The media outlet last night won the “Pete Davies Memorial Campaigning Journalism Award” for our dogged coverage of chemical contamination issues.

The award to editor Chris McLennan was made by the The Darwin Press Club and the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance.

The annual awards – supported by MEAA, the Walkley Foundation and the Darwin Press Club – celebrate quality journalism and reward media professionals whose commitment and excellent media coverage best informs and entertains the Territory

The judges praised the calibre and depth of reporting in the Northern Territory in all its forms, from interactive digital pieces and television stories to broadcast interviews and feature print stories.

Mr  McLennan won the Pete Davies Memorial Campaigning Journalism Award “for its grassroots coverage of the PFAS chemical contamination of the town’s water supplies, reporting that came as a result of listening to a community concern and doggedly chasing it to get an outcome”.

Mr  McLennan, already a multi-award winning journalist, said it was a team and community effort.

“We have been following the ongoing PFAS crisis since day one, both in print and online, with reports from all members of our small team and letters from community members and their incisive comments on social media,” he said.

“We made a pledge when the story first broke on that first day to provide all the information, all the facts, immediately using every device available to us so the community was kept informed.

“We have pressed those community leaders, and government departments relentlessly to release information for our residents.

“Our commitment to this issue will continue.”

Last night’s 2017 Northern Territory Media Awards winners were:

Katherine Times journalist Lydia Lynch has also been named a finalist for a national media award. 

Ms Lynch is a finalist for the Older People Speaking Out Best Coverage of Cultural Diversity, Rural, Regional award.

The awards will be presented in Brisbane tomorrow night.

Now in their 23rd year the OPSO media awards recognise journalism excellence which offers insight into the lives of aging Australians. 

Ms Lynch was chosen for her reporting on Indigenous elders in the Katherine region.

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