Freelance journos get their own Walkley Award
Freelance journalists are to get their own Walkley Award, the organisers have announced.
Laurie Oakes, chair of the Walkley Foundation Advisory Board, said: “This is a very exciting new award that is designed to highlight the important role that freelance journalists play in the media. Increasingly, media outlets look to freelancers for content and this award aims to reflect that need.”
The Award for Best Freelance Journalist of the Year will be chosen “on the basis of journalistic excellence”. Judging will be based on work published or broadcast in any medium in the past year. Judges will consider the resources available and effort expended in the preparation of the work.
Oakes said: “This award will encompass a broad range of new media including on-line journalism and blogging.”
Is there a Walkley Award for Twitter yet? It has been a big year for Messrs. Ctrl-C and Ctrl-V. They’re the Woodward and Bernstein of our generation.
What about a Walkley Award for PRs?
For my money, the Walkley’s are a must watch. First, via his acceptance speech Gold Walkley winner Laurie Oakes told the World the 2010 Federal Election had been “a race to the bottom by two political pygmies’ (it was!), then last year hero whistleblower journo and fave Aussie citizen Jules Assange was awarded a Walkley (yes!) and about an hour on TV to slate the current government (fantastic) for failing to support him (true).
A Walkley award for freelance journos who take the same risks and produce vital news is another step in the right direction! Love it!