The jaw-dropping local news investigations being celebrated across the industry
Plus: The newsrooms swapping stock images for AI, local newspaper subscription success stories and awards from the Local Democracy Reporter conference
Hello,
Welcome to the Behind Local News weekly newsletter. Our main feature this week looks at the stories which made the award wins at the brilliant Media Freedom Awards, held in London last week.
Awards events should inspire, but there was something particularly special about the MFAs, organised by the Society of Editors. It’s hard to say what makes them so special - but it’s probably to do with the fact the awards look at journalism in all its forms - regional, national, print, digital and broadcast. And the venue, at the Globe Theatre in London, was pretty unusual too.
Also this week:
Congratulations to the Manchester Evening News’s Ethan Davies, named LDR of the year at the Local Democracy Reporter annual awards, held last week. You can read more about Ethan’s win, and the conference held by the BBC, here.
Iliffe Media, which owns titles like Kent Online, the Cambridge Independent and many others, has pushed into paywalls recently. The company is avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach with its titles, and is seeing a lot of success as a result, including on some of its smallest websites. COO Ian Carter has shared mored on his blog.
National World is using generative AI tools to create compelling infographics instead of stock images (and always telling readers when it is doing so). Read more here.
And a regional newspaper sought inspiration from one of The Sun’s best-known front pages when looking for a way to bring a council story to life. Find out how here.
Thanks for reading - and please get in touch if there’s something we should be covering on Behind Local News
Powerful local journalism celebrated at the Media Freedom Awards
Northern Ireland journalism continued its domination of local journalism awards in 2024 last week — this time at the Media Freedom Awards.
The Belfast Telegraph was named regional news organisation of the year, following on from its huge haul of wins at the Regional Press Awards earlier in the year.
Meanwhile, Jilly Beattie of BelfastLive was named regional journalist of the year for her investigation and coverage of the arrest of former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson on historical sexual offence charges.
BBC News Scotland’s Sam Poling was also a big winner with her pursuit of justice following the death of Emma Caldwell securing her the Journalist of the Year Broadcast accolade as well as the Investigation of the Year in the Broadcast Regional category.
WalesOnline picked up investigation of the year in the regional category, while two of its journalists were highly commended.
The awards were held at the Globe Theatre in London, one of a small number of events which celebrate journalism across print, digital, broadcast, regional and national.
The Wolverhampton Express and Star won campaign of the year for its work to change the law on knife crime.
Speaking on stage at the awards, Deborah Hardiman of the Wolverhampton Express and Star spoke of the urgency behind the title’s campaign — launched after witnessing a growing number of knife-related cases which resulted in young people ‘being wiped out’ and also revealed how the title had focused on how knife crime was also wrecking the lives and chances of those jailed for using them.
Pete Clifton, the departing editor in chief of the Press Association, was honoured with the Bob Satchwell Award, named after the founder of the Society of Editors.
Pete, who began his career 43 years ago on the Northampton Chronicle and Echo, praised newsrooms around the country for their work to keep communities informed. PA was also named news organisation of the year, with its work to improve access for reporters to courts, celebrated by judges
Announcing the winners Dawn Alford, Executive Director of the Society said: “Now in their third year, the Media Freedom Awards recognise and celebrate the dedication and accomplishments of journalists and newsrooms across all sectors of the UK media industry.
“From those who operate in dangerous and life-threatening war zones to those who stand up against bureaucracy and fight for the public’s right to know, we are honoured to recognise their outstanding achievements this evening.”
The ceremony was presented by ITV News’ Lucrezia Millarini and attended by the Minister for Sport, Media, Civil Society and Youth Stephanie Peacock MP.
Here is Behind Local News’ round-up from a special night in London:
Journalist of the Year (Regional)
Winner: Jilly Beattie, BelfastLive
Jilly Beattie’s exposé of a bigamist fake doctor enabled the police and other authorities to take action. Her year-long investigation into the former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson and his wife confirmed that they were under police scrutiny and were subsequently charged with alleged serious non-recent offences — a story widely covered after she broke it.
Highly Commended: Will Hayward, WalesOnline
Will Hayward secured an exclusive scoop highlighting an application made by donors to former First Minister of Wales Vaughan Gething on the same day they gave him £100,000; investigated management difficulties at Welsh language broadcaster SC4; and proved that much of the outrage around the 20mph speed limit introduced in Wales was manufactured.
Also shortlisted:
Tanya Fowles, Belfast Telegraph and Irish News: Katie Simpson, aged 21, was murdered by Jonathan Creswell. Tanya Fowles, who had covered Creswell’s previous convictions for domestic abuse, fought to bring him to justice in the face of police indifference, raising an ongoing complaint with the Police Ombudsman. The day after Creswell’s trial began, he was found dead; other women who had covered for him pleaded guilty.
Neil Mackay, The Herald and Herald on Sunday: The breadth of Neil Mackay’s expertise is shown by on-record interviews with a high-ranking MI6 official and with the head of the Scottish Prison Officers Association about a terror campaign waged by crime Herald on Sunday gangs; and his reporting on the chaos that swept through the Green Party after it was ousted from its coalition with the Scottish government.
Sam McBride, Belfast Telegraph: Among many other issues he has covered, Sam McBride broke the story of how the Police Service of Northern Ireland mistakenly published online the names and details of
every employee — a data breach involving more than 10,000 people, including undercover officers, those working with MI5, bodyguards to politicians, and officers whose families were unaware of their roles.
Liam Thorp, Liverpool Echo: Issues covered recently by Liam Thorp include the impacts of austerity on the city of Liverpool over the 14-year- period between 2010 and 2014; revealing that two of the city’s councillors had received court summonses for not paying their council tax; and the root causes of the homelessness emergency the city declared in 2023-the latter work was nominated for an Orwell Prize.
Young Journalist of the Year (Regional):
Winner: Kaf Okpattah, ITV News London
After Daniel Khalife escaped from Wandsworth prison in September 2023, headlines focused on poor security and conditions. Kaf Okpattah’s work showed security was completely lax; and also uncovered human rights abuses. He has also investigated poor maternity care at North Middlesex hospital and worked undercover on phone fraud, infiltrating a gang whose leaders were arrested.
Highly Commended: Lucy John, WalesOnline
Lucy John has sensitively tackled subjects that include survivors of child sex abuse who were multiply failed by the police; new perspectives on alcohol use in Wales, including societal impact and an interview with a parent who lost her teenage daughter due to a drink-driver; and domestic violence sentencing. Her stories have been widely followed up, locally and nationally.
Also shortlisted:
Max Chesson, KentOnline: The exclusive revelation that the chair of governors at Simon Langton school in Canterbury had made fraudulent claims about her qualifications led to her resignation and was widely followed up. Max Chesson has also investigated temporary accommodation in Kent, a key part of a wider KentOnline series, and the failures of Kent’s ambulance service.
Georgina Hayes, BBC Scotland News: Georgina Hayes spent months following a homeless woman and her six-year-old son through Scotland’s housing crisis. She was lead reporter and producer on a story revealing that a convicted domestic abuse perpetrator had been rehoused just two streets away from his victim. She also produced a Disclosure documentary into injustice in Scotland’s rental market.
Victoria Johnston, The Impartial Reporter: Stories Victoria Johnston has recently worked on include an investigation into South West College and its attempts to manipulate coverage of management issues, a focus on food banks and poverty in County Fermanagh, and a joint investigation into childcare challenges, uncovering a crisis for parents and leading to government intervention.
Debbie Luxon, Cambrian News: Debbie Luxon spent six weeks piecing together the tragic story of a homeless transient whose body was found floating in Aberystwyth Harbour, and revealing there are dozens of people similarly living rough in mid and west Wales. She has also reported on lives threatened by lack of timely cancer treatment in Wales, and on loneliness in rural areas.
Investigation of the Year Regional
Winner: Vaughan Gething donations, WalesOnline
The result of six months of scrutiny, this investigation into donations accepted by former First Minister of Wales Vaughan Gething led directly to the resignation of the most powerful man in Wales. It involved looking into multiple donations, their sources and possible links between those making the donations and the First Minister.
Highly Commended: Loretto boarding school investigation, The Herald and Herald on Sunday
After breaking the story of systemic pupil-on-pupil sexual and physical abuse at Scotland’s prestigious Loretto boarding school, Neil Mackay’s investigation told the story of Angus Bell, a former pupil who dropped his
anonymity to speak on the record. This has led to more pupils coming forward
to take court action against the school.
Also shortlisted:
GOVERNOR AT SIMON LANGTON BOYS’ SCHOOL IN CANTERBURY RESIGNS AMID CLAIMS SHE LIED ABOUT CAMBRIDGE PHD, KENTONLINE: This investigation exposed the fraudulent daims of Gilda Scarfe, chair of governors at Simon Langton Boys’ School in Canterbury, who claimed to have a PhD in psychology from Cambridge. Scarfe had made a career of discussing the concept of mental toughness and received awards for her work.
JEFFREY DONALDSON INVESTIGATION, BELFAST LIVE/MIRROR NORTHERN IRELAND: Described as the most important news story to be broken by a journalist in the 100+ years of Northern Ireland’s history, Jilly Beattie’s year-long investigation into Jeffrey Donaldson broke the story that the MP and his wife had been charged with a series of alleged non-recent sexual offences.
LIVERPOOL: AUSTERITY CITY, LIVERPOOL ECHO AND REACH
DATA UNIT: This digital storytelling project delves into the effects of 14 years of Conservative government policies on the city. A team of experts collaborated to reveal a city that has had its public services torn apart, has seen life expectancy go into retreat, and where a growing number of children are growing up in poverty.
NI SEXUAL OFFENCES ANONYMITY LAW, BELFAST TELEGRAPH: This investigation led to the overturning of Section 12 of the Justice (Sexual Offences And Trafficking Victims) (NI) Act 2022, which not only banned the naming of sexual abuse suspects who had not been charged, but also criminalised those who named them. It also exposed how civil servants and the Justice Minister had misled the Assembly prior to it voting the legislation through.
Investigation of the Year Broadcast Regional
Winner: Catching a Killer, The Murder of Emma Caldwell, BBC Scotland News
This six-year investigation helped secure the conviction of lain Packer — a murderer and one of Scotland’s most prolific serial sex offenders. It held the police to account for serious failures and helped bring a dangerous man to justice.
Highly Commended: Culture Crisis in West Midlands Police, Channel 4 News Leeds
This investigation revealed allegations of misogyny and racism in the elite firearms unit of West Midlands police. Part of Channel 4 News’s continuous coverage challenging police culture, revealing corruption and driving change, it proves again the strength of regional reporting on stories of significant national interest.
Also shortlisted:
THE NEW DRUG THREAT, BBC ENGLAND (REGIONAL): The first to
investigate the prevalence in England of dangerous nitazenes-synthetic super-strength opioids-this documentary resulted in thousands of posts selling the street drugs being removed from major social media sites.
WANDSWORTH PRISON: BEHIND BARS, CHANNEL 4 NEWS LEEDS:
With groundbreaking regional coverage of the crisis in prisons places and conditions, this investigation lifted the lid on life inside Wandsworth Prison at the height of a national crisis, and revealed seismic problems across the wider prison estate.
WEST MIDLANDS PENSION FUND FAILURES, ITV NEWS CENTRAL: At the heart of this investigation are the people affected by the ongoing problems of local government pensions in the West Midlands, who were impacted emotionally and financially by payment delays. The pensions company has been held to account and many retirees have now had a positive outcome.
WHY GIRLS IN GANGS ARE ON THE RISE, ITV NEWS ANGLIA: This investigation exposed the huge exploitation of women and girls within gang culture and the associated violence, prostitution and cuckooing. Also highlighting the reasons behind their recruitment and use within the drugs trade, it asked what authorities are doing to tackle the issue, why women and girls go unnoticed, and the gaping holes in analysis and support structures.
Campaign of the Year Regional
Winner: Ban Zombie Knives, Express & Star
Responding to a knife crime crisis in the West Midlands, the Express & Star called for a crackdown on the sale of killer zombie knives, machetes and swords. New legislation that came into force recently banned the ownership of such weapons, a huge success for the campaign. The Express & Star film Grief tells the stories of families who have lost young people to knife crime in recent years.
Highly Commended: NI Sexual Offences Anonymity Campaign, Belfast Telegraph and The 21, Newsquest London
NI SEXUAL OFFENCES ANONYMITY CAMPAIGN, BELFAST TELEGRAPH: The Justice (Sexual Offences And Trafficking Victims) (NI) Act 2022 came into effect last September. Section 12 made it a jailable offence to identify alleged sexual abusers who police had investigated but not charged — and extended this for 25 years after death. The Belfast Telegraph mounted a successful judicial review challenge.
THE 21, NEWSQUEST LONDON: The 21 was an investigative campaign to humanise London homicide victims. Every reporter on Newsquest’s 20 London newspapers contributed by interviewing bereaved families or investigating the capital’s knife crime problem, telling the story of every teenage knife/gun homicide victim in London in 2023: 19 stabbings and two shootings.
Also shortlisted:
CAVITY WALL INSULATION CAMPAIGN, BURNLEY EXPRESS: Unscrupulous players from the cavity wall insulation sector have exploited government green grants and homeowners, leaving vulnerable people with crushing debt. Government- sponsored insulation that failed led to mould, damp, six-figure extraction bills and health conditions like asthma. The Burnley Express is campaigning on behalf of victims.
GRENFELL, ITV NEWS LONDON: Since June 2017, ITV News London has remained committed to reporting in depth on the Grenfell fire survivors’ ongoing campaign to make buildings safer in the UK and seek justice for those who lost their lives.
HILLSBOROUGH LAW, LIVERPOOL ECHO: On 17 July 2024, details of a Public Authority (Accountability) Bill, known as the Hillsborough Law, were outlined in the King’s Speech. The Echo has been a key voice in the campaign for a Hillsborough Law, and has always supported the families of the 97 Liverpool fans killed at Hillsborough in 1989 in their campaign for justice.
KEEP HITACHI ON TRACK, THE NORTHERN ECHO: The Northern Echo, backed by business leaders, unions and politicians, has been urging the government to step in and help train builder Hitachi by
extending a vital contract to secure the future of its Newton Aycliffe plant, or doing everything possible to find other orders to plug the gap.
Regional News Media Organisation of the Year
Winner: Belfast Telegraph
The Belfast Telegraph stands up to restrictions on media freedom in Northern Ireland, from uncovering deliberately hidden files to appealing decisions taken by the Information Commissioner’s Office, challenging reporting restrictions and, most of all, overturning legislation passed by the Assembly. The overturning of Section 12 of the Justice (Sexual Offences And Trafficking Victims) (NI) Act 2022 makes the possibility of such a law appearing anywhere in the UK far less likely.
Highly Commended: Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo: Championing the Liverpool City Region’s remarkable people and giving them a voice is key to the Echo. It is committed to trusted and campaigning journalism. The Echo has been a key voice in the campaign for a Hillsborough Law and repeatedly pressed the Labour Party to deliver the package of measures in full. Its Liverpool: Austerity City reporting highlighted quality public service, with data-driven journalism presented in an accessible format.
Also shortlisted:
ChronicleLive: The North East’s biggest regional news site, ChronicleLive prides itself on delivering responsible, trusted journalism. Its coverage of the deliberate felling of the famous tree at Sycamore Gap was first to verify what was happening from a location only accessible on foot. It has successfully campaigned against the closure of Gateshead Leisure Centre, and covered healthcare issues such as the £23m North East Nightingale Hospital that never treated a Covid patient.
Express & Star: The Express and Star prides itself on being a force for good in West Midlands, campaigning on important issues, including sewage in the River Severn, and also celebrating what is great about the Black Country and beyond. Its series of State of the Nation surveys gave readers the chance to have their say on the big social and political issues that affect them, and its calls for tougher measures on the sale of killer blades have been a constant over the past 12 months.
Jersey Evening Post: The JEP balances the hyper-local with helping readers understand the economic, cultural and social changes affecting the world. It champions media freedom, investigates, amplifies diverse voices and is a focal point in times of crisis and celebration. As well as investing in the next generation of reporters, it is also embracing new technology, developing new platforms to attract younger readers and launching a new-look Weekend edition full of unique local content.
The Impartial Reporter: In its investigation into Fermanagh and Omagh District Council’s secret vote to provide free meals to councillors before meetings, The Impartial Reporter unveiled a pattern of secrecy and a disregard for press freedom and media scrutiny within the council, as well as underscoring the importance of transparency and accountability in local government. Its report into food poverty in County Fermanagh painted a comprehensive picture of the community’s struggles.
Regional journalism was also represented in some of the other categories, including:
Innovation of the year:
Liverpool: Austerity City, Liverpool Echo and Reach Data Unit
This deep-dive visual investigation highlighted the impact of 14 years of Conservative government policies on Liverpool. Data analysis combined scores of official datasets at a local level for the first time, to investigate the impact of austerity policies in four key areas. The stark results were merged with traditional journalism to bring those figures to life and show the human impact of these policies on the city, its communities and its people.
Uncovered with Sam McBride, Belfast Telegraph Belfast Telegraph
The Belfast Telegraph’s first subscriber-only email newsletter, Uncovered with Sam McBride, sets out to stretch the boundaries of social media. It attempts to build trust with readers by explaining how the paper’s journalism comes about, talking directly to readers in a less formal style than in traditional journalism to tell the story behind the story. The weekly newsletter is received by more than 9,000 of the more than 12,000 Belfast Telegraph subscribers.
Photographer of the year:
Facundo Arrizabalaga, MyLondon: Facundo’s work highlights the ongoing housing crisis in London today, with families and single mothers pushed into temporary accommodation, often overcrowded, mouldy and damp. After MyLondon reported on shipping containers turned into flats in West London, Ealing Council shut the development and rehoused residents.
Photos from the evening by Lucy Young — www.lucyyoungphotos.co.uk