Walkley Awards

{{Short description|Australian awards for excellence in journalism}}

The annual Walkley Awards are presented in Australia to recognise and reward excellence in journalism. They cover all media including print, television, documentary, radio, photographic and online media. The Gold Walkley is the highest prize and is chosen from all category winners. In 2023, Not all awards were open to male journalists. The awards are under the administration of the Walkley Foundation for Journalism.

The Nikon Photography Prizes are also awarded by the Walkley Foundation at the awards ceremony, on behalf of Nikon.

History

The awards were instituted in five categories in 1956 by businessman Sir William Walkley, founder of Ampol. After his death, the awards were handled by the Australian Journalists' Association which, in 1992, was merged into the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance. In 2000, the alliance voted to establish the Walkley Foundation. In that same year, the Walkley Awards were merged with the Nikon Press Photographer of the Year Awards.{{Cite web|url=https://www.australianphotography.com/news/64th-annual-nikon-walkley-press-photography-award-winners-announced|title = 64th Annual Nikon-Walkley Press Photography Award winners announced - Australian Photography}}

The 2015 ceremony was held on 3 December at Crown Casino in Melbourne and was broadcast through an online live stream as well as on A-PAC.{{cite web|publisher=TV Tonight|first=David|last=Knox|url=http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2015/10/walkley-awards-2015-nominees.html|title=Walkley Awards 2015: nominees |date=23 October 2015|access-date=3 December 2015}} In 2016, the event moved to the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre.{{cite web|url=http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2016/10/2016-walkey-awards-nominees.html|title=2016 Walkey Awards: nominees|date=21 October 2016|access-date=22 October 2016|work=TV Tonight|first=David|last=Knox}}

Awards

Excluding the non-fiction book award, only work published by Australian-based media organisations is eligible for an award. Entries are initially evaluated by a jury on newsworthiness, research, writing, production, incisiveness, impact, public benefit, ethics, originality, innovation and creative flair — or other relevant criteria in respect of graphics and electronic media. The jury shortlists three entrants to the Walkley Advisory Board, who select the best entrant in each category, as well as the winner of the "Press Photographer of the Year", "Journalism Leadership Award" and the "Gold Walkley" awards.{{cite web | title=Walkley Award categories explained | website=The Walkley Foundation | date=30 June 2024 | url=https://www.walkleys.com/awards/walkleys/categories/ | access-date=16 July 2024}}{{cite web | title=The Walkley Awards: FAQs | website=The Walkley Foundation | date=27 June 2024 | url=https://www.walkleys.com/awards/walkleys/faqs/ | access-date=16 July 2024}}

Finalists are chosen by an independent board of eminent journalists and photographers. The awards cover all media including print, television, radio, photographic and online media. They can be regarded as the Australian equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize.The Walkley Foundation. [http://www.walkleys.com/the-awards/winners/history.html The Walkley Awards – history] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060918171732/http://www.walkleys.com/the-awards/winners/history.html |date=18 September 2006 }}, retrieved 6 December 2006.AAP MediaNet [http://www.rummage.com.au/AAPView.aspx?id=31609 Media Release: The Walkley Awards] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070326134137/http://www.rummage.com.au/AAPView.aspx?id=31609 |date=26 March 2007 }}, retrieved 6 December 2006

The Gold Walkley is the major award, being chosen from all category winners.

The awards have been archived by the Pandora Archive since 2002.{{cite web|title=Walkley awards|url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/tep/31894|website=Pandora|publisher=National Library of Australia and partners|access-date=5 December 2014}}

The finalists are formally announced in October each year and the awards are presented at a formal ceremony in late November or early December.

=Major categories=

Gold Walkley
Outstanding Contribution to Journalism (men excluded in 2023)
Nikon-Walkley Australian Press Photographer of the Year

=Longform journalism=

=Print/text journalism=

News Report
Feature writing short (under 4,000 words)
Feature writing long (over 4,000 words)

=Photography=

News Photography
Sport Photography
Feature/Photographic Essay

==Nikon Photography Prizes==

These are not Walkley Awards, but administered by the Walkley Foundation on behalf of Nikon.

Photo of the Year
Portrait Prize
Community/Regional Prize
Contemporary Australian Daily Life Prize

=Radio/audio journalism=

News and Current Affairs
Audio Feature

=Television/Video journalism=

News Reporting
Current Affairs Short (less than 20 minutes)
Current Affairs Long (more than 20 minutes)
Camerawork

=All media=

Innovation
Coverage of a Major News Event or Issue
Scoop of the Year
Business Journalism
Coverage of Community & Regional Affairs
Investigative Journalism
Coverage of Indigenous Affairs
Sports Journalism
Public Service Journalism
Commentary, Analysis, Opinion and Critique
Headline, Caption or Hook
Production
Cartoon

Historical categories

Journalism Leadership (1997–2017)
Broadcast Interviewing (1997–2017?) - various name changes, most recently Interviewing.
Three Headings
Newspaper Feature Writing
Magazine Feature Writing
Artwork
Daily Life Photography
Editorial Graphics and Design
Best Use of Medium
Coverage of Suburban or Regional Affairs
International Journalism
Coverage of Asia-Pacific Region
Coverage of Sport
Social Equity Journalism
Commentary, Analysis, Opinion and Critique|Commentary, Analysis, Opinion and Critique