TOP OF THE CLASS
Students from Birmingham City University and the University of Warwick took six of the eleven main honours at the Midlands Media Students’ Awards. But the coveted accolade of Student of the Year went to Nicholas Gascoyne (pictured) from Leicester’s De Montfort University (DMU).
The Awards, sponsored by Amazon UK Services Ltd and organised by Birmingham Press Club, were hosted by ITV Central journalist Lewis Warner and BBC Asian Network presenter Amber Sandhu – both former students at universities in the Midlands. The event was held at Hockley Social Club, a former Birmingham print factory now transformed into a vibrant meeting place and street food venue.
Nicholas submitted work completed during his last year at DMU, where he gained a first-class degree in journalism & politics – and an award for his magazine final year project which won him the DMU annual magazine cover competition.
Nicholas was applauded by the judges – one of them saying: ‘Brilliant. I would give this person a job’ - for his compelling style of writing, which had them “hooked from beginning to end.”
His portfolio of articles on “weird, obscure and extraordinary real people,” which won him the Feature Writer of the Year Award, saw him interview a former vegan who swopped broccoli for raw meat and fermented cow’s milk on his hunt for excellent health; an American couple whose six “children” are dolls made to look like zombies; and produce a rare insight into the lives of three professions that work with the deceased.
There was a “double” for BCU student Kirsty Card, now a Daily Star video news reporter. She won the Digital Journalist and Data & Investigations categories; the judges commending her for a strong, well-researched piece which posed the question ‘are parents putting their children at risk for cash on social media’ and an investigation into the flaws in NHS data relating to miscarriages. She was also highly commended for her work in the Features category.
The three “gold” awards for University of Warwick students went to Eden Fall-Bailey (News), for a stand-out in-depth study of vaping; Matthew Rendell (Broadcasting, Audio), for a piece that asked : ‘Is Spotify good for podcasts?’ and Laura Howard (Sport), whose articles on grassroots disability sport, the World Cup history of the Japanese women’s football team and whether the women’s England hockey team should wear skirts or shorts won her praise for her “breadth of subjects” that were not only different and informative but were well-researched and “bang on point.”
There was also a “double” for Shing Hei Yip from Nottingham Trent University, whose powerful images in an excellent entry about Chinese consulate protests in Nottingham won him the Social Media Video of the Year category, while his portfolio depicting “A Year in Nottingham” gave him the edge in the Photography category.
Rima Ayoubi from Coventry University and Abdul Jalfar from Birmingham City University were joint winners of the Broadcasting (Television) category. Rima submitted an “immensely powerful yet harrowing” entry, entitled ‘Endless Darkness,’ about the hidden secrets in Syrian prisons. The judges said it was an impressive fact-finding production. Abdul’s entry, ‘Leave Them Speechless,’ was a documentary following the extraordinary journey of Yousuf Ibrahim, an emerging boxer from Northampton. The judges said it was a great story, motivational and inspirational – an outstanding production which could transmit immediately in cinema and on TV.
The Social & Campaigning Journalism award went to Wolverhampton-based Rachel Alexander, a distance-learning student at Darlington College. Rachel, who submitted a portfolio of stories around the cost of living crisis, was described by the judges as a talented writer who covered a wide variety of stories with compassion. As someone with an instinct for person-led stories it was clear she was able to establish a good rapport with her interviewees. She is now a staff reporter on the Stoke Sentinel.
Students who were highly commended were Hayley Mills-Amissah, Birmingham City University (Broadcasting, Television); Tayte Fordham, Coventry University (Broadcasting, Television); Liiaan Dable, University of Worcester (Broadcasting, Television); Olivia Beeson, Nottingham Trent University (Features); Charles Hawes, De Montfort University (Features, News and Social & Campaigning Journalism); Kirsty Card, Birmingham City University (Features).
Josh Bradbury, University of Warwick (News); Jude Wilkinson, University of Warwick (News); Emma Louise Davies, University of Worcester (Photography); Ellie Mitchell, University of Warwick (Social & Campaigning Journalism); Lois Cooper, University of Gloucestershire (Data & Investigations); Kaleigh Pritchard, University of Gloucestershire (Data & Investigations); Jake Rodrigues, University of Warwick (Sport); Luke Powell, Birmingham City University (Sport).
In a message to students, Neil Williams, Amazon public relations manager, said: The qualities you’ve demonstrated by entering these awards – hard work, commitment, dedication to your trade – will be essential characteristics to carry with you during your career.”
The judges were Adam Fradgley, Press Photographer; Alan Carruthers, former radio producer; Chris Hills, Editor, Tamworth Heritage.org.uk; Chris Mair, former regional newspaper editor; Claire Bullivant, Editor, Bullivant Media’s Magazine Division; Clodagh Griffin, journalist, TV presenter and broadcaster; Dan Harrison, Head of Media & Communications, Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce. Fionnuala Bourke, Editor, Birmingham World; George Hancorn, ITV News Digital Producer & Rundown Presenter; Ian Tennant, Press & PR Photographer; Jeff Berliner, PR adviser and former television journalist; Jonathan Carter, Publisher, Birmingham Living; Tom Lutz, US Sports Editor, Guardian News & Media; Tom Ross, broadcaster and journalist.
