Media reflection

PROMINENT ATTORNEY, Harold Brady, held up a mirror to the media fraternity, charging that there are signs that private commercial interests are playing a more significant role in the media.

"The public is aware that to permit private-interest and pressure groups to exercise control would be almost as bad, if not worse, than direct ministerial surveillance and political interference," said Brady, who was addressing the National Journalism Awards Banquet at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel on Friday.

He warned that unless there was editorial independence, the institution of media would "amount to naught".

The attorney also asserted that media practitioners were becoming increasingly insensitive and not sufficiently accountable to the public.

"By that I mean the right of the citizens to check on the services provided for them, and to see that changes are made if the services are unsatisfactory," Brady said.

The Gleaner won awards in 11 of the 19 categories created by the Press Association of Jamaica, including the Young Journalist of the Year award shared between staff reporter, Nadisha Hunter, and Ricardo Williams of KLAS 93 FM.

Television Jamaica veteran Earl Moxam was named Journalist of the Year.

List of PAJ awardees

Journalist of the Year: Earl Moxam, TVJ.

Young Journalist of the Year: (shared)

Nadisha Hunter, The Gleaner; and Ricardo Chambers of KLAS 93 FM.

The Carl Wint award for Human Interest Feature Stories: Daraine Luton,

The Gleaner, for his article 'Haiti's Hell'.

Junior Dowie Award for Sports Photography: Ricardo Makyn, The Gleaner, for his photograph captioned 'Good Save'.

Raymond Sharpe/Hugh Crosskill Award for Sports Reporting: André Lowe, The Gleaner, for his coverage of the 2010 Commonwealth Games and 'The Bolt Series'.

Best Human Interest Television Feature Award: (shared) The Jamaica Information Service (JIS) team of Andrea Chisolm, Omar Green, Michael Kerr, Kerron McCalla, and Maurice Brown for their work 'Haiti in Distress'; and Earl Moxam, TVJ, for his work 'Framed'.

Errol Harvey Award for Human Interest Photography: Lionel Rookwood, Jamaica Observer, for his photograph captioned 'Playful Waste or Joy in the Waste'.

Aston Rhoden Award for News Photography: Ricardo Makyn, The Gleaner, for his photograph captioned 'Beer Madness'.

PAJ President Special Award: Karyl Walker, The Jamaica Observer, for his innovation in online journalism.

Excellence in Online Journalism: Kyle MacPherson, The Gleaner, for the series 'Inna de Yard'.

Ken Dawson Award for Videography: (shared) Omar Green, JIS, for the piece 'Haiti in Distress'; and Glenford Campbell, TVJ, for 'Framed'.

Hector Bernard/Theodore Sealy Award for News (print and electronic):

Print (shared)

Gary Spaulding, The Gleaner, for his articles on the events leading up to the extradition of Christopher Coke; and Paul Henry, The Jamaica Observer, for his coverage of the Buju Banton trial.

Electronic

Nadine McLeod, TVJ, for her body of work covering Haiti, 'Haiti: Six Months After'; 'HIV-Infected Homeless Prostitutes'; and 'The Tivoli Incursion'.

President's Award for Investigative Journalism: Tyrone Reid, The Gleaner, for his piece 'Deadly Water'.

Maurice Garrison Award for Small Publications: The Western Mirror - with

special commendation for the wonderful 30th-anniversary edition.

Best Cover Design (awarded to paginators and subeditors): Raymond Simpson, The Gleaner, for his Youthlink design titled 'Retro Style'.

Morris Cargill Award for Opinion Journalism: Martin Henry, The Gleaner.

Special mention was made of his work, 'Cheap Politics of Poverty' and 'More than Extradition'.

Livingston McLaren Award for Cartoons:

Lascelles May, The Gleaner, for his Christopher Coke-Manatt series.

Best Entertainment Journalist award:

Saudicka Diaram, CVM TV, for her work on the Buju Banton case.