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![[image] Alex Crawford wins RTS Journalist of the Year](/common/uploads/imageLibrary/Alex-Crawford-RTS-1_L.jpg)
Alex Crawford wins RTS Journalist of the Year
Sky News Wins RTS News Channel of the Year Award
Issued: February 25, 2010
• Asia Correspondent Alex Crawford wins RTS Television Journalist of the Year for the second time • Sky News Pakistan: Terror’s Frontline wins RTS News Coverage - International • Sky News and Skynews.com’s tribute wall Fallen Heroes wins RTS Innovative News award
Sky News scooped the prestigious News Channel of the Year award for a record seventh time at the Royal Television Society (RTS) awards last night (Wednesday 24 February 2010).
Beating off stiff competition from nominees CNN International and Al Jazeera English in the same category, the RTS judges said that Sky News "demonstrated it can report international news as well as its normal fare of UK news".
Head of Sky News, John Ryley, said of the win: “We're disruptive, unorthodox and bold – established but not part of the establishment.” He added: “It’s fitting that we’ve won the award 21 years after Sky News launched.”
Accepting the award he paid tribute to Sky News Chief Correspondent Stuart Ramsay and Asia Correspondent Alex Crawford, commending their "enterprise, professionalism and their sheer courage." He said: “Their reporting from Pakistan and Afghanistan has been at the heart of Sky News’ coverage.”
The news channel continued its success at this year’s RTS awards winning in a further three categories, taking the number of RTS award wins in a single year to a record four.
Alex Crawford won Television Journalist of the Year for the second time. As Sky's Asia Correspondent, she has reported on a broad range of stories from her base in India - including the terror attacks in Mumbai, the fight against the Taliban in Pakistan and the civil war in Sri Lanka.
The RTS judges commended Alex on the "outstanding depth, quality and humanity” of her reporting.
Sky News’ Pakistan: Terror’s Frontline won the award for News Coverage – International. Sky's Chief Correspondent Stuart Ramsay became the first and only foreign journalist to enter the Swat Valley when it came under Taliban control, filming a series of reports that helped expose the Pakistan government's apparent capitulation to the insurgents. RTS Judges commended Sky News' "brave reporting".
The Sky News and Skynews.com tribute wall - Fallen Heroes - which remembers those who have died in the Afghanistan conflict, won the Innovative News Award. The judges commended the “high production values” of the memorial.
John went on to thank all Sky News' rivals and said he was delighted to have "joined forces" with ITN and BBC to deliver live TV debates between the three party leaders during the election campaign.
Sky News was also nominated for two other awards including Tom Rayner for Young Journalist of the Year and Sky News Political Correspondent Joey Jones for Specialist Journalist. Five News Crime Correspondent Jason Farrell was nominated for Specialist Journalist (his second nomination in a row).
Ends.
Notes to editors:
Since its launch in 1989, Sky News has established itself as a formidable and innovative force in the world of news broadcasting. It now provides news to around 145 million people in 36 countries in Europe alone, with distribution across Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
Valued for fairness, balance and journalistic objectivity by both viewers and regulators, the award-winning channel has also earned a reputation for the speed of its 24-hour coverage and flexibility in reporting live news – first.
In addition to its status as one of Europe's leading 24 hour news channels, skynews.com is one of the fastest growing websites on the continent. It is also available on mobile phones, on desktops, on UK rail platforms and Virgin Atlantic flights.
In March 2009 Sky News Radio became the sole provider of national and international news to all commercial stations in the UK – reaching around 31 million listeners in total – when it took over the contract to supply IRN stations, in addition to its existing clients.
Sky News won a Golden Nypmh at the 2009 Monte Carlo Television Festival for Best 24 Hour News Programme for its coverage of the Mumbai terror attacks. Sky News was also named Best News Service at the Broadcast Digital Awards 2009 and Skynews.com won the Association of Online Publishers award for website of the year, 2008.
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