Nine’s television programs and news publications collected multiple gongs tonight at the 2019 Quill Awards for Excellence in Victorian Journalism.

The Quill Awards, bestowed by the Melbourne Press Club, are the premier media awards in Victoria.

Held tonight at Crown Palladium, the awards celebrate the best work in over 30 categories across all media.

Nine’s winners at the 2019 Quill Awards are:

TV/VIDEO NEWS

Jayde Vincent, Nine News, ‘Mallacoota’

Judges’ Citation: The devastating bushfires that impacted Victoria on New Year’s Eve became the story of the summer. Jayde flew into Mallacoota, the first reporter on the ground in time for the 6PM news that night. The story that went to air was one of compelling images and dramatic first-hand accounts, made possible by teamwork behind the scenes to overcome the technical challenges of filing from a town cut off from the nation.

THE MPC YOUNG JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR AWARD

(SUPPORTED BY THE WILNIC FAMILY TRUST)

Sam Cucchiara, Nine Network, ‘Portfolio of work: Mallacoota, Vicki Ramadan, Jonathan Dick’

Judges’ Citation: Sam Cucchiara’s coverage of the Mallacoota fires showed maturity under pressure. He was able to bring people’s stories into coverage in a way that balanced the big picture with human detail. Cucchiara’s work exhibited great story telling, with natural and engaging delivery. His portfolio of work included coverage of Vicki Ramadan’s murder and Jonathan Dick’s arrest.

TV/VIDEO FEATURE (SHORT FORM)

Mimi Becker, Nine Network, A Current Affair, ‘Teachers Under Attack’

Judges’ Citation: This story by Mimi Becker exposed a frightening situation facing too many teachers in Victoria: intimidation, violence and injuries at the hands of students, and institutional failures that exasperate their distress. Mimi’s ability to get a number of teachers to talk on camera, when they worked for a government school, made their stories even more compelling.

TV CAMERA WORK (CREATIVE CAMERA WORK)

Travis Nemtsas, Nine News, ‘Budj Bim’

Judges’ Citation: A visual delight, Travis’s pictures show the spectacular scenery of the Budj Bim cultural landscape. He and journalist Stephanie Anderson were able to highlight the importance of the region and the Gunditjmara community’s work towards a UNESCO world heritage listing. Travis shot continuously throughout the day to capture how different light transformed the landscape. He used multiple cameras, including drones, to create an exceptionally high standard of landscape portraiture that provides a revelatory sense of place. Travis also edited the story himself.

TV CAMERA WORK (SHOT OF THE YEAR)

Trigby Chvastek, Nine News, ‘Jonathan Dick’

Judges’ Citation: Trigby Chvastek’s was the first camera on scene to the arrest of Victoria’s most wanted fugitive. The shot was a confronting and visceral reminder of the violence Jonathan Dick had been accused of. Trigby made his way to the scene on foot, manoeuvred through a throng of police and members of the public, and overcame awkward angles to get this shot of the bloodied man moments after he was arrested. The shot went to a national audience before all other outlets and stayed on news stories for weeks.

BUSINESS NEWS

Nick McKenzie, Grace Tobin & Nick Toscano, The Age/60 Minutes, ‘Crown Unmasked’

Judges’ citation: “Crown Unmasked” demonstrated the best of fearless, well-resourced and news-breaking journalism, uncovering issues that are crucial not only to the gaming industry but to the security of Australia’s borders. It exposed a cavalier attitude by Crown management to the lives and safety of some of its employees. The piece demonstrated a high level of investigative skill and excellent use of the broadcast and print mediums and will have a lasting impact on Crown.

CARTOON

Jim Pavlidis, The Age, ‘Who Are You Wearing?’

Judges’ citation: The beautiful simplicity and clever use of colour in Jim Pavlidis’ cartoon “Who Are You Wearing?” masked a powerful commentary on the Australian racing industry. Published following the ABC exposé about the slaughter of retired racehorses and just days before the Melbourne Cup, Pavlidis’ incisive and rapier-like wit shines through in an image that draws sharp relief between the public image of racing and its harsh realities. A truly deserving 2020 Quill winner.

COVERAGE OF AN ISSUE OR EVENT

Chris Vedelago, Sumeyya Ilanbey & Cameron Houston, The Age, ‘Toxic Cowboys’

Judges’ Citation: This outstanding series highlighted the journalistic trio’s dogged refusal to accept official explanations. Their work broke exclusive stories about unprecedented toxic waste dumping and obfuscation by government agencies in Victoria. It carefully explained complex issues and humanised the health concerns of firefighters. The entry was of significant public benefit and prodded important change.

FEATURE WRITING

Tom Cowie, The Age, ‘Two guys and the Yiayia Next Door’

Judges’ Citation: The judges were deeply moved by the humanity and empathy of this story, which slowly reveals itself through unadorned writing much deeper and more complex than it first appears. It asks us as readers to think about our own lives and whether we would be so generous if we found ourselves in similar circumstances. It is clear Tom developed deep trust with the subjects and his method of telling this rich and warm story was both appropriate and compelling.

FEATURES PHOTOGRAPH

Jason South, The Age, ‘Christchurch Mosque Massacre’

Judges’ Citation: Jason South’s photos from the aftermath of the Christchurch massacre were superb. The whole world was looking at images from the event and Jason’s were second to none. His portrait of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern showed her strength and empathy as she became a symbol of strong leadership and compassion in a time of crisis.

NEWS PHOTOGRAPH

Jason South, The Age, ‘Pell’

Judges’ Citation: Pell images were all worthy of Page 1, regardless of the verdict. Battling for an edge in a huge media scrum, this picture was a testament to Jason South’s tenacity and skills as a news photographer. Jason’s photo captured the drama and emotion of the day superbly. The judges found it hard to select a winner, with David Caird and Alex Coppel also submitting excellent photos of Pell’s day in court.

NEWS REPORT IN WRITING

David Estcourt & Clay Lucas, The Age, ‘How stupid could you be?’

Judges’ Citation: A worthy and important story for Victoria that raised awareness of where taxpayers’ money goes in large infrastructure projects. Dogged reporting by David Estcourt and Clay Lucas provided a window into government decision-making and told a complex story with clarity.

PODCASTING

Richard Baker, Rachael Dexter, Kate Cole-Adams & Siobhan McHugh, The Age, ‘The Last Voyage of the Pong Su’

Judges’ Citation: The Last Voyage of the Pong Su utilised exceptional investigative skills, original police wiretaps and surveillance audio and research. It was creatively drawn together in a compelling and riveting narrative. Strong use of sound effects, creative audio, and a vast range of witness accounts from locals, police and political experts demonstrated the ability of the podcast to be a powerful journalistic medium.

SPORTS FEATURE

Konrad Marshall, Good Weekend magazine, ‘Brain Storm’

Judges’ Citation: In a field of outstanding entries in this category, Konrad Marshall’s feature on sports concussion challenged common perceptions about a complex issue, giving readers a balanced understanding beyond the sad personal stories of aging athletes. The piece forensically examined scientific, regulatory and legal issues facing impact sports worldwide, and revealed exclusive medical findings. A compelling read.

THE 2019 HARRY GORDON AUSTRALIAN SPORTS JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR

Konrad Marshall, Good Weekend magazine

Judges’ Citation: Konrad Marshall’s extraordinary and varied storytelling in 2019 was news breaking, memorable and beautifully crafted. He revealed why Rod Laver has returned to public life after overcoming tragedy and near death. His profile of Ellyse Perry explored how one of the world’s best female cricketers remains balanced, and he expertly unravelled the inside story behind Richmond player Marlion Pickett and one of the greatest ever AFL grand final debuts.

Hugh Nailon, Director of Nine News Melbourne, said: “I’m enormously proud of the hard-working and talented members of the Nine News team recognised tonight. These awards are a reflection of the fine television journalism our entire newsroom strives to deliver each day.”

Alex Lavelle, Editor of The Age, said: “The Age’s awards are a testament to our commitment to quality, exclusive and constructive journalism.”

For further information, please contact:
Nine Network Publicity
Terry Stuart
TStuart@nine.com.au

Monday, 9 March, 2020