Jovan Johnson wins Journalist of the Year as The Gleaner in seventh heaven

Senior Staff Reporter Jovan Johnson shone the brightest of The Gleaner's seven star awards won on Saturday night as he was announced the 2021 Journalist of the Year.

In the awards, hosted virtually by the Press Association of Jamaica, the judges said Johnson's body of work consistently held the spotlight on issues of importance.

“He is a great storyteller, whose work was comprehensive and easy to follow for topics that may be complex if they are not this well-structured,” one judge wrote.

His body of work included the University Hospital of the West Indies technology scandal, the Airports Authority of Jamaica-First Rock affair, the George Wright saga, and the multibillion-dollar tax write-off exposé.

The Gleaner's seven awards also included the prize for Best Breaking News for the global exclusive – the Sha'Carri Richardson positive drug test story by Andre Lowe and the sports team.

Here's the full list of the 2021 award recipients:

1. Carl Wint Award for Human Interest Feature
(Electronic)
Giovanni Dennis – The Ray Morgan Story
TVJ News

(Print)
Christopher Serju and Ashley Anguin -Trapped within and without
The Gleaner

2. Best Radio Feature/Documentary
Giovanni Dennis – Walker's fire
Radio Jamaica

3. Best Television Feature/Documentary
Tyrone Reid and Kadisha Clarke – eStranger
Nationwide Network

4. Ken Dawson Award for Videography
Glenford Campbell – Housing Crisis
TVJ News

5. Junior Dowie Award for Sports Photography 
Gladstone Taylor for 'Dream deferred'
The Gleaner

6. Aston Rhoden Award for News Photography
Garfield Robinson for 'Crossing the Red Sea'
Jamaica Observer

7. The Errol Harvey Award for Human Interest Photography
Garfield Robinson for 'Elsa Spa'
Jamaica Observer

8. The Morris Cargill Award for Opinion Journalism
Orville Taylor
The Gleaner

Tauna Thomas
Nationwide Radio

9. Best Breaking News
Andre Lowe and The Gleaner's Sports team – The Sha'Carri Richardson story
The Gleaner

10. Excellence in Reporting on the Environment
Krysta Campbell for 'Where have the mangroves gone?'
TVJ News

11. UNICEF Media Award for Excellence In Reporting On Children's Rights
Kay-Ann Morgan
TVJ News

12. Excellence in Reporting on Health and Wellness
All-Angles 'COVID health care crisis'
TVJ

13. Excellence in Reporting on Agriculture
Kalilah Reynolds Media

14. Excellence In Reporting On Technology
Giovanni Dennis for ' SIM swap scam'
TVJ News

15. Carlton Alexander Award for Business and Finance Journalism
Jovan Johnson
The Gleaner

16. Hugh Crosskill/Raymond Sharpe Award for Sports Journalism
(Print)
Romardo Lyons
Jamaica Observer

(Electronic)
Donald Oliver
SportsMax TV

17. Hector Bernard/Theodore Sealy award for News
(Print)
Jovan Johnson
The Gleaner

(Electronic)
Tyrone Reid and Kadisha Clarke
Nationwide News

18. Young Journalist of the Year
Romardo Lyons
Jamaica Observer

19. President's Award for Investigative Journalism
Tyrone Reid and Kadisha Clarke
Nationwide Radio

20. Journalist of the Year Award
Jovan Johnson
The Gleaner

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