Creative NZ recognises arts broadcast journalism

MEDIA RELEASE

Creative New Zealand recognises arts broadcast journalism
at Qantas Media Awards 2004

Broadcast journalists were recognised tonight for their contribution to New Zealand arts journalism at the Qantas Media Awards.

Creative New Zealand has been sponsoring the arts journalism categories of the Qantas Media Awards since 1996 as part of its arts advocacy work. Peter Biggs, Chair of Creative New Zealand, says the organisation constantly works with the media to encourage increased media commitment to arts coverage.

“The level of national and international interest in New Zealand arts and artists is unprecedented,” he says. “Creative New Zealand’s sponsorship of the arts categories of the Qantas Media Awards is a way of recognising and rewarding those New Zealand journalists who have supported this increased focus on creativity and who have provided New Zealanders with topical, engaging arts stories.

“I would like to congratulate the winners and finalists in the arts categories of this year’s Qantas Media Awards for excellence in arts journalism.”

Barry Young, Director of the Qantas Media Awards, says Creative New Zealand’s sponsorship of the awards has been an important catalyst in developing the whole genre of reporting about the arts.

“When we introduced ‘the arts’ as a category within the awards we received a few theatre reviews as entries. Now, the subject is taken seriously by journalists in newspapers, magazines, on radio and television, and the stories entered in the awards reflect this.”

The winners in the broadcast arts categories are as follows:

The Award for Best Radio Current Affairs Arts Story was presented to Tarek Bazley for his stories Air Guitar and Live from Gore on Radio New Zealand’s afternoon arts programme What’s Going On.

Live from Gore was a live cross at the opening of the John Money collection and the extension of the Eastern Southland Art Gallery in Gore, while Air Guitar was described by the judges as “a piece that demonstrated Tarek’s ability to handle a ‘fringe’ art issue in an amusing but sympathetic manner.”

The Award for Best Television News Arts Story was presented to Belinda Henley from 3 News, TV3, for her story Chandler. The judges said this showed “great production values and was a nice story about a new, young singer.” Tom Fraser from One News, TV One was a finalist in this category for his story Police photographer.

The Award for Best Television Current Affairs Arts Story was presented to Sunday team Janet McIntyre, Jan Skinner, Vaughan Scott and Nigel McPhee from TV One for The Brains in Spain, about a New Zealand architect and his team working to restore a celebrated cathedral in Spain. The judges said that, “the team had obviously done their homework on the subject and the man master-minding its conclusion. It pays homage to the many artisans and artists who have contributed to this massive project ... excellent work.” Sunday, TV One was a finalist in this category with the story The Don.

Winners of the Qantas Media Awards for print journalism, in which Creative New Zealand also sponsors a number of awards, will be announced on 28 May.

Creative New Zealand sponsors a range of awards, including the arts journalism categories of the Qantas Media Awards, to acknowledge the contribution that other sectors make to New Zealand arts. Other such awards include the Creative Places Awards, which acknowledge the work of local government, and the Creative New Zealand Award for Bravery in the National Business Review Awards for Business Sponsorship of the Arts.

Ends

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