British Journalism Awards

British Journalism Awards
source
Name	British Journalism Awards
Awarded for	Excellence in British journalism
Presenter	Press Gazette
Country	United Kingdom
First awarded	2013
Website	Press Gazette

British Journalism Awards

The British Journalism Awards are annual prizes recognizing investigative reporting, feature writing, and editorial excellence across UK publications such as The Guardian, The Times, Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph, Financial Times and regional titles including the Manchester Evening News, Birmingham Post and Scotland on Sunday. Established amid debates sparked by events like the Leveson Inquiry and reporting on scandals such as the Phone hacking scandal and the HSBC Swiss Leaks, the awards aim to reward public-interest journalism exemplified by investigations into institutions including the Metropolitan Police Service, National Health Service, Bank of England, Ministry of Defence, Home Office and corporations like HSBC, Walmart, Amazon (company). Winners have included reporters from outlets affiliated with groups such as Reach plc, Daily Mirror, Guardian Media Group, News UK, Independent News & Media and broadcasters like the BBC and Channel 4.

History

The awards were launched by Press Gazette in 2013 in the aftermath of inquiries led by figures linked to events including the Hacking Inquiry and inquiries chaired by personalities associated with the Leveson Inquiry. Early ceremonies highlighted investigations into scandals involving Serco Group, G4S, British Airways, Carillion and revelations tied to the Panama Papers, Paradise Papers and LuxLeaks. Judges have included editors from The Independent, Metro (British newspaper), New Statesman, The Spectator and academics from institutions such as London School of Economics, University of Oxford and University of Cambridge.

Award Categories

Categories have varied to cover investigations into subjects involving entities like the Crown Prosecution Service, Independent Office for Police Conduct, Food Standards Agency and topics affecting institutions like University of London, BBC Trust and Ofcom. Typical categories include Investigations, Campaigns, Lifetime Achievement, News Reporting and Specialist Reporting, with shortlist entries drawn from newspapers such as i (newspaper), Evening Standard, The Sun, Daily Express, Herald (Glasgow), magazines like Private Eye, New Statesman, Prospect (magazine), and digital outlets such as HuffPost UK, BuzzFeed UK and OpenDemocracy.

Selection Process and Criteria

Submissions are judged against criteria reflecting investigative work that exposed wrongdoing connected to organisations including British Airways, RBS Group, HSBC, Amazon (company), Google LLC, Facebook, Care Quality Commission, Ofsted and public bodies such as the Department for Work and Pensions and Ministry of Justice. Panels often include senior figures from The Guardian, Financial Times, The Telegraph, BBC Newsnight and editorial leads formerly of Daily Mirror and The Independent. Longlists and shortlists are announced ahead of ceremonies in venues across cities like London, Manchester, Edinburgh and Birmingham.

Notable Winners and Impact

Notable winning investigations have targeted high-profile actors including Cambridge Analytica, SFO (Serious Fraud Office), British Steel, Sports Direct, Theresa May-era policies, and corporate practice at Uber. Awarded work by journalists from The Sunday Times exposed matters linked to the Panama Papers consortium, while reporting from The Guardian and The Observer earned recognition for coverage of surveillance tied to agencies like GCHQ and stories implicating figures associated with No 10 Downing Street. Winners have influenced inquiries by bodies such as the Information Commissioner's Office and prompted parliamentary debates in the House of Commons and committees including the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee.

Controversies and Criticism

The awards have faced critique over perceived commercial ties to sponsors connected to firms like EY (Ernst & Young), KPMG, Deloitte, PwC and debates about conflicts involving proprietors linked to News UK and Daily Mail and General Trust. Commentators from outlets such as The Times, The Telegraph, The Guardian and academic critics at Goldsmiths, University of London and City, University of London have questioned transparency around judging and representation of regional journalism from groups like Johnston Press and Trinity Mirror/Reach plc. Some controversies mirrored wider media disputes involving personalities tied to Ofcom rulings, regulatory scrutiny from the Competition and Markets Authority, and editorial decisions debated in bodies such as the National Union of Journalists.

Ceremony and Sponsorship

Ceremonies are typically held in central venues in London with past host cities including Manchester and Edinburgh, and attended by editors from The Guardian, Daily Mail, Financial Times, The Sun and industry figures from organisations such as the Society of Editors, Press Association, National Council for the Training of Journalists and trade groups like the Media Society. Sponsors over the years have included corporations and professional services firms linked to high-profile clients such as Barclays, Lloyds Banking Group, Standard Chartered, HSBC and consultancies like Accenture; sponsorship prompts periodic debate in outlets such as Press Gazette and commentary from members of the National Union of Journalists.

Category:British awards Category:Journalism awards