The 2011 Nick Clarke Award

Nick Clarke presenting the World at One

The judges have decided to give the 2011 award to Steve Hewlett, presenter of BBC Radio 4's The Media Show for his interview with the former chair of the Press Complaints Commission, Lady Peta Buscombe.

Steve's live interview, against the clock, demonstrated all the features essential to any conducted in the Nick Clarke tradition. It was challenging, well argued, well structured, well informed, impartial and courteous.

The interview was broadcast when the PCC chair was under considerable pressure. Her posture was, understandably, defensive. Steve's polite insistence, bringing into play his own background knowledge and research, enabled him to take the listener with him beneath that posture.

At the time, the issues were complex and the questions changing almost daily. Steve's guidance through all of this was well-planned and well-executed.

Gillian Dear is programme organiser, BBC Journalism

The shortlist

Steve Hewlett interviews Baroness Peta Buscombe

The Media Show

BBC Radio 4

Mark Lawson interviews Anne Robinson

Mark Lawson talks to...

BBC4

Matthew Bannister interviews Ameneh Bahrami

Outlook

BBC World Service

Stephen Sackur interviews Courenay Griffiths QC

Hardtalk

BBC World & News Channel

Jon Manel interviews Daniel Biddle and Adrian Heili

PM Programme

BBC Radio 4

Julie Etchingham interviews Paul and Rachel Chandler

A Year at Gunpoint: Tonight

ITV News

Jon Snow interviews John Le Carré

Channel 4 News

Channel 4 News

Eddie Mair interviews Julie Nicholson

PM Programme

BBC Radio 4

• The judges were Sue McGregor, Steve Hewlett, Bob Satchwell, Francine Stock, Juliette Dwyer, Anne McElvoy, David Lloyd, Ceri Thomas, Peter Preston, Nick Sutton, Jonathan Baker and Roy Greenslade. Judges were in panels of two and each panel put forward one interview from up to seven entries. Steve did not judge his own entry.
• Kevin Marsh, Gillian Reynolds and Peter Hennessey chose the winner from the eight finalists.