MEDIA RELEASE
12.11.03

Media Peace Award Winners

The Peace Foundation’s 20th. Media Peace Awards ceremony took place in Auckland this evening and the Auckland University of Technology, the NZ Herald and TV3 have good reason to be pleased with the results.

In the Rangatahi (student) category, which accounted for nearly one third of the 93 entries, 2 of the 3 winners came from AUT. Olivia Kember won the Print section with the untold story about a 19 year old Tampa refugee, Hayatollah Mohseni, whose application was denied along with his appeal, and whose legal aid and work permit were revoked. Chelsea Winstanley, also from AUT, won the TV/Film section with her documentary about a tourist marae experience. Kristen Hill, student of the NZ Broadcasting School, won the student radio award for ‘The Real War’ which took a courageous look at the motivations behind the war in Iraq.

In the Advertising/Public Relations category, Brian van den Hurk of FCB NZ Ltd., won the Premier Award for the Like Minds, Like Mine campaign, Phase two. The judges said it “sensitively disarms the stigma and discrimination surrounding mental illness and succeeds in encouraging empathy and understanding. Its other great achievement is that it does so in a way that is relevant for a multiplicity of cultures, age groups and experiences”.

In the general media professionals categories, the print finalists saw 3 out of five coming from the NZ Herald and the Premier Award going to Graham Reid (NZH) for his two part series on the Solomon Islands.

The print judging panel, convened by Jim Tully of the Canterbury School of Journalism, described this year’s entries as especially strong and said judges were delighted by the way in which entrants had exemplified the aims of the Awards in their work by not only setting out the background and details of a conflict but in suggesting ways to move through it.

The radio category was taken by Ben Story of Mind’s Eye Productions for his radio drama, The Outsider, which told the story of a group of New Zealanders who were forced to become refugees and take sanctuary in a Moslem country! The script was based on the real-life experiences of recent political refugees living in Wellington. The judges said that “through the daring use of electronic music and sound effects, together with powerful acting, the play succeeds in making real to us the terrifying world of uprooted innocent people”.

The TV/Film Premier Award was won by Michele Fantl and Stewart Main for the TV3 Inside NZ programme ‘Make or Break’ which looked at the work of actor and stage director Jim Moriarty and the intensive drama therapy programme he provides for troubled teenagers. Inside NZ accounted for two of the three finalists with Greenstone Pictures’ ‘The Hardest Decision’ being highly commended.

Peace Foundation Director, Marion Hancock, says ‘The strength of many of the entries is extremely heartening and it’s really good to see the rigorous and positive journalism that’s being practised by a growing number of people working in the mainstream media. We’re also very encouraged by the steady growth in the number of student entries and the quality of them”.

The ceremony had a celebratory air with Peace Foundation Patron, Sir Paul Reeves cutting the anniversary cake to the accompaniment of Don McGlashan and friends. Marilyn Waring was the guest speaker and Carol Hirschfeld and John Campbell the MCs.

FOUNDATION FOR PEACE STUDIES
2003 MEDIA PEACE AWARD WINNERS

Print

Premier Award:
Graham Reid Teetering on Edge of Precipice

Highly Commended:
Hannah Sperber An Asian at My Table

Finalists:
Bevan Rapson Out of Africa
Tim Watkin Trouble at Mill
Angela Gregory To the Third Degree
Radio

Premier Award
Ben Story The Outsider

Highly Commended
Colin Peacock A Clear Picture

Finalists:
Maureen Garing Christianity & Islam in Egypt & the War in Iraq
Trev Hill Everyday Communities - family violence

TV/Film

Premier Award:
Michele Fantl & Stewart Main, MF Films Make or Break

Highly Commended:
Rachel Stace & Felicity Morgan-Rhind The Hardest Decision
Adam Hollingworth & John Hudson It’s About Time

Advertising & Public Relations

Premier Award:

FCB NZ Ltd. Like Minds, Like Mine - Phase Two

Highly Commended
Ziena Jalil & Kim Garthwaite Sow the Seeds of Love

Student/Rangatahi

Print
Premier Award
Olivia Kember Untitled – the story of 19 year old Tampa refugee Hayatollah Mohseni

Highly Commended
Natasha Mitchell Muslim

Finalist
Ann Graham Voice For Teens With Cancer

Film/TV
Premier Award
Chelsea Winstanley Whakangahau

Highly Commended
Luke Wheeler Not Too Bad

Finalist
Abby Brown Bandannas

Radio
Premier Award
Kristen Hill The Real War

© Scoop Media