Photos from the night can be found here http://www.flickr.com/photos/o2ukofficial/
The husband of murdered MP Jo Cox has called on the regional press to fight prejudice and narrow-mindedness in communities.
Brendan Cox told journalists at last night’s O2 Yorkshire Media Awards how local and regional media had a vital role in “bringing communities together”.
He also thanked Yorkshire journalists for “everything they had done to honour his wife’s memory”.
“I wanted to tell you how much Jo valued the role of local and regional media. She often talked about the key role you had in breaking down the prejudice and insularity of different community groups and bringing people together.
That role will become even more necessary in the months and years ahead.
“I also want to thank you for the way you focused on Jo’s life, her ideas, beliefs and values rather than just on the way she was taken from us.
Cox was one of a number of special guests who praised local and regional journalists at the awards in Leeds.
Hillsborough families campaigner Trevor Hicks said the support of the local media had been invaluable during their campaign for justice. Team GB’s Paralympic golden girl Hannah Cockroft delivered “a massive thank you” to the journalists who had covered her career.
“Those words of support give you a massive boost at the starting line,” she added.
Now in their ninth year the O2 Awards are a celebration of local and regional journalism.
Nicola Green, Director of Communications and Reputation at O2 UK, said the awards had produced exceptional examples of regional journalism in what had been a memorable year for news events.
“O2 is proud to be associated with these awards which showcase the very best examples of local and regional journalism,” she added.
During the evening sister titles the Yorkshire Post and Yorkshire Evening Post took away the lion’s share of the prizes.
The Evening Post was crowned Best Daily Newspaper and also picked up the Community Journalism Award for its campaign to boost organ donors across the region.
The Yorkshire Post won Scoop of the Year, with reporter Rob Waugh’s investigation into overtime payments made to senior fire officers in South Yorkshire and the Post were named Print Team of the Year for their coverage of the Yorkshire floods.
The Yorkshire Post was also joint winner of the Best Website award, while photographer James Hardisty reclaimed the Image of the Year (Stills) title he won in 2015.
Hull Daily Mail chief reporter Kevin Shoesmith was crowned both News Reporter and Feature Writer of the Year. The Mail won the Specialist Publication award with its season review of Hull City FC, and staffer Allison Coggan also won the Specialist Writer (Print) category.
There was success for both BBC Look North and ITV Calendar.
Look North’s Harry Gration and Paul Hudson won the O2 Stand Out Award for their epic fund raising walk in aid of Sport Relief. Their award was announced by Good Morning Britain presenters Susannah Reid and Piers Morgan. Look North Business Reporter Danni Hewson won Specialist Writer (Broadcast) and BBC cameraman Mark Graham picked up the Moving Images of the Year award.
ITV anchors Christine Talbot and Duncan Wood made it a double for the Calendar team with Talbot named TV Journalist of the Year. Her award was presented by Hillsborough victims’ campaigner Trevor Hicks. Wood was crowned best TV Presenter. He sent a thank you message to judges from Kos, Greece, where he’s reporting on Ben Needham, the Yorkshire toddler who went missing in 1991.
In other broadcast categories, BBC radio stations led the field. Radio York won the Broadcast Team of the Year for its reporting of the Christmas flood disasters which hit the city. BBC Radio Sheffield’s Kat Harbourne was named Radio Journalist of the Year and BBC Radio Humberside morning show host David Burns won the Radio Broadcast Presenter award.
BBC Breakfast presenter Louise Minchin hosted the awards’ evening in Leeds alongside O2’s Head of Press and Reputation Dave Massey. Awards were presented by personalities and members of the community who had featured in media stories through the year including GB Olympic and Paralympic heroes Jack Laugher, Rebecca Gallantree and Hannah Cockroft as well as Emmerdale star Isabel Hodgins and Pride of Britain winner Bailey Matthews.
The awards, now in their ninth year, are a celebration of journalism across broadcast, print and digital media.
O2 Media Awards Yorkshire and the Humber 2016 winners
News Reporter
Winner – Kevin Shoesmith – Hull Daily Mail
Highly Commended
Simon Spark – BBC Look North East Yorkshire & Lincolnshire
Rob Waugh – Yorkshire Post
Jon Hill – ITV Yorkshire
Helen Steel – ITV Yorkshire
Specialist Reporter (Broadcast)
Winner – Danni Hewson – BBC Look North
Specialist Reporter (Print)
Winner – Allison Coggan – Hull Daily Mail
Highly Commended
Jonathan Brown – Yorkshire Evening Post
Aisha Iqbal – Yorkshire Evening Post
Feature Writer
Winner – Kevin Shoesmith – Hull Daily Mail
Highly Commended
Tom Richmond – Yorkshire Post
Allison Coggan – Hull Daily Mail
Aisha Iqbal – Yorkshire Evening Post
Best Website
Winner – Yorkshire Post
Winner – York Mix
Highly Commended
ITV Yorkshire
The Star Sheffield
Bradford Telegraph & Argus
Specialist Publication
Winner – Hull Daily Mail – City 2015-16
Highly Commended
The Star Sheffield – Hillsborough
Hull Daily Mail – Heritage
Yorkshire Post – Queen at 90
Television Journalist
Winner – Christine Talbot – ITV Calendar
Highly Commended
Phil Bodmer – BBC Look North
James Vincent – BBC Look North
Andy Seddon – Made In Leeds
Sports Journalist
Winner – Danny Hall – The Star Sheffield
Highly Commended
Matt Dean – BBC Look North East Yorkshire & Lincolnshire
Tom Richmond – Yorkshire Post
Richard Sutcliffe – Yorkshire Post
Young Journalist
Winner – Ben Blosse – Hull Daily Mail
Highly Commended
Gareth Barlow – BBC Radio York
George Torr – The Star Sheffield
Rosanna Austin – Radio Aire
Images of the Year (Stills)
Winner – James Hardisty – Yorkshire Post
Highly Commended
Frank Dwyer – The Press York
Jonathan Gawthorpe – Yorkshire Post
Moving Images
Winner – Mark Graham – BBC Look North
Highly Commended
Michael Newton – ITV Yorkshire
Peter Thompson – BBC Look North East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire
Radio Journalist
Winner – Kat Harbourne – BBC Radio Sheffield
Highly Commended
Tracy Gee – BBC Radio Leeds
Elly Fiorentini – BBC Radio York
Sarah Urwin – BBC Radio York
Scoop
Winner – Yorkshire Post – Fire chiefs’ expenses
Highly Commended
ITV Yorkshire – Baby Ashes scandal
Yorkshire Evening Post – My Dubai Hell
ITV Yorkshire – Child smuggling
On-Line Media Award
Winner – Insider Media
Highly Commended
The Star Sheffield
Huddersfield Examiner
York Mix
Daily Newspaper
Winner – Yorkshire Evening Post
Highly Commended
Hull Daily Mail
Yorkshire Post
Weekly Newspaper
Winner – Scarborough News
Highly Commended
Sheffield Telegraph
Rotherham Advertiser
Team of the Year (Print)
Winner – Yorkshire Post
Highly Commended
Little Vikings
Yorkshire Living
Team of the Year (Broadcast)
Winner – BBC Radio York
Highly Commended
BBC Look North
Global Radio
BBC On-line
Weekly Newspaper Reporter
Winner – Katia Harston – Barnsley Chronicle
Highly Commended
Joseph Keith – Wakefield Express
Lynsey Bradford – Barnsley Chronicle
Natalie Derham – Selby Times
Community Journalism Award
Winner – Yorkshire Evening Post – Be A Hero
Highly Commended
Pulse FM – Bradford Fire campaign
BBC Look North East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire – Migrants
Huddersfield Examiner – Community campaigns
ITV Yorkshire – Baby Ashes scandal
Broadcast Presenter (Radio)
Winner – David Burns – BBC Radio Humberside
Highly Commended
Toby Foster – BBC Radio Sheffield
Richard Stead – BBC Radio Leeds
Georgey Spanswick – BBC Radio York
Broadcast Presenter (TV)
Winner – Duncan Wood – ITV Yorkshire
Highly Commended
Lara Roston – BBC Look North
Peg Alexander – Made In Leeds
Best Magazine
Winner – The Dalesman
Highly Commended
The Magazine – Yorkshire Post
Beyond
The Journal – Hull Daily Mail
O2 Stand Out Award
Winner – BBC Look North – Harry Gration & Paul Hudson
Highly Commended
Phil Iveson – ITV Yorkshire
Made In Leeds