Mancunian Candidate is Three-Time Winner of Best News Reader Award

Feb. 28, 2006 — Paul Lockitt from Key 103 in Manchester was named the UK’s Best News Reader for the third successive year. The judges at the IRN Radio Award said Lockitt's bulletins were expertly targeted and creatively written to hook listeners.

Other nominees battled it out in nine categories; News Reader of the Year, News Reporter of the Year, Best News Coverage, Best News Programme, Best Sports Coverage, Scoop of the Year, Young Journalist of the Year, Best Funny Story and the IRN Contribution Award. All the winners received a trophy and a cash prize from guest presenter, ITV news reader Katie Dereham.

“The award winners demonstrate that strong, creative journalism is alive and well in commercial radio. The standard of entries proves that commercial radio news plays an important role locally, regionally and nationally,” IRN Editor Jon Godel said.

Real Radio Yorkshire took home the award for Scoop of the Year. The station set the national agenda with an exclusive interview with Paul Dyson, in which he made an emotional appeal for the return of his fiancée Joanne Nelson before being arrested for her murder.

Dan Maudsley of TFM was named Young Journalist of the Year for his ability to bring humor and authority at such an early stage of his reporting career. Maudsley also picked up the Award for Best Funny Story with a report on naked ramblers, in the pursuit of which he had shed his own clothes.

Ivel FM’s Amy Lewis was named Reporter of the Year for her coverage of the tsunami aftermath. The judges were impressed with her ability to bring a human touch to such a difficult story about human courage and grief.

The award for News Coverage was taken by Capital Radio for its coverage of the July 7 terrorist bombings in London. The winning entry demonstrated the news team’s ability to respond quickly to a breaking story of national significance.

The News Coverage Award was won by Beacon Radio for a program titled “Caught in the Cross Fire” which looked at gun crime in its community.

The Sport Coverage Award went to GCap Media sport for its lively and memorable reports from the England ashes victory.

The full list of winners is: News Reader of the Year — Paul Lockitt – Key 103; News Reporter of the year — Amy Lewis – Ivel FM; Best News Coverage — Capital Radio; Best News Programme — Beacon Radio; Scoop of the Year — Real Radio Yorkshire; Young Journalist of the Year — Dan Maudsley TFM; Best Funny Story — TFM; Best Sports Coverage — GCap Media Sport; IRN Contribution Award — Hallam FM.