The legendary former director of the Society of Editors is to be commemorated in a new award to honour journalists who have championed press freedom.

The Society’s new Media Freedom Awards are now open for entries with 18 categories free to enter in its inaugural year.

An additional category, in the gift of the Society, will also pay tribute to the Society of Editors founding director Bob Satchwell, left, who died last year.

The Bob Satchwell Award for Freedom of Speech, which cannot be entered, will honour an exceptional organisation or individual who continuously champions the public’s right to know.

The awards, launched to celebrate the crucial role that UK journalists play in championing the public’s right to know and holding power to account, will culminate in an awards ceremony on 9 November in London.

They aim to recognise achievements across broadcast, national, regional and online media platforms.

Current executive director Dawn Alford said: “The Society’s new Media Freedom Awards will set the benchmark for a celebration of UK public interest journalism and the excellent reporters that champion media freedom at a time when the importance of holding power to account has never been more acute.

“All categories are free to enter and the awards are open to all UK-based journalists, news media organisations and platforms working in print, online, broadcast, mobile, audio, or any other news delivery format.”

SoE president Martin Breen added: “Freedom of the press remains the cornerstone of any democratic society and the Media Freedom Awards will highlight the vitally important role that journalists across the UK fulfil.

“From young campaigners and producers to foreign reporting and podcasts, the free awards will recognise the breadth of talent across the industry and diversity of platforms that continue to produce the excellent journalism that keeps audiences informed and holds power to account. Early entries are encouraged.”

Entries for the awards are open until 27 July 2022 with a shortlist to be announced in September. Details of how to book for the ceremony in November will be announced in due course.

A guidance document on how to enter can be found here.

The full list of categories, with criteria, is as follows:

Investigation of the Year – National
An investigation by a national individual or team that lifted the lid and brought to light the investigative news story no other news organisation discovered. Judges will take into account the investigative process and how it contributed to holding power to account and/or exposing wrongdoing and championing the rights of others. Entries where platforms or individuals collaborated will be accepted.

Investigation of the Year – Regional
An investigation by a regional individual or team that lifted the lid and brought to light the investigative news story no other news organisation discovered. Judges will take into account the investigative process and how it contributed to holding power to account and/or exposing wrongdoing and championing the rights of others.  Entries where platforms or individuals collaborated will be accepted.

Investigation of the Year – Broadcast
A broadcast investigation by an individual or team that lifted the lid and brought to light the investigative news story no other news organisation discovered. Judges will take into account the investigative process and how it contributed to holding power to account and/or exposing wrongdoing and championing the rights of others.  Entries where platforms or individuals collaborated will be accepted.

Podcast of the Year
This award is open to a podcast that is produced regularly and has provided new insights and engagement from audiences in relation to news and/or current affairs. Judges will look for evidence of how the podcast contributes to holding power to account and/or exposing wrongdoing or championing the rights of others.

Freedom of Information Award
An award that recognises an individual campaign or investigation exposed through a Freedom of Information request.

Campaign of the Year – National
The best national campaign that captured the audience’s attention and achieved tangible results. Supporting files for each entry must relate to one campaign.

Campaign of the Year – Regional
The best regional campaign that captured the audience’s attention and achieved tangible results. Supporting files for each entry must relate to one campaign.

Journalist of the Year
The journalist of the year who has excelled across a variety of coverage which can include a high-profile investigation or campaign. The judges will look for overall coverage and investigations, evidence of holding power to account, exposing wrongdoing, and championing the rights of others.

Young campaigner of the Year
Aged 26 or under on 27 July 2022, this category will recognise an individual who has gone above and beyond in campaigning on an issue on behalf of the public. The judges will be looking for evidence of how the campaign came about, the efforts of the individual and any tangible results.

Young producer of the year
Aged 26 or under on 20 July 2022, this category will recognise an individual working in broadcast media who has demonstrated resilience and research/journalistic skills in order to put together a package with impact.

Foreign Correspondent of the Year
For an individual who has been based in a foreign country or from where they have filed work that brings the country and its affairs to light for a UK audience. The judges will look for overall coverage and investigations, evidence of holding power to account, exposing wrongdoing, and championing the rights and freedoms of others.
 
Political Journalist of the Year
The winner will be the political reporter who set the agenda with the biggest stories and/ or most revelatory writing which showed evidence of holding power to account, exposing wrongdoing and championing the rights and freedoms of others.

Freelance journalist of the Year
An individual who has had their work published or broadcast which held power to account, exposed wrongdoing and championed the rights and freedoms of others.

Commentator of the Year
The winner will be a journalist who is a must-read, someone with a unique voice and the ability to provoke debate and champion freedom of speech.

The Bob Satchwell Award for Freedom of Speech
This special award will be decided by the judges to honour an exceptional organisation or individual who continuously champions the public’s right to know. This award cannot be entered.

Photo-journalist of the Year
Judges will be looking for the photo journalist of the year whose images or video has had an impact. Judges will be looking for evidence of how the photos have shone a light on the freedoms of others and /or by exposing wrong-doing and championing the rights of others.

News Producer of the Year
Open to producers, directors or researchers working in broadcast media who have demonstrated resilience and research/journalistic skills in order to put together a package with impact.

News Media Organisation of the Year
The News Media Organisation of the Year that will have consistently held power to account, championed the freedoms or rights of others and demonstrated a commitment to promoting media freedom. Judges will consider overall coverage, campaigns and investigations and evidence of any tangible impact that coverage has had.