The 2011 Nick Clarke Award
Gillian Dear
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.
