The Kennedy Awards for Outstanding Journalism winners were revealed at the Kennedy Foundation’s Annual Gala Awards, held in the ballroom at Royal Randwick.
The Gala was attended by over 400 media professionals and was hosted by SBS & NITV presenters, Natalie Ahmat and Janice Petersen.
This year the Kennedy Awards received 1,014 entries across 38 categories, smashing last year’s record.
ABC’s John Lyons took home three Kennedy Awards this year
Kennedy Awards: Journalist of the Year
The night’s major award, Journalist of the Year, went to the ABC’s John Lyons.
The judges commented: “Since the attacks of October 7, 2023, John Lyons has been the most authoritative Australian voice in both reporting and analysing this generational calamity. With both accuracy and moral clarity, the vastly experienced Middle East hand has framed this conflict in ways that will stand the test of time. As the American foreign correspondent TD Allman, who died this year, put it: “Genuine objective journalism not only gets the facts right, it gets the meaning of events right.” John Lyons passes that double test. It is journalism of the highest standard.
“His reporting from the front line over several tours has been brave, impartial and incisive.”
John Lyons also received the Team Player or Mentor award.
The judges noted the future of industry appears to be in great hands as, Ellie Dudley, from The Australian, who had earlier won the Young Journalist of the Year, was also a finalist in Journalist of the Year.
Nine’s Tracy Grimshaw
Lifetime Achievement Award to Nine’s Tracy Grimshaw
Another major award that has an illustrious history is Lifetime Achievement. This year’s recipient was Nine’s Tracy Grimshaw.
Kennedy Foundation chair Carl Dumbrell commented: “It was a fabulous night celebrating great Australian journalism at the very time the business of it is struggling. Everyone had a great evening be they contenders, sponsors or media heavyweights and demonstrated that not only is the Kennedy Foundation going from strength to strength but that excellent journalism is still well and truly alive.”
In honour of the Kennedy Legends and the great of Australian journalism, the Foundation, also launched its Hall of Honour that will, over time, celebrate the best practitioners of the journalistic craft, many of whom are still lost in the fog of history.
The Kennedy Award winners: Class of 2024 (All photos Salty Dingo)
2024 KENNEDY AWARDS WINNERS
ALL MEDIA
Journalist of the Year: John Lyons – ABC
Lifetime Achievement: Tracy Grimshaw – Nine
Outstanding Team Player or Mentor: John Lyons – ABC
Young Journalist of The Year: Ellie Dudley – The judges’ war with the DPP – The Australian, News Corp
Student Journalist of the Year: Yasmine Alwakal – University of Technology Sydney
Indigenous Affairs Reporting: Four Corners Guarded Team – Guarded – Four Corners, ABC
Outstanding Cartoon: Cathy Wilcox – Solid Ground – Nine Network & The Sydney Morning Herald
Outstanding Consumer Affairs: Christopher Knaus and Lorena Allam – Centrepay: A Vehicle for Economic Abuse? – The Guardian
Outstanding Court and Legal Affairs Reporting: Samantha Maiden, Kerry Warren, Lisa Muxworthy and Alexandra Foster – The Lehrmann Trials – news.com.au
Samantha Maiden, Kerry Warren, Lisa Muxworthy and Alexandra Foster
Outstanding Crime Reporting: Phil Goyen, Sarah Greenhalgh and Ben Fogarty – Sextortion: Teens, Tech and Tragedy – 7 News
Outstanding Finance Reporting: Neil Chenoweth – Cracking the Tax Office Omerta – The Australian Financial Review
Outstanding Foreign Correspondent: Colin Cosier – Finding Yusuf: Part 1 and 2 – SBS
Outstanding Investigative Reporting: Chris Reason – The Bishop of Broome – Seven News
Seven’s Chris Reason
Outstanding Online News Breaking: The Sydney Morning Herald Newsroom – Bondi Junction Coverage – The Sydney Morning Herald online & across Nine Publishing
Outstanding Political Reporting: Ewin Hannan – John Setka vs the AFL – The Australian
Outstanding Reporting on Human Rights, Social or Religious Affairs: Four Corners Guarded Team – Guarded – Four Corners ABC
Outstanding Reporting on the Environment: Daniel Clarke – Kangaroo Island Environmental Disaster – Ad Hoc Docs, Foxtel/Binge, The Guardian, Network 7
Outstanding Sport Reporting: Julian Linden – Under the Surface – The Daily Telegraph
Outstanding 3 Headlines: Jakeb Waddell – AH, KANE HAS DONE IT AGAIN, NO CHANCE IN VFL, TAKES ONE TO NO.1- The West Australian & Seven West Media
Scoop of the Year: Clementine Cuneo, Mark Morri and Josh Hanrahan – A killer in the ranks: Cop Wanted Over Paddington Double Murder – The Daily Telegraph
Regional Broadcast Reporting: Daniel Clarke – Kangaroo Island Body of Work – Ad Hoc Docs, Foxtel/Binge, The Guardian, Network 7
PRINT/TEXT
Outstanding Columnist: Annabel Crabb – Hitting A Nerve: Three Columns – ABC
Outstanding Feature Writing: John Lyons – Body of Work – ABC News and ABC online
ABC’s John Lyons again
Outstanding Travel Writing: Tracey Croke – Silicone Boobs, Queer History and Sydney’s best LGBTQIA+ bars with Kiama Blowhole – Adventure.com
Racing Writer of the Year: Ben Dorries – Damien Oliver” The GOAT” retirement exclusive + body of work – News Corp
Outstanding Digital Innovation: Alex Lim, Katia Shatoba and Thomas Brettell – The Mullet is Alive and Well in AFL – ABC News
Regional Reporting Print and Online: Tijana Birdjan, Dan Proudman and Jake McCallum – DV Horror -The Dubbo News, News Corp
The Harry Potter Award for Outstanding TV News Reporting went to the 9News team Sydney for their breaking and rolling coverage of the Bondi stabbings
TELEVISION/VIDEO
Outstanding News Camera Coverage: Fletcher Yeung – Volunteer Doctors Evacuate Wounded Soldiers in Ukraine – ABC News
Outstanding Nightly Television Current Affairs Reporting: Hannah Sinclair – NDIS Investigation – A Current Affair& Nine Network
Outstanding Television Current Affairs Reporting – Long Form: Anne Connolly, Amy Donaldson and Jessica Longbottom – Careless- Four Corners, ABC
Outstanding Television News Reporting: 9News & Current Affairs Team- Nine News breaking/rolling coverage of Bondi Stabbings – Nine Network
Outstanding Documentary: 7 News Digital Team – The Devils Outback Playground – 7 Plus and YouTube
The Kennedy Award for Outstanding Documentary went to the
7News digital team for The Devil’s Outback Playground
AUDIO JOURNALISM
Outstanding Podcast: Paul Farrell, Mario Christodoulou, Benjamin Sveen, Leila Shunnar and Ingrid Wagner- Stop and Search – Background Briefing, ABC
Outstanding Radio News and Current Affairs: Ben Fordham, Mark Levy, Will Bottom and the 2GB team – Bondi Junction Attacks – 2GB Sydney
PHOTOGRAPHY
Outstanding News Photography: Mick Tsikas – Tears for Albo – Australian Associated Press
Outstanding Portrait Photography: Eddie Jim – Fighting, Not Sinking – The Age & The Sydney Morning Herald
Outstanding Sports Photography: Robert Cianflone – Matildas Mania – Getty Images
The Power of the Lens – Peoples Choice Award: Liam Mendes – Nicholas and Jonah from Mutitjulu- The Australian
See also:
2023 Kennedy Awards: All the winners for excellence in journalism