Congratulations to those shortlisted for the Media Freedom Awards 2024

The Media Freedom Awards set the benchmark for a celebration of UK public interest and campaigning journalism and shine a light on the crucial role that UK journalists play in promoting media freedom, championing the public’s right to know and holding power to account.  

The awards were handed out a high-profile ceremony on the evening of Tuesday 12 November 2024 at the Underglobe in London. A  shortlist for the awards appears below and a full list of winners can be found here

With thanks to our supporters: 

Individual Awards

Commentator of the Year Broadsheet

Aditya Chakrabortty, The Guardian
Camilla Long, The Sunday Times
Frances Ryan, The Guardian
Matthew Syed, The Sunday Times
Sonia Sodha, The Observer
Suzanne Moore, The Telegraph
William Hague, The Times

Commentator of the Year Popular

Alan Rusbridger, The Independent
Darren Lewis, Daily Mirror
Ian Birrell, i News
Jon Sopel, The Independent
Sarah Baxter, Evening Standard
Sarah Vine, Daily Mail

Journalist of the Year Broadcast

Alex Crawford, Sky News
Laura Kuenssberg, BBC
Paul Brand, ITV News
Rohit Kachroo, ITV News
Sam Poling, BBC Scotland News
Secunder Kermani, Channel 4 News

Journalist of the Year National

Inderdeep Bains, Daily Mail
Paul Morgan-Bentley, The Times
Robert Mendick, The Telegraph
Rosamund Urwin and Charlotte Wace, The Sunday Times
Scarlet Howes, The Sun
Tristan Kirk, Evening Standard

Journalist of the Year Regional

Jilly Beattie, Belfast Live
Liam Thorp, Liverpool Echo
Neil Mackay, The Herald and Herald on Sunday
Sam McBride, Belfast Telegraph
Tanya Fowles, Belfast Telegraph and The Irish News
Will Hayward, Wales Online

Young Journalist of the Year National

Isaan Khan, Daily Mail
Jack Elsom, The Sun
Jacob Whitehead, The Athletic
Marianna Spring, BBC News
Sabrina Miller, Daily Mail/The Mail on Sunday
Sophie Huskisson, The Mirror

Young Journalist of the Year Regional

Debbie Luxon, Cambrian News
Georgina Hayes, BBC Scotland News
Kaf Okpattah, ITV News London
Lucy John, WalesOnline
Max Chesson, KentOnline
Victoria Johnston, The Impartial Reporter

Foreign Correspondent of the Year

Bel Trew, The Independent
Christina Lamb, The Sunday Times
Louise Callaghan, The Sunday Times
Quentin Sommerville, BBC News
Rohit Kachroo, ITV News
Stuart Ramsay, Sky News

Political Journalist of the Year

Billy Kenber, The Times
Beth Rigby, Sky News
Caroline Wheeler, The Sunday Times
Pippa Crerar, The Guardian
Steven Swinford, The Times
Will Hayward, WalesOnline

Photojournalist of the Year

Dimitris Legakis, Athena Picture Agency
Facundo Arrizabalaga, MyLondon
Jack Hill, The Times
Kirsten Elder, Belfast Telegraph
Richard Pohle, The Times
Simon Townsley, The Telegraph

Group Awards

Investigation of the Year National

HMP Bedford, The Times
Huw Edwards charged with indecent images, The Sun
Russell Brand, The Times and The Sunday Times, Hardcash Productions and Dispatches
The IDF Unit responsible for demolishing homes across Gaza, Bellingcat
Tory MP demanded campaign cash to pay ‘bad people’, The Times
Westminster Honey Trap Scandal, POLITICO

Investigation of the Year Regional

Jeffrey Donaldson investigation, Belfast Live, Mirror Northern Ireland
Liverpool: Austerity City, Liverpool Echo and Reach Data Unit
Loretto boarding school investigation, The Herald and Herald on Sunday
NI sexual offences anonymity law, Belfast Telegraph
School governor at Simon Langton Boy’s Grammar in Canterbury resigns, Kent Online
Vaughan Gething donations, WalesOnline

Investigation of the Year Broadcast National

Disciples: The Cult of TB Joshua, BBC World Service/openDemocracy
Inside Reform UK’s election campaign, Channel 4 News
Migrant Deaths, BBC News
Post Office Scandal, Channel 4 News
Russell Brand: In Plain Sight, Hardcash Productions, The Times and The Sunday Times and Dispatches
Spotlight on SEND, ITV News Regions and Nations

Investigation of the Year Broadcast Regional

Catching a Killer: The Murder of Emma Caldwell, BBC Scotland News
Culture Crisis in West Midlands Police, Channel 4 News Leeds
The New Drug Threat, BBC England (Regional)
Wandsworth Prison: Behind Bars, Channel 4 News Leeds
West Midlands Pension Fund Failures, ITV News Central
Why girls in gangs are on the rise, ITV News Anglia

Podcast of the Year

Hot Money: The New Narcos, Financial Times
The Slow Newscast, Tortoise Media
The Trial, Daily Mail
Ukraine: The Latest, The Telegraph
Unreliable Witness, Sky News
Who Killed Emma? BBC News Scotland

Campaign of the Year National

Bloody disgrace, The Sunday Times
Carer’s allowance scandal, The Guardian
Clean It Up, The Times
Dentists for All, The Mirror
Justice for Our Daughters, Daily Mirror
The Better Bones campaign, Sunday Express
UK’s deepfake porn crisis, Channel 4 News

Campaign of the Year Regional

Ban Zombie Knives, Express & Star
Cavity Wall Insulation campaign, Burnley Express
Grenfell, ITV News London
Hillsborough Law, Liverpool Echo
Keep Hitachi on Track, The Northern Echo
NI Sexual Offences Anonymity campaign, Belfast Telegraph
The 21, Newsquest London

Innovation Award

Al Shifa, Sky News
Cocaine Inc, The Times, The Sunday Times and News Corp Australia
FT Visual Storytelling, Financial Times
Liverpool: Austerity City, Liverpool Echo and Reach Data Unit
Uncovered with Sam McBride, Belfast Telegraph
Zac Bretter, The Sunday Times

Regional News Media Organisation of the Year

Belfast Telegraph
ChronicleLive and The Newcastle Chronicle
Express & Star
Jersey Evening Post
Liverpool Echo
The Impartial Reporter

Broadcast News Organisation of the Year

5 News
Channel 4 News
ITV News
Sky News

National News Media Organisation of the Year

Daily Mail
Financial Times
PA Media
The Guardian
The Sun
Times Media