ASC Media Award winners announced
Acting CEO of the Australian Sports Commission Brent Espeland, congratulated last night’s winners of the ASC Media Awards held at Doltone House in Sydney.
Now in its seventh year, the ASC Media Awards recognise and reward excellence in sports journalism and reporting across print, broadcast, photography and online media, and are Australia’s only dedicated sports journalism awards.
“Sport is integral to the Australian way of life and plays an important role in how we see ourselves and how we are seen internationally,” Mr Espeland said.
“The men and women of the sports media are responsible for helping shape this perception and they deserve to be recognised for their efforts,” he said.
Mr. Espeland said the depth, breadth and quality of this year’s entries were outstanding; with 240 entries received for the eight categories.
“The entries reflected the wonderful moments in sport that 2008 has given us, including Australia’s successful Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games campaigns, the launch of the national women’s netball and soccer championships, and the highs and lows of our football codes,” Mr Espeland said.
The 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award was awarded to popular sports commentator, Bruce McAvaney.
“Bruce is synonymous with Australian sport and has made a significant and influential contribution to sports journalism over an extended period of time, having worked in the industry for more than 30 years,” Mr. Espeland said.
“Bruce has called some of the greatest Australian sporting moments of all time, including Cathy Freeman’s gold medal win in the 400 metres at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Tony Lockett’s 1,300th Australian Rules goal, and Makybe Diva’s third Melbourne Cup win in a row in 2005.
'It was a pleasure to see this award presented to someone who is so enthusiastic about what they do, and someone who has done so much to shape sports journalism and broadcasting in this country,” he said.
Mr Espeland thanked everyone who entered the awards, and acknowledged the media’s continued efforts to promote Australian sport and, in turn, to encourage a new generation of young people to participate in sport.
Winners of the 2008 Australian Sports Commission Media Awards
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Best Reporting of an Issue in Australian Sport | Gerard Ryle and Jacquelin Magnay (Sydney Morning Herald) |
| Best Contribution to the Coverage of Sport – by an Organisation | SBS Corporation – Cycling |
| Best Contribution to the Coverage of a Sport – by an Individual | Will Swanton (The Sun-Herald) |
| Best Profiling of an Athlete, Team or Coach – broadcast media | Australian Story – She’s not there (ABC TV) |
| Best Profiling of an Athlete, Team or Coach – print media | Caroline Wilson – How football failed one of its own (The Age) |
| Best Sports Journalism from Rural, Regional or Suburban Media | Richard Schmeiszl – Football crisis (Sentinel-Times Newspaper) |
| Best Journalism on Community Sport | Paul Kennedy – Drug game (Independent) |
| Best Sports Photography | Michael Dodge – A football Life (Herald Sun) |
| Discretionary Awards | |
| Lifetime Achievement Award for Contribution to Sports Journalism | Bruce McAvaney (Channel Seven) |
| Amanda Hooton | Beijing Bound: Great Expectations (Good Weekend Magazine) |
| Raelee Tuckerman | Women in Sport (Bendigo Advertiser) |
I am the fastet sprintetr – athlete – in the world.
From 10–13 September 2010
