The annual Walkley Awards, under the administration of the Walkley Foundation for Journalism, are presented in Australia to recognise and reward excellence in journalism. Finalists are chosen by an independent board of eminent journalists and photographers. The awards cover all media including print, television, radio, photographic and online media. They can be regarded as the Australian equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize. The 33 categories judged in 2008 embraced news and feature writing; artwork, cartoons and photography; radio and TV reporting and interviewing; business, international and sport, indigenous affairs, social commentary and investigative journalism. A non-fiction book category is open to media and non-media authors. The Gold Walkley is the most prestigious award, being chosen from all category winners. The awards have been archived by the Pandora Archive since 2002.
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History
Awards were instituted in five categories in 1956 by businessman Sir William Walkley, founder of Ampol Petroleum Ltd. After his death, the awards were handled by the Australian Journalists' Association which, in 1992 was merged into the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance. In 2000, the Alliance voted to establish a Walkley Foundation. In that same year, the Walkley Awards were merged with the Nikon Press Photographer of the Year Awards.
Awards
In November 2008, 34 awards were presented. Excepting the non-fiction book award, only work published by Australian-based media organizations is eligible for the prizes. Entries are initially evaluated by a jury on newsworthiness, research, writing, production, incisiveness, impact, public benefit, ethics, originality, innovation and creative flair—or other relevant criteria in respect of graphics and electronic media. The jury will then shortlist three entrants to the Walkley Advisory Board, who will then select the best entrant in each category, as well as the winner of the "Press Photographer of the Year", "Journalism Leadership Award" and the "Gold Walkley".
The finalists are formally announced in October of each year, and the awards are presented at a formal ceremony in late November or early December.
The 2015 ceremony was held on 3 December 2015 at Crown Casino in Melbourne and was broadcast through an online live stream, as well as on A-PAC. In 2016, the event moved to the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, with the event again broadcast on A-PAC and live streamed online as well as on the Sky News Election Channel.
General
Radio
Television
All Media
Entries are authorised by their editor or producer. Entries (video, text, etc.) are accompanied by a 200-word entrant statement.
Controversy
In 2006 the Walkley Awards ceremony descended into chaos when Glenn Milne physically and verbally attacked rival journalist Stephen Mayne live on stage.
As presenter Mayne prepared to present an award to Morgan Mellish of The Australian Financial Review, a "red-faced" and "seemingly intoxicated" Milne lurched onto the stage before launching a tirade of verbal abuse at Mayne; Milne then lunged at Mayne and pushed him off the stage, screaming at Mayne that he was "a disgrace".
"I could see from his sort of wild eyes, and his red face, that he was clearly very drunk, and I thought, you know, heck, this is going to be out of control," said Mayne, who suffered a sore ankle from the altercation."And next thing I know, I'd been shoved off the stage and I was hurtling through the air, in a four-foot drop onto the floor."
Milne charged at Mayne a second time before being restrained by security, who ejected the disheveled Milne from the event. Mayne then gathered himself at the microphone, jokingly quipping "That is the former Sunday Telegraph political correspondent Glenn Milne, sponsored by Fosters."
The following day, Milne apologised for the outburst, admitting he was drunk and had taken migraine pills.