Two BA (Hons) Multimedia Journalism students at Bournemouth University have been nominated in the Independent Radio News awards in association with Sky News.
The Awards celebrate the achievements of news and sports journalists in UK commercial radio in a wide range of categories including news reading, reporting, campaigns and interviews.
The nominations were announced by Sky News presenter Anna Jones ahead of a special video ceremony to be held on Thursday 15 July where the winners and the recipient of the IRN Gold Award will be revealed.
Of the 12 categories, Bournemouth University students Jeannine Hyde and Kayleigh Heckford were both shortlisted for ‘Student Journalist of the Year’ after submitting their final year major journalism project.
Level 6 student Jeannine Hyde produced a radio documentary on deepfake pornography and Kayleigh Heckford, recently graduated, produced a radio documentary last year about how women attending abortion clinics are abused and suffer harassment.
Dave Terris, IRN Editor and Chair of Judges said: “Despite the challenges of reporting the coronavirus pandemic, news teams have adapted superbly and continued to innovate to produce high quality journalism. These nominations demonstrate the importance of people focused stories, investigations and campaigns that affect the millions of listeners who rely on commercial radio news and sport. Congratulations to everyone who has been shortlisted and my thanks to the judges for supporting the Awards.”
Journalism student Jeannine Hyde said: “It feels so surreal to have been nominated for the IRN student journalist of the year, I have enjoyed every minute of the last three years at BU learning how to become the journalist I am today, and I feel so proud knowing that all the hard work, and late nights in the radio rooms, has been worthwhile.
This project, in particular, meant so much to me, and being nominated for an award because of it has made what was already an amazing experience at BU even better.”
Journalism graduate Kayleigh Heckford said: “My documentary is by far the proudest work I have done to date and being nominated feels like a seal of approval from the professionals, I’m doing something right! To have my work recognised by the IRN Awards is so joyful and rewarding. There are so many great journalists on the nomination list, I’m still pinching myself.”
