Tasmanian Media Awards 2023: winners

ABC News Hobart reporter Katri Uibu has been named the Tasmanian Journalist of the Year in the 2023 Tasmanian Media Awards.

She also won Best News Story for a year-long national crowd-sourced investigation into the abuse and mistreatment of children in state care.

ABC swept the television wins while Makenna Baily from Southern Cross Austereo / 7 Tasmania News won Best New Journalist.

Adam Portelli, MEAA Deputy Chief Executive, said journalists continue to serve their communities by reporting on the issues that matter to Tasmanians. “This year’s entries have again highlighted the breadth and quality of journalism in Tasmania,” he said.

Winners were named at a special cocktail event at Waterside Pavilion in Hobart on Friday, May 26.

TV & related winners:

Journalist Of The Year
Katri Uibu – ABC – “Bad parent life at the hands of Australia’s child protection system”
Judges’ comments: Katri’s series of excellent investigative stories expose and shed much-needed light on Australia’s failing child protection system, revealing hundreds of confronting, raw, shocking and often graphic accounts of stories of horrific sexual, physical and mental (as well as racial) abuse endured by children both in and out of the system of child protection. Her work is of huge public interest and benefit, already resulting in one parent being reunited with their child and Federal Attorney General Mark Dreyfuss promising to address these horrific problems. This was investigative journalism at its best.

Health Reporting
Adam Langenberg – ABC News – “Body of Work”
Judges’ comments: Amid a pool of high calibre entries, Adam Langenberg’s reporting stood out for its insight into the Tasmanian health system and the toll its shortcomings can have on people’s lives. Adam’s reporting on the unfairness of Tasmania’s guardianship system, the suspension of chief psychiatrist Aaron Groves, and the shortage of neurological specialists in the state showed his skill turning a news tip from a contact into a compelling set of exclusive stories.

Public Service Journalism
Alexandra Humphries – ABC – “Election grants”
Judges’ comments: Alexandra demonstrated an impressive level of investigative skill and dogged reporting, over many months, to break this story, which set the agenda for newsrooms across the state and helped to spark a parliamentary inquiry into the issue. By essentially “following the money”, Alexandra exposed a political practice that has been described as “electoral bribery”. And the stories she produced were concise and compelling, distilling what could have been a murky and complex topic into something that was accessible and easy to understand. Her work – in print and broadcast form – expertly highlighted the outrageous nature of the practice, a clear benefit to the public, who have a right to know but rely on the news media to follow that paper trail and report back.

Feature, Documentary or Current Affairs
Lucy MacDonald, Will Murray, Maren Preuss, Luke Bowden, Dane Meale, Paul Strk, James Dunlevie – ABC – “Inside the prison for kids”
Judges’ comments: The entries in this category were of an exceptionally high standard this year, demonstrating excellent research, storytelling and tenacious investigative skills across multiple media platforms. The judges were particularly impressed by the number of stories which are being told in new and innovative ways, responding to changing audience habits and needs. The winning entry not only told a very important story, but did so with invention and originality, and the result had incredible impact. The quality of research and production values evident in the winning story demonstrate the importance of news organisations committing time and resources into producing meaningful stories, which require attention beyond the 24/7 news cycle.

Best News Story
Katri Uibu – ABC – “Bad parent life at the hands of Australia’s child protection system”
Judges’ comments: Katri provides a harrowing insight into the child protection system and neglect, racism, child abuse and government failure. Judges were unanimous in their decision due to the extensive year-long investigation undertaken by a journalist to give a voice to those who were fearful to speak out. Through crowd sourcing and contact with 1300 people, it shows dogged determination by a journalist to get beyond the ‘PR’ responses of authorities. The reports resulted in the issue gaining the attention of the federal Attorney-General. Its impact is best defined by the response to a mother who said this story “saved” her son who now had a chance to heal. The production is very sophisticated and sensitive, contributing to the overall impact of the piece. A fine example of investigative reporting – without fear or favour.

Best New Journalist
Makenna Baily – Southern Cross Austereo / 7 Tasmania News – “Body of Work”
Judges’ comments: Makenna’s entry demonstrated great skill on breaking news and colour. Her stories were sharp and informative. Her live crosses were particularly impressive, given her limited experience. Acknowledging her recent entry to the profession, the limited resources at her disposal and the quality of her work, Makenna was the clear winner of the category. More generally, it was heartening to read Tasmania’s new journalists’ dedication to local news. It was a difficult category to judge, and Tasmanians are well served by their up-and-coming journalists.

Photo: ABC