BBC Young Reporter winners have their stories aired across the BBC
This year, to coincide with the annual News Day, BBC Young Reporter has announced the winners and finalists of its inaugural competition. Twelve finalists, aged between 11 and 18, have been selected from over 1,500 entries from across the UK to have their stories broadcast across the BBC.
Published: 6 March 2019
I’ve been seriously impressed by the standards they’ve set and I think we’ve definitely found some real talent for the future.
Having launched in November, the BBC Young Reporter Competition asked young people to submit original and personal stories that haven’t been told, under the themes of My Life or My World. Aimed at giving young people a voice, entries were judged by some BBC editors and journalists, including Tina Daheley, Clive Myrie, Nikki Fox, Kamal Ahmed, Ricky Boleto and Alex Jones.
The finalists have been working with BBC journalists and producers to hone their storytelling skills and produce their reports, which will air across the BBC, including Newsbeat, BBC News at Six, The One Show, BBC Three, Newsround, 5 Live and BBC Local Radio, and across the world on BBC News Online.
In the My Life category, the finalists’ stories include a teenager experiencing the menopause, being a foster sibling, the impact of a parent suffering a brain injury, being a black, Muslim female footballer, boxing with a disability and delivering sign-language entertainment for children.
In the My World category, the stories include how social media can be a positive lifeline; the experience of being deaf; living as a family in a one-bedroom flat; what it means to wear a hijab and why it matters; how one girl’s mother’s death helped five people through organ donation and what is like to support a parent with addiction.
Tony Hall, BBC Director-General says: "We’re opening up the BBC today to hundreds of young people and announcing our first winners of the BBC Young Reporter competition. You’ll be able to see them and their reports across the output today - from Newsround and Newsbeat, to The Six O’Clock News and The One Show. I’ve been seriously impressed by the standards they’ve set and I think we’ve definitely found some real talent for the future."
The twelve finalists of the BBC Young Reporter Competition will be recognised at a special awards ceremony today, hosted by Director of BBC Content, Charlotte Moore, where the four overall winners will also be announced.
To find out more about BBC Young Reporter and see all the stories produced by young people: www.bbc.co.uk/youngreporter
Follow us on Twitter @BBCYoungReport./ #BBCYoungReporter
