Faisal Islam wins Broadcast News Journalism Award

Last Modified: 25 Jan 2007
By: Channel 4 News

Channel 4 News' economics correspondent, Faisal Islam, has been announced the winner of this year's Broadcast News Journalism Award at the Workworld Media Awards.

Faisal's winning entry, consisted of three reports - from Siberia and Moscow about the rise of Gazprom, the first TV report about the multi-billion pound NHS IT crisis and the role of big management consulting firms, and the crisis in the advertising industry. All were produced by Job Rabkin.

The judges particularly singled out 'Inside Gazprom', shot and edited by Ken McCallum.

The report, screened in June 2006, brought to attention the rise of Russia's state energy behemoth, its takeover plans in western Europe and intention to become the world's biggest company. But it proved to be no ordinary company, rather an intrinsic part of the new Russia planned by President Putin. Channel 4 News' business team were the first inside its HQ and its gas fields near the Arctic Circle in Siberia.

Faisal was presented with the Award by Will Hutton, Chief Executive of the Work Foundation and Alan Rusbridger, Editor of the Guardian. The judging panel also included David Lloyd, Professor of Journalism at London City University.

The judges commented: "Faisal Islam's reports put genuinely new information on air and did so with real panache. They have depth and authority, and in the case of his report on the rise of Gazprom, gave rise to geopolitical insights that had not properly been considered before - truly excellent reporting."

Faisal said: "I'm delighted to accept this on behalf of the Channel 4 News business unit at ITN. Energy, and Russia's role in supplying us all in the future, proved to be the business story of last year - and one with political, security and diplomatic repercussions."