Media Release by The Hon Larry Anthony MP

2002 Youth Media Awards

The best examples of journalism promoting young people were recognised last night by Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Larry Anthony, at an awards ceremony in Sydney.

“The winner of the 2002 National Youth Media Awards Young Journalist of the Year Award was Zoie Jones from the ABC’s Triple J.

“Zoie started her career working as a volunteer for community radio stations in Adelaide and Melbourne. In 2000 she landed a job at Triple J after a week of work experience and she now works as a reporter and producer on the program. Zoie regularly produces stories on youth issues and young people.

“The Awards recognise journalists of all ages in television, print, radio and two new categories of Best Online feature and Young Indigenous Journalist of the Year for positive stories about Australia’s youth.

“The Young Indigenous Journalist of the Year is Kate Munro. Kate has worked as a presenter and news director for Indigenous radio station 3KND and as a reporter and researcher on the 2000 Olympic Games. She is currently the Victorian correspondent for the national Indigenous newspaper the Koori Mail.

“The finalists work in all categories demonstrates the high standard of positive stories about young people this year. I also congratulate all the entrants for their efforts in highlighting the achievements of our young people and the positive role they play in our community in their stories.

“It is great to see such a diverse range of entries that show how positive young peoples lives are, because there are some fantastic stories to tell.

“Now in their fourth year, the 2002 Awards attracted a record 1,159 entries, a 21 per cent increase on last year.

“The media have an important role they play in influencing public opinion about Australia’s young people.

“It is not about asking the media to ignore negative issues, but rather wanting to see and hear them report on the good stories as well,” Mr Anthony said.

2002 Youth Media Awards Winner

  • Best feature in metropolitan press
    Adam Harvey, The Sunday Telegraph “The courage of the kids who return from a one way trip to nowhere”
  • Best feature in suburban/ regional press
    Alison Dean, The Melbourne Times “Children who care for adults”
  • Best news report in metropolitan press
    Sean Cowan, The West Australian “Young work the wild side”
  • Best news report in suburban/ regional press
    Scott Warren, Blue Mountains Gazette “Ben starts his cycle for life”
  • Best news/current affairs story on radio
    Zoie Jones, Triple J “Rock Eisteddfod Drug Report”
  • Best feature/interview on radio
    Justine McSweeney, ABC Heywire “The ABC gives regional youth a voice”
  • Best television/ current affairs program/ doco
    Ben Cheshire, ABC The Australian Story “Playing for Time”
  • Best television lifestyle program
    Network Ten’s Totally Wild program “River Health”
  • Best television news story
    Nicholas Way, Channel Ten News Western Australia ‘Engine Kids”
  • Best feature / interview online
    David Goldie and Sohail Dahdal, AFC/ABC New Media, ‘Long Journey, Young
    Lives’
  • Popular Choice
    ABC Landline, “Young Australian of the Year”
    Nominator: Nancy Kay Edwards
  • Young Indigenous Journalist of the Year
    Kate Munro, The Koori Mail “Indigenous youth role models”
  • Young Journalist of the Year
    Zoie Jones, Triple J “Body of work”