ABC’s Gabriella Marchant was named the 2022 Journalist of the Year at the 2022 SA Media Awards in Adelaide on Saturday, June 25.
Marchant won for her entry Rhys’s Final Wish, which also won four additional categories.
The SA Media Awards judges said, “Gabriella is a skilful and compassionate storyteller. Her strong sense of social justice underpins her body of work. Not only has Gabriella highlighted community welfare issues and policy failings, but she has also shown how locals are enacting or proposing their own solutions. Her adherence to ethical principles struck a perfect balance between impact and sensitivity.
“Gabriella’s piece on Rhys Habermann addressed a difficult topic beautifully. Telling this family’s tragic story in such a sensitive way, and with such focus on the broader implications of their experience, took fine attention to detail and balance. Addressing the topic of suicide tastefully and sensitively, too, is a tricky balance to strike, and Gabriella handled this perfectly: giving only minimum detail about the act itself, while also not glossing over the harrowing impact it had on the family. Gabriella demonstrates great flexibility and storytelling prowess as a journalist. The judges can’t speak highly enough.”
MEAA’s Regional Director for WA, NT and SA, Tiffany Venning said, “Congratulations to all the finalists and winners this evening. The quality of work coming from South Australia is among the very best in the country, and it was my very great pleasure to be here to celebrate it.”
Rhys’s final wish
2022 SA Media Awards Winners
Commentary, Analysis, Opinion & Critique supported by the Judith Neilson Institute
● Tom Richardson, InDaily, “Politics and sport”
Best Rural/Regional Journalist supported by Stories Well Told
● Gabriella Marchant, ABC News, ABC Online and ABC Radio The World Today, “Body of work”
Coverage of Public Service Journalism supported by SACOSS
● Gabriella Marchant, ABC Online and ABC 7.30, “Rhys’s Final Wish”
Sports Journalism supported by Media Super
● Michael McGuire, The Advertiser, “This Sporting Life”
Investigative Journalism supported by Media Super
● Patrick Martin and Nicholas Harmsen, ABC, “SA Parliament’s expenses scandal continued”
Freelance Contribution supported by the Adelaide Economic Development Agency
● Daniel Clarke, Foxtel History Channel, Binge and SA Weekend, “Body of work”
Visual Storytelling supported by the Judith Neilson Institute
● Lincoln Rothall and Evelyn Leckie, ABC News, “A line in the Sand”
Best Radio News/Current Affairs or Feature Report supported by Media Super
● Sean Fewster and Daniel Panozzo, FIVEaa, “Just Lawful – The Hillier Triple Murders”
Best TV/Video News Report supported by Media Super
● Hannah Foord, 7NEWS Adelaide, “Port Hughes Murder”
Best TV Current Affairs or Feature supported by the Judith Neilson Institute
● Gabriella Marchant, ABC 7.30, “Rhys’s Final Wish TV”
Best Print/Text News Report supported by the University of South Australia
● Gabriella Marchant, ABC Online, “Rhys’s Final Wish Online”
Best News or Lifestyle Feature supported by the University of South Australia
● Gabriella Marchant, ABC Online, “Rhys’s Final Wish Online”
The Max Fatchen Award for Best Young Journalist supported by the Judith Neilson Institute
● Bec Whetham, ABC Landline and ABC Online, “Stories of hope”
Julie Duncan Memorial Award for Student Journalism supported by the University of South Australia
● Sarah Herrmann
Journalist of the Year supported by the University of South Australia
● Gabriella Marchant, ABC