ITV Cymru Wales wins four categories at the Wales Media Awards

It was a night of success for ITV Cymru Wales at the 2022 Wales Media Awards, winning four categories.

The awards, organised on behalf of the Journalists' Charity, were held at the Mercure Hotel in Cardiff on March 25 and hosted by BBC Cymru Wales presenter Lucy Owen and ITV Cymru Wales' very own Jonathan Hill.

ITV Cymru Wales received nine nominations in total and took all three nominations in the TV News and Current Affairs Programme of the Year category.

They included 'Llofruddiaeth Mike O'Leary', which was produced by ITV Cymru Wales' network team for S4C, and the Welsh language team's 'Y Byd ar Bedwar' investigation focussing on how James Dowle, Head Coach at the Ynysddu Panthers, groomed two underaged girls and abused his power whilst under WRU supervision.

But it was 'Coronavirus: A Care Home's Story', produced by Nicola Hendy that won the award on the night.

Nicola Hendy said: "I am very proud to have won Programme of the Year for ‘Coronavirus: A Care Home’s Story’ at the Wales Media Awards last night. It’s a testament to the staff at Anwen Care Home, and the residents and their families who trusted us to tell their stories.

"But I’m even more proud that all of the shortlisted programmes in the category were made by ITV Cymru Wales. And all produced by women.

"It was challenging to make a programme documenting the love, loss and separation experienced by so many who had loved ones in a care home setting, but it was story we felt was important to tell."

"I worked with the best team to make it happen."

The executive producers on Nicola's programme were Zoe Thomas and Sarah Drew, the camera and drone operators were Lynsey Green and Lewis Jones, the narrator was Jonathan Hill, and the editor was Huw Parry.

Rob Osborne once again scooped the TV Journalist of the Year award - the second year in a row.

"I'm delighted", he said.

"It's an honour to have won this award for a second year in a row, and three times overall.

"The job is a privilege and I'm thankful to every person who talks to me about the stories going on in their life, often at very difficult moments for them."

Rob's work included a report explaining what self-isolation was at the beginning of the first lockdown and an item filmed at Wrexham Maelor hospital looking at a life on a Covid ward, which was produced by Tom Brown-Lowe.

ITV Cymru Wales' Rural Affairs Correspondent Hannah Thomas won the Special Journalist of the Year Award, for her work highlighting the issues that impact people's lives in rural Wales.

"Winning this award is definitely the highlight of my career - not just for me, but for rural Wales. At the heart of every story is people. So in every story I do, I try to give people in rural communities a voice.

"To read the comments from the award judges about the fact that I’ve won the confidence and trust of the Welsh farming industry, put a huge smile on my face! And I really hope I’ve put smiles on the faces of those living in those communities too."

N️est Jenkins, who joined ITV Cymru Wales in June 2021, won the Ed Townsend Student Journalist of the Year Award.

She studied MA Broadcast at Cardiff University and will be graduating in July.

"The work I submitted for the award was a combination of TV and radio packages, and live studio broadcast from my time as a journalism student", she said."Being nominated for the award was a privilege in itself, but winning was the icing on the cake. It was such a great experience to be in a room full of industry giants, especially after being deprived from meeting people face to face for so long."

Phil Henfrey, Head of News & Programmes said: "I am delighted our journalism has been recognised at a time when audiences are seeking out trusted news about Wales. I am also thrilled for our journalists, producers and production teams - it is deserved recognition for their outstanding work. Llongyfarchiadau! 

"ITV Cymru Wales is proud to support the Journalists’ Charity and their Wales Media Awards. It is a great cause and an important event to showcase the best of Welsh journalism and the audiences it serves."