Leamington-based students named winners at regional media awards

Two Leamington-based students were named winners at regional media awards.

The Midlands Media Students’ Awards were held on November 8 and were organised by Birmingham Press Club and sponsored by Amazon Services UK Ltd.

Taking place in Birmingham, the awards recognise the skills and talents of next-generation journalists, broadcasters, photographers and the rising stars of social media, and were co-hosted by ITV Central journalist Lewis Warner and BBC Asian Network presenter Amber Sandhu – both former students at universities in the Midlands.

At the event, Eden Fall-Bailey, a University of Warwick student, won the news category with her in-depth study of vaping, and Coventry University’s Rima Ayoubi (pictured), who named joint-winner in the broadcasting (television) category.

Rima submitted an “immensely powerful yet harrowing” entry, entitled ‘Endless Darkness,’ about the hidden secrets in Syrian prisons.

The judges said it was an impressive fact-finding production.

Rima said: “Journalism is the most effective way to influence people and inspire them to change the world to a better place because there is a certain power attributed to the written and spoken word.

"A good journalist provides clarity amid chaos, which is what I aim to do.”

Eden, who is currently co-editor-in-chief of The Boar, the University of Warwick’s award- winning newspaper, was also founder and editor-in-chief of Marlborough College’s first student editorial magazine.

Her fellow co-editor-in-chief at The Boar, Ellie Mitchell, was highly commended in the category for social and campaigning journalism.

The University of Warwick enjoyed further success at the awards through Matthew Rendall, who won the Broadcasting (Audio) category for a piece that asked: “Is Spotify good for podcasters?” and Laura Howard, who won the Sport category.

Her articles on grassroots disability sport, the World Cup history of the Japanese women’s football team and whether the women’s England hockey team should wear skirts or shorts won praise from the judges for her “breadth of subjects” that were not only different and informative but were well- researched and “bang on point.”

University of Warwick students who were highly commended were Josh Bradbury (News), Jude Wilkinson (News) and Jake Rodrigues (Sport).

The judges were Adam Fradgley, press photographer; Alan Carruthers, former radio producer; Chris Hills, editor, Tamworth Heritage.org.uk; Chris Mair, former regional newspaper editor; Claire Bullivant, wditor, Bullivant Media’s Magazine Division; Clodagh Griffin, journalist, TV presenter and broadcaster; Dan Harrison, head of media and communications, Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, Fionnuala Bourke, editor, Birmingham World; George Hancorn, ITV News digital producer and rundown presenter; Ian Tennant, press and PR photographer; Jeff Berliner, PR adviser and former television journalist; Jonathan Carter, publisher, Birmingham Living; Tom Lutz, US sports editor, Guardian News and Media; Tom Ross, broadcaster and journalist.