Awards reward dedication to news

LONG-TIME Mercury reporter and columnist Simon Bevilacqua has been honoured for his contribution to journalism in Tasmania.

Bevilacqua was presented with the Keith Welsh Award at last night’s Tasmanian Media Awards held at the Waterside Pavilion.

The annual award recognises the work of one journalist who has made an exceptional contribution to journalism in Tasmania through a consistently high standard of work and a commitment to quality.

Bevilacqua’s award

capped off a successful night for the Mercury and Sunday Tasmanian.

Urban Affairs reporter Simeon Thomas-Wilson won best news story for his leading coverage of the troubles at the Glenorchy City Council and the board of inquiry.

And the Mercury’s TasWeekend magazine won two prizes: Sally Glaetzer won the health reporting category for her features in the magazine, while Tim Martain won the arts reporting prize.

The ABC’s Richard Baines was named the state’s jour- nalist of the year for the second year running, while Fairfax’s Rob Inglis took out the new journalist category.

Tasmanian MEAA president Mark Thomas said: “As newsrooms are put under resources pressure Australiawide, it is heartening to see the quality of journalism in print, television, radio and online statewide in Tasmania. Journalists are breaking stories, holding governments — state and local — to account and bringing the Tasmanian public critical and policy-changing facts every day.”