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Top student journalists announced at media awards

The winners of a prestigious media awards which aims to recognise the best student journalists in the UK have been announced.

The 2012 Guardian Student Media Awards were held last night at a ceremony in London, which was hosted by BBC Breakfast presenter Charlie Stayt.

Now in their 34th year, the awards recognise student journalism being carried out at UK universities and new talent across print, online, broadcast and digital media.

The winners were picked by a panel of industry leaders including Guardian editor-in-chief Alan Rusbridger, ITV News at Ten presenter Mark Austin and editor of NME Mike Williams.

Alan said: “It has never been a more exciting time to embark on a career in journalism. Technology is evolving at the speed of light and presenting new opportunities and challenges to the ways we work nearly every day.

The Guardian has been rewarding talented student journalists for over 30 years. This year’s winners are testament to the evolving face of journalism and the ways it is being reimagined and redefined.”

Previous award winners have included Archie Bland, deputy editor of The Independent; Polly Curtis, deputy national editor at the Guardian; Andrew Rawnsley, chief political commentator at The Observer and Andrew Gowers, former editor of the Financial Times.

The full list of winners is:

Student Publication of the Year:
The Courier, Newcastle University

Student Website of the Year:
www.sheffieldunchained.co.uk, University of Sheffield

Student Reporter of the Year:
Elizabeth Porter, University of Oxford

Student Feature Writer of the Year:
Tom Banham, University of Sheffield

Student Columnist of the Year:
Alexander Chafey, University of Sheffield

Student Critic of the Year – sponsored by NME
Dominic Kelly, University of Cambridge

Student Photographer of the Year:
Diana Jimenez Quintana, University of West London

Student Digital Journalist of the Year:
Elena Cresci, Cardiff University

Student Broadcast Journalist of the Year:
Joe Lord-Jones, University of Sussex, and Spike Morris, University of Leeds (joint winners).