2009 Telstra BigPond
Rural Media Awards announced

South Australia's top rural journalists and photographers for 2009 have been recognised with the announcement of the Telstra BigPond Rural Media Awards.

Journalist Alisha Fogden (Stock Journal) and photographer Brenton Edwards (The Advertiser) are the 2009 Telstra BigPond Rural Media Journalist and Photographer of the Year. The function was hosted by Rural Media SA (RMSA) at the Adelaide Showground.

Entrants submitted a portfolio of work, published or broadcast in the 12 months to October 31st 2009. Prize money and trophies exceeding $6,500, were awarded to the recipients by Telstra Country Wide Customer Services Manager, Mr Lyndon Stoll.

"The importance of these awards cannot be understated, especially the role rural journalists and photographers play in bringing rural issues of state wide importance to the attention of all South Australians. These awards recognise the commitment and quality of work in reporting rural issues. Telstra is proud to play a part in providing recognition and encouragement for all rural journalists and photographers to continue this important work," Mr. Stoll said.

RMSA President Ian Doyle thanked Telstra BigPond for their significant support as major sponsor for the past 14 years. He also recognised Primary Industries SA (PIRSA), Rural Solutions SA, Porter Novelli Adelaide, Fruit Growers South Australia and the Royal Agricultural & Horticultural Society (RA & HS) for their valued supporting sponsorship.

"This year the journalism awards were expanded into sub sections of print, radio, television and online. This enhanced the competition and gave wider recognition of excellence before selection of the overall winner. Of particular merit was the depth of quality competition in the print medium, showing an extremely high level of skill in both researching key rural issues and writing them up as relevant, newsworthy and readable stories.

"In the photography competition the quality of work was again outstanding. This competition was also expanded giving photographers working across a range of styles and publications a greater chance of recognition.

"The judges of both competitions had a very difficult task in separating the winners from the field of very high standard entries. Overall the entries reflected a more positive outlook in rural communities, in line with improved seasonal conditions experienced in most areas of the state," Mr Doyle said.

2009 Telstra BigPond Rural Media Awards – Journalism

2009 Telstra BigPond Best Rural Print Journalist
Sponsored by Telstra BigPond
Winner - Alisha Fogden, Stock Journal
Highly Commended - Nigel Austin, The Advertiser

2009 Telstra BigPond Best Rural Radio Journalist
Sponsored by Porter Novelli Adelaide
Winner - Annabelle Homer & Drew Radford, ABC Rural Radio
Highly Commended - Nance Haxton, ABC Radio

2009 Telstra BigPond Best Rural Television Journalist
Sponsored by Telstra BigPond
Winner - Kerry Straight, ABC TV

2009 Telstra BigPond Best Rural On-Line Journalist
Sponsored by Telstra BigPond
Winner - Ian Doyle, Doyle Media Services

2009 Telstra BigPond Rural Journalist of the Year
Sponsored by Telstra BigPond
Winner – Alisha Fogden, Stock Journal

About the winner – 2009 Journalist of the Year
Alisha Fogden is a Loxton farm girl with an obvious eye for key rural issues. After completing a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Communication Studies at the University of South Australia, she worked with the Murray Pioneer in the Riverland and the Border Times in the South Australian Mallee. Two years ago, Alisha became a print journalist with the Stock Journal.

The Judging Panel was impressed with her fresh approach to the three stories submitted. Her ability to identify the real issues behind the superficial story was particularly highlighted in an article focused on the launch of "Kangaroo Island Pure Grain". By taking the trouble to attend the launch, rather than rely on embellishing a supplied media release, or doing journalism down-the-phone, Alisha discovered an undisclosed partnership between the group and a Japanese crushing company.

The intense competition within her Rural Journalist Print Award category has already been highlighted. However, the level of her journalistic expertise, insight and commitment shone through in all her work to make her a very worthy overall winner of the 2009 Telstra BigPond Rural Journalist of the Year award.

2009 Telstra BigPond Rural Media Awards – Photography

2009 Telstra BigPond Best Rural Photographer - Production
Sponsored by PIRSA
Winner: Kelly Barnes, The Australian

2009 Telstra BigPond Best Rural Photographer – People
Sponsored by Telstra BigPond
Winner: Brenton Edwards, The Advertiser

2009 Telstra BigPond Best Rural Photographer – Nature/Landscape
Sponsored by Fruit Growers SA
Winner: Sarah Reed, The Advertiser

2009 Telstra BigPond Rural Photographer of the Year
Sponsored by Telstra BigPond

Winner: Brenton Edwards, The Advertiser

About the winner – 2009 Photographer of the Year
Brenton began his career as a cadet with The Advertiser, where he works today as a senior photographer and as the Sunday picture editor. In 22 years as a professional photographer, he has worked at The Times newspaper in London and covered assignments in Europe, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea. He has won several awards for his work, including the 2006 best photographer in the South Australian Media Awards and the 2007 Commonwealth Press Union Photographic Awards in London.

The judges believed Brenton to be a very worthy recipient of the Rural Photographer of the Year award because of his outstanding collection of images depicting the diversity, emotion, challenges and rewards of rural life. The quality of the images presented was excellent with each image displaying a real connection between Brenton and the subject of his photos.

In the past five years, Brenton has achieved three second places and two third places in these awards, further demonstrating his consistency and commitment to rural photography.

2009 Best Adelaide Show Story Award

Sponsored by RA & HS
Winner - Miranda Kenny, Stock Journal

About the winner:
Miranda's winning entry focused on how the Royal Adelaide Show was able to turn the potential negative of having all its pig exhibits cancelled due to Swine Flu during the "Centenary Year of Pig Exhibition at the Royal", into a positive. She highlighted the presence of a feature pig-oriented sideshow style act involving diving and racing pigs in a special quarantine zone at the 2009 Royal Show. Miranda put a unique angle on the story and made sure the Royal Adelaide Show was the central feature. It was a well written story with a very positive focus.

2009 Best Adelaide Show Photograph Award

Sponsored by RA & HS
Winner: Brenton Edwards, The Advertiser

About the winner:
Brenton's winning photograph depicts vision-impaired 4-year-old, Mattias McCarthy touching a tiny chicken for the first time, while watched by his mother Lydia. The judges believed the image captured the essence of the show, where the country meets the city for a week of experience, discovery and learning more about agriculture.

Jon Lamb inducted as Rural Media Icon

One of South Australia's longest serving rural journalists has been inducted by Rural Media South Australia as a Rural Media Icon.

Only the second person to receive this honour, Jon Lamb has worked across the mediums of radio, television, print and corporate communications. Supported by Rural Solutions SA, the induction of outstanding journalists as Rural Media Icons recognises these people as key to enabling rural media to be the primary mechanism influencing cultural change in rural and regional areas.

The rural media sector is the medium that ensures every person who wants to, has equal, unrestricted and easy access to relevant information.

After attending Burnley Horticultural College in the 1960s, Jon Lamb was recruited by the ABC its Renmark based Riverland rural reporter. Following a 12 year stint with the ABC, he served in the 1970s as Press Secretary for two Ministers of Agriculture, Tom Casey and Brian Chatterton.

Jon then moved to the Stock Journal as a print journalist, picking up a scholarship to study in the USA where he interview President Ronald Regan. In the 1980s, Jon went out on his own and formed Jon Lamb Communications.

The 43 year media career of Jon Lamb continues to this day with a Saturday morning Talkback Gardening radio program and horticultural columns in the weekend press.

According to President of Rural Media South Australia, Ian Doyle a key to Jon Lamb's success in rural journalism has been a fascination with the effective transition of quality information from the research stage to the point of adoption.

Jon's clients have included GRDC, SARDI and fertiliser companies.

Ian Doyle said Jon Lamb has been honoured by others for excellence in journalism, including the GRDC Seed of Light Award for outstanding communication in research and the Dalgety Award for print journalism.

Vale – Bryce Radford

The South Australian media industry recently lost a stalwart of regional broadcasting, across the mediums of both radio and television.

Bryce Radford commenced his on-air broadcasting career in the 1950's with Adelaide based commercial radio station 5KA, in the days when the signal was transmitted throughout the state via a series of regionally located sister stations. He then shifted to the Port Augusta based station of 5AU.

Recognising the enormous potential of television as an influential media channel in the rural and regional areas of the state, Bryce relocated to Great Britain to gain broadcasting experience with BBC television. Upon his return to Australia, he honed his newly acquired skills at a commercial television station in Victoria.

However a desire to contribute to the fabric of regional areas in his home state lured Bryce back to South Australia. He was invited by Port Pirie based Spencer Gulf Telecasters Ltd to set up and manage the state's second regional commercial television station. Under his guidance, the new television station GTS-4 commenced operation on 1 March 1968.

Despite the apparent attraction of commercial television in the 1970's, Bryce's passion as a story teller with an attention for detail drew him toward the arena of public broadcasting with the ABC. With a wealth of BBC experience under his belt, the public broadcaster permitted Bryce to express his passions in a host of guises across ABC services over the next twenty years.

Bryce thrived in the ABC environment, having worked in television in programs such as Police Brief, plus specialist radio programs on Radio National and in the old "Talks Department" as the Adelaide based Reporter for the AM/PM current affairs programs.

As the second generation of Radford to work for the ABC, Bryce's legacy lives on into the third generation through his sons Leigh (Head of ABC Rural Department) and Drew (ABC Executive Producer Ð S.A. Country Hour).

Win a trip to Europe - entries open for young journalist award

A national award for rural journalists will send a young Australian to Europe next year to attend an international gathering of their peers from around the world. Now in its fifth year, the prestigious Alltech Australian Young Leaders in Rural Journalism Award is being organised by the Australian Council of Agricultural Journalists (ACAJ) in association with Alltech Biotechnology Pty Ltd.

The winner will attend the annual International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) congress in Ostend, Belgium, from 17 to 21 April 2010. The scholarship will cover airfares and registration costs for the congress, up to a value of $5000. The award is open to journalists 32 years of age or under as at 31 December 2010 and entrants must be a member of an ACAJ affiliated rural press club such as RMSA.

Entries close 15 January 15 2010. People interested in the awards should contact ACAJ president and official delegate to the IFAJ, Liz Harfull - email lizk@adam.com.au or phone 0409 674 941.
Further information and a flyer with details on how to enter is available at www.acaj.org.au

Upcoming meetings and events

Rural Media South Australia aims to provide a genuine focus for rural issues, combined with a forum for networking between the highest levels of agribusiness, government, media and rural producers.

Members and guests are encouraged to note the following dates in their diaries:

2010

Wednesday 17th February Hon Paul Caica
Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries
Luncheon Ð 12.00 noon for 12.30 pm