Three finalists have been announced for the 2022 Our Watch Award administered by the Walkley Foundation.
Our Watch CEO Patty Kinnersly said in a period where gender equality has been on the forefront of the news agenda, the quality of the finalists reflected impressive work from journalists.
“In 2021, we witnessed an unprecedented groundswell of support in our fight to prevent violence against women,” Ms Kinnersly said.
“The media has a powerful role in exposing violence against women, shaping the national conversation and influencing policy and community attitudes.
“Now, more than ever, it’s so important to recognise and reward excellence in reporting on violence against women. In particular, reports that focus on the whole issue, that talk about the drivers of violence against women, and the steps we need to take to prevent it.
“Good reporting can have a significant impact. It can influence how women understand their experiences of violence, and whether they choose to speak out or seek support. It can also influence the way perpetrators understand their choices to use violence and whether to seek support to change their behaviour.”
2022 Our Watch Award finalists
Administered by The Walkley Foundation
- Bethany Atkinson-Quinton and Madison Griffiths, Broadwave, “Tender: Roia Atmar”
- Natassia Chrysanthos and David Leser, Good Weekend and Good Weekend Talks, Sydney Morning Herald, “Sex, schoolkids and where it all goes wrong” and “‘What heartache or trauma could have been avoided?’: teen hook-up culture’s social fallout”
- Karla Grant, Ross Turner, Michael Carey and Nick O’Brien, NITV, “Carly and Keenan: Struggle of Our Lives”
The finalists were announced alongside all the award finalists in the Walkley Foundation’s 2022 Mid-Year Celebration of Journalism.
Walkley Foundation CEO Shona Martyn said: “The media has a big role to play in helping to change the attitudes, behaviours and systems that contribute to violence against women and their children. We’re proud to continue partnering with Our Watch to recognise Australian journalism that leads the way in this area.”
Peer-judged and selected on the basis of journalistic excellence, the Mid-Year Celebration suite administered by the Walkley Foundation includes the John B Fairfax Family Young Australian Journalist of the Year Awards, June Andrews Award for Industrial Relations Reporting, June Andrews Award for Freelance Journalist of the Year, June Andrews Award for Women’s Leadership in Media, Our Watch Award, Media Diversity Australia Award, Humanitarian Storytelling Award, June Andrews Award for Arts Journalism and The Pascall Prize for Arts Criticism.
Winners will be announced at the Mid-Year Celebration of Journalism event in Sydney on June 15.
–ENDS–
MEDIA CONTACT
Lex Guider, Our Watch Media and Communications Manager
P: 0423 444 907
E: lex.guider@ourwatch.org.au
ABOUT OUR WATCH
Our Watch is a national leader in Australia’s work to stop violence against women and their children before it starts. The organisation was created to drive nation-wide change in the structures, norms and practices that lead to violence against women and children.
BACKGROUND
Our Watch has been recognising and rewarding excellence in reporting on violence against women and children since 2013, initially through the Our Watch Awards – administered by the Walkley Foundation – and from 2019 onwards through the Our Watch Award at the Walkley Mid-Year Celebration.
The objective of Our Watch’s ongoing work with the Walkley Foundation is to improve the quality of reporting on violence against women and their children by building awareness of gender inequality as setting the underlying context for this violence.
To access guides for reporting about violence against women and their children, visit: media.ourwatch.org.au.
