2021 Award Winners

Jessica Swan (formerly Middleton Grange School, Christchurch NZ) is our 2021 winner of the 1News Ross Stevens Award.

The award is sponsored by 1News and is to promote and reward excellence in broadcast journalism. Although Jessica has just completed her second year of the journalism degree, she wins this award for her academic performance as a first year journalism student. The award is in the memory of Ross Stevens, a charismatic and professional TVNZ journalist who sadly died of cancer in 1997.

On hand to present the award is our local 1News reporter on the ground - Thomas Mead. We wish Jessica well as she heads to her internship with TVNZ in Wellington where she will complete her degree and no doubt be a rising star.

 Elizabeth-Teese Robinson aka Rosie (formerly Elim Christian College ) is our 2021 winner of the John Foy Memorial Award for Excellence in Radio News.

This is a prize for the top second year journalism student who achieved the highest grades for all radio and online related assessments.

John Foy began his career in Dunedin and moved to Christchurch to join Radio Avon as their only sports reporter. In 1985 he became the Chief Reporter for Independent Radio News. He was passionate about nurturing young journalists to tackle difficult news stories and produce fast, accurate copy. John died under tragic circumstances in 1989 and we remember John each year with this award in conjunction with the Ara Foundation where the John Foy Trust is now held.

Pictured with Rosie is Chris Foley who along with Ed Taylor were colleagues and friends with John. Rosie now heads to Auckland to start her internship with TVNZ and we wish her all the very best.

 Our 2021 winner of the Neil Jenkins Memorial Award for Radio Creativity is Brenna Creahan (formerly Rototuna Junior and Senior High Schools ). Pictured with Brenna is our local friend Arron Smith from New Zealand Media & Entertainment who was on hand to present the award.

Neil Jenkins had a radio career that spanned 40 years with RNZ and the Radio Network and was a guest tutor here at NZBS for 20 years. The award acknowledges Neil's work in fostering young radio broadcasting talent and Brenna displays great professionalism, creativity and the potential to succeed. She is also one of the nicest humans you will meet.

Brenna heads to Auckland to start an internship with NZME where we know they are excited to host her. We wish Brenna all the best. The award is sponsored jointly by NZME and NZBS.

The 2021 winners of TVNZ -1News & Current Affairs Best Documentary who are Caitlin Hurring (formerly Kaiapoi High School Updates) and Angelo Sales (formerly Amuri Area School) with their document entitled "Through a Foreign Lens".

Year 2 screen students work in pairs to write, film and edit documentaries as part of their course work. The best documentaries are then submitted to TVNZ 1 for judging and they chose this documentary for its interesting narrative and stunning camerawork. Pictured with Caitlin and Angelo is Thomas Mead a local reporter from 1News .

Caitlin will to Auckland to Great Southern Film & Television to start an internship as post production assistant while Angelo heads to do his internship with AE Live in broadcast graphics. Well done to you both and we hope that you continue this award winning collaboration.

Congratulations to Caitlin Hurring (formerly Kaiapoi High School) who is our 2021 winner of the NEP Broadcast Services Award for Outstanding Team Contribution in Screen Production.

NEP Group, Inc. - NZ operation is a new sponsor of this award and it recognises the most valuable team contributor who is a Year 2 screen student. The award is decided by both screen tutors and nominations from peers. Caitlin's classmates chose her for this award and she personifies the phrase "team player".

Pictured with Caitlin is Andrew McMurdo Senior Technical Manager at Outside Broadcasting

Winning best documentary and now this means that Caitlin's internship provider - Great Southern Film & Television - have literally struck gold. We wish you well Caitlin and every success in the future.