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Clean Sweep for ABC rural journalists

ABC reporters have dominated the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists Awards, winning all three broadcasting gongs at a ceremony in Rosario, Argentina overnight.
“This is an unprecedented result across all categories – Radio, TV and Online. It clearly shows what world class work is done by the ABC’s specialist Rural Reporters and how strongly we compete in the international sphere with our specialist reporting”, said Leigh Radford, National Editor of ABC Rural.
Sean Murphy, Nikolai Beilharz, Lucy Barbour and Larissa Romensky starred at the awards, where it is unusual for all winners to come from one country, let alone the same broadcaster.
Sean took the top prize in the video category with his story “Freedom of Choice,” broadcast on Landline. Judges praised the entry as “an outstanding piece of agricultural television production and reporting’. There were many layers to this story and all were investigated in depth. The passions and emotive elements of the GM debate were well handled and delivered in a balanced manner.”
Nikolai won first place in the audio category with his story “Australia’s wild rice may help feed the world” on the Queensland Country Hour, ABC Local Radio. Judges said it was “a good report on the potential for developing wild rice as a local crop for export. The report was done in a way that would inform and interest both a specialist farmer or lay listener.”
In the online category Lucy and Larissa won with the story “Trappin’ bitches like a lady,” about Australia’s only female dog trapper. It was published on the ABC Rural website as rich multi-media experience, using text, photographs, audio and video and broadcast as a radio story across Australia on a range of ABC radio programs.  Judges described their entry as “an engaging story about a enigmatic woman, whose life varied from her passion for flower arranging, juxtaposed against her work controlling wild dogs.”
Congratulations also go to Landline’s Prue Adams who came second in the Yarra Award for environmental reporting.
ABC Managing Director, Mark Scott, congratulated the winners and said “The ABC is committed to telling the stories from regional and rural Australia to Australians everywhere. This result is a fine tribute to the commitment and expertise of the ABC’s specialist reporting teams.”

For more information

Nick Morris
ABC Radio
02 8333 5009