2009 World Press Freedom Day Student Journalism Competition Winner Announced

Annabel Symington and Tim Williams at the opening of the 2009 WPFD debate.

The UK National Commission for UNESCO and the Press Freedom Network are pleased to announce the winner of this year's World Press Freedom Day Student Journalism Competition.

Annabel Symington, studying an MA in International Journalism at City University, has been selected as the winner of this year's competition for her article on press coverage of the Gaza conflict in early 2009. The topic of year's competition was: “Is the Western media impeding press freedom in those countries that need it most?”

Annabel was presented with the John Ivinson Memorial Prize for Freedom of Expression at the opening of the 2009 World Press Freedom Day London debate. Tim Williams, Chair of the 2009 World Press Freedom Day Planning Committee, presented the award.

Read Annabel’s winning entry.

The John Ivinson Memorial Prize for Freedom of Expression John Ivinson, an active member of the UK National Commission for UNESCO Communication and Information Committee and past president of the British Computing Society, passed away on 11 July 2007. John was involved with the UK National Commission from its very first reformation in 2000. He remained involved and committed during the period when the National Commission was abolished in 2003, played an active part in the campaign for its re-instatement and had stayed a key member ever since. In addition to the Communication and Information Committee, John was also an active member of the UK National Commission’s Peace and Security cross-sectoral Working Group and had contributed significantly to the development of its remits and work programme. The Student Journalism Competition prize is subsequently given in his name to commemorate his indelible support for freedom of expression, peace and access to information.

About Annabel Symington Annabel is currently studying for an MA in International Journalism at City University. Annabel’s article focuses on the press coverage of the Gaza conflict earlier this year. At the beginning of the war on Gaza, Annabel spent a several weeks at the Rafah Crossing, which inspired the article she wrote for the competition.  Annabel is returning to South America this summer to write an article about the Guarani Aquifer, a huge underground reservoir that lies beneath Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil, and contains enough water to sustain the world's population for 200 years. To research the article, Annabel will spend several weeks living with an indigenous population to explore how their access to the water of the aquifer is being effected by increased commercial interest in the region. Annabel is currently seeking commissions and sponsorship to help her fund this ambitious and interesting project. Annabel's blog can be found at http://annabelsymington.wordpress.com

Details of previous year's winners:

2008 Competition – 'Is new Media Killing Journalism?' Stuart James Ross is the winner of this year’s World Press Freedom Day student journalism competition with his podcast entry arguing that new media is not killing journalism. Following a series of interviews with a media professional, blogger and campaigner Stuart concludes that “far from killing journalism, new media is helping it to flourish.” Stuart is currently reading for an MA in Broadcast Journalism at Westminster University. Between 2003 - 2007 he was a company director and a presenter on RadioReverb 97.2FM. Brighton based RadioReverb was one of the first community radio stations in the UK to be awarded a full- time FM licence. Stuart has produced material for the BBC, commercial and community radio sectors. Stuart’s blogs at www.stuartjamesross.blogspot.com.

2007 Competition – 'Is World Media Freedom in Retreat?' In conjunction with the 2007 WPFD debate, the UK National Commission teamed up with the Independent to hold a writing competition for UK students to raise awareness of press freedom issues and engage the journalism student community to consider and define the main global challenges currently facing freedom of expression. The entries were shortlisted and judged by Miklos Haraszti, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media; Ivor Gaber, Research Professor in Media and Politics, University of Bedfordshire also Vice Chair of the UK National Commission for UNESCO Communication & Information Committee; Chris Frost, Chair, Association for Journalism Educators; and Ian Burrell, Media Editor of the Independent The 2007 winner was Lydia Polzer. Her piece was published in the Independent on 7 May: http://news.independent.co.uk/media/article2517068.ece