By Claire Meadows

Excellence in campaigning and investigative journalism was last night honoured at the Society of Editors’ prestigious Media Freedom Awards 2024.

Held at the iconic Globe Theatre in London and attended by the Media Minister Stephanie Peacock MP, the high-profile awards brought together more than 300 journalists and news leaders from all sectors for a celebration of the UK news industry.

Presented by ITV News’ Lucrezia Millarini and supported by Vodafone and national lottery-operator Allwyn, big winners of the evening included PA Media which was crowned the National News Media Organisation of the Year with outgoing Editor-in-Chief Peter Clifton awarded the Bob Satchwell Award in recognition of his service to the industry and defence of open justice.

Announcing the winners Dawn Alford, Executive Director of the Society said: “Now in their third year, the Media Freedom Awards recognise and celebrate the dedication and accomplishments of journalists and newsrooms across all sectors of the UK media industry. From those who operate in dangerous and life-threatening war zones to those who stand up against bureaucracy and fight for the public’s right to know, we are honoured to recognise their outstanding achievements this evening.”

Other big winners of the evening included The Sun which was awarded the Investigation of the Year National prize for its investigation into BBC News presenter Huw Edwards with reporter Scarlet Howes named the Journalist of the Year National.

BBC News Scotland’s Sam Poling, from Helensburgh, who once worked for the Lennox Herald, was also a big winner with her pursuit of justice following the death of Emma Caldwell securing her the Journalist of the Year Broadcast accolade as well as the Investigation of the Year in the Broadcast Regional category.

Looking to the campaign categories, The Sunday Times’ multi-media campaign Bloody Disgrace, which was instrumental in securing a £10 billion-plus compensation package for those whose lives were destroyed by the infected blood tragedy, was awarded the Campaign of the Year National while the Midland’s Express & Star’s successful campaign to ban Zombie Knives took home the award in the regional category.

Other big regional winners included WalesOnline for its scrutiny of donations made to former first minister Vaughan Gething while Belfast Live’s Jilly Beattie was named the Journalist of the Year Regional for her investigation and coverage of the arrest of former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson on historical sexual offence charges. The Belfast Telegraph was also named the Regional News Media Organisation of the Year.

Broadcast winners included BBC News for its investigation into migrant deaths while ITV News London’s Kaf Okpattah was awarded the Young Journalist of the Year Regional prize for his work highlighting failings across NHS London’s maternity services as well as security failings in Wandsworth Prison. The evening also saw Channel 4 News named the Broadcast News Organisation of the Year.

Other big winners on the night included The Big Issue which was bestowed the Judges’ Special Award in recognition of its tireless work helping millions of people affected by poverty in the UK for more than 30 years and its services to journalism. The evening also saw the veteran foreign correspondent Kim Sengupta posthumously awarded a Special Recognition Award for services to war reporting following his death earlier this year.

A full list of winners appears below.

Winners of Media Freedom Awards 2024

Georgina Henry Award organised by Women in Journalism and sponsored by Wiggin LLP
Winner: Sophia Smith Galer

Bob Satchwell Award
Pete Clifton, Editor-in-Chief, PA Media

Judges’ Special Award
The Big Issue

Special Recognition Award
Kim Sengupta, Defence and Diplomatic Editor, The Independent 

Investigation of the Year – National
Winner: Huw Edwards charged with indecent images, The Sun
Highly Commended: Russell Brand, The Times and The Sunday Times, Dispatches and Hardcash Productions

Investigation of the Year – Regional
Winner: Vaughan Gething donations, WalesOnline
Highly Commended: Loretto boarding school investigation, The Herald and Herald on Sunday

Investigation of the Year – Broadcast – National
Winner: Migrant deaths, BBC News
Highly Commended: Disciples: The Cult of TB Joshua, BBC World Service/openDemocracy

Investigation of the Year – Broadcast – Regional
Winner: Catching a Killer, The Murder of Emma Caldwell, BBC Scotland News
Highly Commended: Culture Crisis in West Midlands Police, Channel 4 News Leeds

Commentator of the Year – Broadsheet
Winner: Frances Ryan, The Guardian
Highly Commended: Matthew Syed, The Sunday Times

Commentator of the Year – Popular
Winner: Darren Lewis, Daily Mirror
Highly Commended: Jon Sopel, The Independent

Podcast of the Year
Winner: Ukraine: The Latest, The Telegraph
Highly Commended: Who Killed Emma? BBC News Scotland

Campaign of the Year – National
Winner: Bloody Disgrace, The Sunday Times
Highly Commended: Carer’s allowance scandal, The Guardian

Campaign of the Year – Regional
Winner: Ban Zombie Knives, Express & Star
Highly Commended: NI Sexual Offences Anonymity Campaign, Belfast Telegraph and The 21, Newsquest London

Journalist of the Year – Broadcast
Winner: Sam Poling, BBC Scotland News
Highly Commended: Secunder Kermani, Channel 4 News

Journalist of the Year – National
Winner: Scarlet Howes, The Sun
Highly Commended: Rosamund Urwin and Charlotte Wace, The Sunday Times

Journalist of the Year – Regional
Winner: Jilly Beattie, Belfast Live
Highly Commended: Will Hayward, WalesOnline

Young Journalist of the Year National supported by Journalists’ Charity
Winner: Isaan Khan, Daily Mail
Highly Commended: Sophie Huskisson, The Mirror

Young Journalist of the Year Regional
Winner: Kaf Okpattah, ITV News London
Highly Commended: Lucy John, WalesOnline

Foreign Correspondent of the Year
Winner: Christina Lamb, The Sunday Times
Highly Commended: Quentin Sommerville, BBC News

Political Journalist of the Year
Winner: Billy Kenber, The Times
Highly Commended: Pippa Crerar, The Guardian

Photojournalist of the Year
Winner: Simon Townsley, The Telegraph
Highly Commended: Jack Hill, The Times and Richard Pohle, The Times

Innovation Award
Winner: Cocaine Inc, The Times, The Sunday Times and News Corp Australia
Highly Commended: FT Visual Storytelling, Financial Times

National News Media Organisation of the Year
Winner: PA Media
Highly Commended: Times Media

Regional News Media Organisation of the Year
Winner: Belfast Telegraph
Highly Commended: Liverpool Echo

Broadcast News Media Organisation of the Year
Winner: Channel 4 News
Highly Commended: Sky News