport – the awards sponsors who played no part in judging any categories – also feature strongly, with two contenders in the televsion documentary short-list.
The broadcast category judges were drawn from all sectors of the industry, and included some of the most respected names in commentary, presenting and production.
“The SJA is immensely grateful to our judges for the hard work that they put in to view and listen to many hours’ worth of entries,” Steven Downes, the SJA Secretary, said.
“We are keen that our awards reflect all aspects of our business, and we’re delighted that so many colleagues in broadcasting have embraced these categories in the first year. The variety of entries in the documentary categories – on radio as well as television – impressed our judges in what has been a sometimes overlooked area of work.
“We congratulate all those who entered and have been short-listed, and look forward to welcoming many of those involved to the awards dinner next month.”
Broadcast Journalist
Mike Costello – BBC Radio 5Live
Amy Lewis – Sky Sports News
Ronald McIntosh – Freelance
Alison Mitchell – Freelance
David Ornstein – BBC Sport
Dan Roan – BBC Sport
Broadcast Sports Presenter
Stan Collymore – talkSPORT
Adrian Durham – talkSPORT
Hazel Irvine – BBC Sport
Gary Lineker – BBC Sport
Eleanor Oldroyd – BBC Radio 5Live
Mark Saggers – talkSPORT
Radio Sports Documentary
3:59.4 – BBC Radio Oxford
Blackwash and Me – BBC Radio 5Live
Kick Off Mental Health – talkSPORT
Pendleton : Mind of a Cyclist – BBC Radio 5Live
Rumble in the Jungle – BBC Radio 5Live
The Rooney Rule – BBC Radio 5Live
Radio Live Broadcast
Commonwealth Games – BBC Radio 5Live
Football World Cup – BBC Radio 5Live
Football World Cup – talkSPORT
Ryder Cup – BBC Radio 5Live
Match day Live – talkSPORT
Tour De France – BBC Radio Leeds
Television Live Broadcast
Abu Dhabi GP – BBC Sport
Aviva Premiership Final 2014 – Sunset+Vine for BTSport
Commonwealth Games – BBC Sport
FA Cup Semi Final – Sunset+Vine for BTSport
Football World Cup – BBC Sport
Football World Cup – ITV Sport
Television Sports Documentary
An Ordinary Hero – BT Sport
Blade Runner – BBC Sport
Hansen: Player and Pundit – BBC Sport
MOTD at 50 – BBC Sport
The Crazy Gang – BT Sport
- Click here to see the short-lists for the SJA Sports Photography Awards
- Click here for the short-lists for the SJA Sports Writing categories
- The SJA is the largest member organisation of sports media professionals in the world. Join us: Click here for more details
UPCOMING SJA EVENTS
Mon Mar 23: SJA British Sports Journalism Awards, sponsored by BT Sport, at the Grand Connaught Rooms. Details of how to book your tickets can be found here
Wed, Apr 1: BT Sport/SJA lunch with Olympic champion rower Andrew Triggs Hodge. Booking details here
Mon Apr 13: SJA Spring Golf Day, Wimbledon Park GC. Booking details here
Mon Sep 14: SJA Autumn Golf Day, Muswell Hill Golf Club